Sam Simpson

FounderCatalyst

FounderCatalyst is an exciting and disruptive play into the UK legal tech sector, underpinned by our superb technology platform. 

Our mission is to create all of your funding legal paperwork quickly and professionally, with no compromise on quality, at a fixed low price.  

Our aim is to make your fundraising legal journey as simple as possible, whilst managing investor engagement, putting you back in control.

My role in FounderCatalyst is to ensure that our platform and customer service is exemplary, to build industry partnerships and to own and execute our service roadmap.

Founder

Forge Technologies Ltd

Forge Technologies is a digital IT services business focusing on three technology pillars; Future workplace, Cloud optimisation and Network transformation. Forge has no legacy infrastructure that it needs to deliver returns against; no costly office space, external investors or banking covenants and unencumbered from legacy working practices that have to be turned on their head to adapt to new working practices.

Within Forge Technologies, I am responsible for all aspects of commercial and back office services.

Co-Founder and CCO

University of Bristol

Quantum Technology Enterprise Centre (QTEC) is a world-leading incubator for quantum-based technology innovators, its vision is to educate and create the quantum entrepreneurs of the future. I'm mentoring two fantastic entrepreneurs as they develop their businesses.

Visiting Fellow and Mentor

Various Companies

Providing ongoing advice and support to the founders of incredible investees

Angel Investor and Board Advisor

Roc Technologies

I co-founded the business and successfully established the project and professional services delivery functions along with all back-office functions. This included finance, HR, IT, legal and corporate governance & compliance and vendor partnerships & accreditations.

Roc was recognised by the Financial Times as the 17th fastest growing company in Europe in 2017, and was the fastest growing IT Services business in the UK in 2016 according to the Sunday Times Tech Track.

Following a strategic review, I led a corporate finance process which resulted in a leveraged MBO and the acquisition of an IT Services business. At the time Roc had more than 200 people and run rate revenues of £25m. I subsequently exited my shareholding and Directorship as a part of this process.  The exit process was recognised by Business Magazine Thames Valley as Mid-Range Deal of the Year at the Annual Thames Valley Deals Awards 2018, held at the Madejski Stadium in Reading on the 19th April 2018 and subsequently as Tech Deal of the Year 2018 at the Thames Valley Tech Awards.

Founding Director

Daisy Group PLC

During my short period of employment at Daisy I was responsible for stabilising the Professional Services elements of the business following the acquisition of 2e2's managed services business. I also developed a repeatable process for integrating acquisitions.

Director of Project Services

Consolidated five disparate Project Services team into a single consistent directorate. Responsible for more than 150 staff across multiple disciplines and a portfolio of 500+ projects with a value in excess of £200m.
I also supported the sale of the company’s business units and assets to Daisy and O2.

Accountable for all delivery operations including management of a team of 90 technical engineers, consultants, project managers and PMO staff. My team delivered in excess of £110 million of customer solutions per annum.

Operations Director, Unified Communications Business Unit

Delivery of the company’s largest and most complex programme for a high security UK government client. Recruited and led a team of more than 60 technical and project management professionals. Successfully delivered the programme to time and budget.

Technical & Delivery Director

Prime Business Solutions

Management of pre-sales technical support and post sales delivery for IT infrastructure solutions based on Microsoft and Citrix.

Server and Client Line of Business Director

Evotree Limited

Evotree was an early cloud computing and Microsoft/Citrix Integrator startup. I established and managed all technical and operational delivery capability. The company achieved revenues of £1m in the first 6 months and was subsequently integrated into Prime Business Solutions.

Co-Founder and COO

Technical development, management and support in the Education and Insurance sectors.

Various Network and IT Operations Management Roles

You're seeking that all-important funding to catapult you to the next level.

YET despite how motivated you are and how good your business idea is, you may still struggle to…

▫️ Get funding because of the advance assurance needed
▫️ Afford the production of expensive legal paperwork
▫️ Know-how to find those elusive investors.

Simplifying and accelerating the early-stage investment legal journey, FounderCatalyst is the ONLY affordable fixed price method of funding round legals for start-ups.

