Written by
Robert Hokin
Equity Is Only Half the Story: Scotland’s investment readiness academy teams up with the UK’s leading money-matching platform…so founders stop leaving non-dilutive capital on the table.
Glasgow, Scotland — 26 March 2026 — Scotland’s Fundraising101™ Academy and UK-wide Money Insights are combining their complementary expertise to deliver comprehensive financial support for startups—connecting investment-raising education with practical access to grants, savings, and non-dilutive capital.
Scottish founders spend months perfecting their pitch. They spend almost no time on the grants, tax credits, and savings they already qualify for. That’s the gap Fundraising101™ Academy and Money Insights are closing – together.
The strategic partnership recognises that effective capital strategy extends beyond traditional fundraising. While Fundraising101 teaches founders how to raise equity and debt from investors and lenders, Money Insights connects businesses with government grants, tax credits, cost savings, and financial optimisation opportunities that preserve ownership.
Two UK financial education companies are joining forces to solve a problem costing Scottish startups hundreds of thousands of pounds: founders who are brilliant at raising equity but terrible at finding non-dilutive capital.
Fundraising101™ Academy, which coaches Scottish start-ups, is partnering with Money Insights, the financial matchmaking platform that’s uncovered £2.5M+ in grants, savings, and cost reductions for UK businesses.
The partnership reflects a simple reality: most pre-seed founders focus entirely on equity and debt fundraising while ignoring substantial opportunities in R&D tax credits, government grants, UKEF export finance, and cost optimisation that don’t dilute ownership.
“I’ve watched startups spend six months raising a £400K seed round, then completely miss £75K in R&D tax credits they’re already qualified for,” said Robert Hokin, Managing Partner and Founder of Fundraising101™. “That’s not a fundraising problem, that’s a knowledge problem. This partnership fixes that. Our founders will now have access to Money Insights’ proven matching system that’s already delivered millions in results for UK businesses.”
Money Insights specialises in connecting businesses with financial opportunities they didn’t know existed – from grant funding and energy savings to better banking terms and tax relief schemes. Founder Karen McFadden has built a subscription platform that delivers monthly financial insights and unlimited matches with vetted partners.
“Business owners don’t know what they don’t know,” said McFadden. “A startup might qualify for R&D tax credits, UKEF export finance