WHO WE HELP
Pre-incorporation to start-ups in England & Wales that want expert AND affordable help with SEIS & EIS and the legal process and documentation required to complete their funding journey. 

3 WAYS WE HELP
1. Apply for SEIS & EIS advance assurance
2. Produce all legal funding round paperwork and manage investor engagement
3. Introduce start-ups to possible sources of funding.

Enjoy the relief all of the legal paperwork you need in as little as 30 minutes and your investor engagement managed through the process.  

PROOF WE HELP
✅  Complete fixed price service per funding round just £1,495 +vat
✅  99% success rate for advance assurance
✅  Legal paperwork produced in just 30 minutes.

YOUR NEXT STEP
Haven’t yet got your funding legals sorted and you’re determined to give your start-up the best and most affordable chance of success?

Book a chat at https://calendly.com/sam-fc/meet

Thanks for viewing my profile.

Sam

"Founders seeking to raise equity finance - use this service! It’s simple to use, reliable & secure, & provides unrivalled value for money. You're in complete control of your fundraising process & timescales." Jules & Charlie, Founders, The Nue Co

FREE RESOURCES
Because we’re here to help start-ups, we offer the following for free:

✅  SEIS/EIS advance assurance submission
✅  Customised Term Sheet
✅  Template Forecast Models
✅  Founder Collaboration Agreements

Visit: foundercatalyst.com to find out more and access the freebies.

SPECIALITIES: Start-up, Startup, Start Up Funding, Funding Round, Funding, Investment, Investor, Investor Engagement, Angel Investor, SEIS, EIS

This afternoon has been a great reminder of why I love doing what I do at FounderCatalyst.  3x back to back founder calls:

🚚 A founder with an amazing app in the foodie space.  As a passionate home cook, this chat really made me want to get out in the outdoor kitchen this weekend to cook up a feast.

💰 Telling a founder with an amazing luxury brand who thought that she was out of time for SEIS that she's still eligible - her reaction was a treat 👏

🎣 Hooking a customer from a competitor out of the blue always a treat too 🫢

Being a founder is a rollercoaster, but this has been a great end to the week 🎉

Serial Entrepreneur, Board Advisor ▫️ Founder at FounderCatalyst, the ONLY affordable fixed price method of funding round legals for start-ups ▫️ CCO at Forge Technologies

⏳ 48 hours to go - I’m looking forward to joining forces with Ivan Hoo for a live, practical breakdown of one of the biggest early-stage challenges: setting and defending your pre-seed valuation.

Whether you're raising your first round or preparing for investor conversations, this session will give you the frameworks and confidence you need.

Here’s what FounderCatalyst and Hubble will be covering:

✔️ The core principles behind pre-seed valuations — and how equity, control and fundraising strategy really fit together
✔️ The key valuation methodologies founders should understand (and when each actually applies)
✔️ An investor’s perspective on how valuations are assessed in the real world
And from Ivan Hoo (Fractional CFO & Startup Advisor at Hubble):
✔️ A deep dive into the Venture Capital Method (VCM) & comparables
✔️ Practical tactics for negotiating with investors
✔️ A live Q&A to tackle your specific valuation questions

🗓️ 3 December 2025

🕛 12:00 PM (UK Time)

💻 Free to join

👉 Save your spot: https://lnkd.in/eyESfp6x
Hope to see you there!

#StartupValuations #FundraisingTips #FounderCatalyst  #StartupWebinar #InvestorReady  #StartupJourney

👥 Building a Winning Startup Team

Equity, Legal Structures & Advisory Boards
A strong startup team goes far beyond just great people—it’s about setting the right structure, incentives, and agreements from day one.

In this practical session, Sam FounderCatalyst will be covering how to allocate equity and use share schemes effectively, while Patricia Wing (SuLe) will break down the legal and governance must-haves for co-founders, advisors, and NEDs.

What you’ll learn:
✅ How to structure equity for co-founders and advisors
✅ SEIS, share options & funding round considerations
✅ Vesting agreements, legal protections & more
🎤 Plus live Q&A—bring your questions!

📅 09/12/25 @ 12PM (Zoom)

Register here for free:

Open article: Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: How to Attract, Keep, and Reward your Co-Founders, Advisors, NEDs and Employees. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. by us06web.zoom.us

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: How to Attract, Keep, and Reward your Co-Founders, Advisors, NEDs and Employees. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

⏰ 6 days to go!

Next week I’ll be hosting a free live session taking you behind the scenes of what really happens after you’ve defined your funding round — from inviting investors to signing, closing, and completing your raise on the FounderCatalyst platform. 🚀

I’ll also cover the key post-close steps that keep your company and investors aligned, compliant, and ready for growth.

Here’s what we’ll go through:
✅ Inviting & managing investors
✅ Signing and completing your round
✅ Closing actions on FounderCatalyst
✅ Post-close compliance essentials
✅ Live Q&A

🗓️ 17/11/25 | 12:00PM (BST)

💻 Free to attend — final spots available!

👉 Save your place here https://lnkd.in/e35Pkfwk 

#FounderCatalyst #Webinar #StartupFunding #SEIS #EIS #Fundraising #StartupJourney #AngelInvesting

Open article: Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: From investor invites to closing the round: What happens next on FounderCatalyst platform. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. by us06web.zoom.us

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: From investor invites to closing the round: What happens next on FounderCatalyst platform. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

St Neots Initiative

To support the continuity of the project, I am staying on as Vice Chair with a focus on economic priorities, community assets and supporting the scale up of the initiative.

SNI has grown rapidly in the last 3 years and as it moves into it's 30th anniversary in 2026 we will see that growth continue, developing into essential social and economic relevance locally and nationally.

I am proud to see this work continue and very lucky to be one of 30+ volunteers, all passionate about making St Neots the best market town to live, work and play in.

Vice Chair

My role was to support SNI join up the thinking of the ecosystems surrounding St Neots and to drive the initiative forward to become a lead role in the growth of the town under the focus on People, Place & Prosperity & Principles. A continuation of my first 2 years and finished my role finding a successor to take the initiative forward.

Acting Chair

Citizen Hub

Co-Founder

Inspire 2 Ignite CIC

My role has evolved to chair our Ignite Champion network and develop the infrastructure to enable the project to scale long-term.

Here to support the leadership integrate with industry, education and youth provision. Paving the way to support Inspire 2 Ignite be permanently and positively alternative.

Chair

Using everything I have learned as an Entrepreneurial Change Agent to enable 16 - 24 year olds become self-sustaining through our programmes and community.

We have a Discord community called Curious Entrepreneurs where young people can CoGrow their organisations & share opportunities.

Enabling direct support to young people that need guidance through the process of starting businesses, we have our Ignite Programme which takes them through a 6 month cohort led process to turn ideas into entrepreneurial projects. 

Bringing my extensive network together to provide support to all activities of the CIC. Including funding, access to network and expert mentoring to young people we work with.

Green Jobs Foundation

Building on the foundations Joanna started, my role is to continue the pursuit of our purpose, to mitigate climate change-caused employment risk by increasing awareness of and access to green jobs. 

The charity aims to increase knowledge of green jobs in society, working with current and future job seekers and with businesses, other NGOs and government. Our combined efforts will enable us all to prosper in a greener, more equitable future.

By green jobs, we define that as employment in an activity that directly contributes to – or indirectly supports – the achievement of society’s net zero emissions target and other environmental goals, such as nature restoration and mitigation against climate risks.

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Street Food Fest

A collaboration with our good friends over at Bohemia in St Neots, a seasonal event that will be appearing in your town soon! 

Check it out - www.streetfoodfest.co.uk 

My role is to ensure firstly we have the right brands collaborating with us as we scale the business and longer term, expanding the opportunities for our Street Food Fest for further commercial opportunities.

Director

SILVERTONE CLEANING COMPANY LIMITED

Developing the business and working with a brilliant team to bring disruption to a very traditional industry, by way of collaboration and building relationships with our clients.

THE IRONING SHOP.

My adopted baby, started by my Grandma in 1982, we have achieved great things since 2015. We have a fantastic dedicated team that is committed to see my Grandma's legacy continue to serve a purpose.

Boardy

Connector

Riverside Meadows Academy

Supporting role to the academy, connecting them to students to local communities socially and economically

Shifties

A community of Entrepreneurs in Cambridgeshire, a community founded in 2018, we create opportunity for the 1400 members that are part of it now.

It continues to provide a platform for Entrepreneurs to connect, learn and grow together through our online and physical events, we create opportunities to accelerate growth for others around us through our entrepreneurial efforts as a community.

The group came to a natural end post covid, established the St Neots Busines Network as legacy for where we started.

Chair of Inspire 2 Ignite CIC | Building Bridges between Young Talent and Opportunities | Future Talent Empowerment Advocate

I’m Alex Hughes, a disruptor and innovator passionate about building ecosystems that empower young people and drive socio-economic change.

As the founder and Chair of Inspire 2 Ignite CIC, my focus is on creating platforms where young people thrive. From unlocking individual potential to designing community-driven solutions, I’ve dedicated my journey to ensuring that the next generation has the tools, networks, and opportunities to lead with confidence.

I believe every young person has the power to shape the future. At Inspire 2 Ignite, we don’t just talk about possibilities—we actively create pathways for young people to explore their passions, grow their skills, and discover their purpose. Whether it’s through education, employment, or entrepreneurship, we are about turning potential into impact.

Collaboration and community are at the core of everything I do. I’ve spent years breaking down silos, connecting sectors, and building trust across businesses, charities, and local initiatives. Whether I’m working with the Green Jobs Foundation to redefine career opportunities in sustainability or leading the St Neots Initiative to revitalise communities, my focus is always on creating meaningful growth.

If you’re passionate about youth empowerment, sustainable growth, or community innovation, I’d love to connect. Together, we can redefine what’s possible and create the impact that lasts for generations.

Alex Hughes

I have been asking the same question at most events I have spoken at this year. It has been a social experiment for me to ensure data backs up my gut. 

"Put your hand up if you have been able to access work experience or paid work through someone you already knew in your life?" I have asked that question to well over 1000 people this year, the % that put their hand up? At least 95%.

I follow it up with another "Keep your hand up if as a result of that connection, you were able to skip part of the recuitment process?", at least 60% keep it up.

What does this tell us?! Unemployment is a social problem! We need to increase the volume of opportunities for people to interface with each other, it really is that simple in my view!

I get to engage with all angles of the problem, I see top-class education facilities, employers that have open roles, young talent that are eager to get into work, public sector desperately trying to innovate on th ground. It is just obscurity that gets in the way. Or is it?

Infrastructure is the single most effective thing communities can fight for to resolve this problem, afterall it is their problem. This is why we are building more Citizen Hub's, more transport and digital solutions across the projects I work with. 

Give us 10 years, alongside the many other social infrastructure focused enterprises in the UK, we might get there! It will require a lot of obstacles being removed, but that is the opportunity the country has to see the crisis become an economic opportunity.

That sounds big right? Too hard to get involved in? That's not all, you can open your doors to people who wouldn't normally be invited to your parties. Look at this picture, you have Sam Squire CEO of a youth org Inspire 2 Ignite CIC, Michael O'Toole CEO of a funder Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Julie Spence OBE, QPM,BEd, LLB, MA, MBA. the most exclusive volunteer for the Royal Family, myself and Richard Swift, deputy mayor of Cambridge. 

Right there in the middle is Luke S., a 17-year-old who was gifted the opportunity to not only attend an exclusive event, but also took to the stage to show the room his amazing character and personality. One of many that Sam and the team at Inspire 2 Ignite have ensured are in amongst the very best networks in the UK this year. 

We will make sure the infrastructure comes, it is my life mission! You can open your door though and would recommend getting in touch with Sam and Olly Rowland to explore how you can change lives in 2026, by simply ensuring you have some young people at your event or in your workplace.

Chair at Inspire 2 Ignite CIC | Green Jobs Foundation | St Neots Initiative | Champion for Future Talent and Community Empowerment

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Sam Simpson

Alex Hughes

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The Battle

Sam Simpson

Alex Hughes

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Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Sam Simpson's LinkedIn Performance

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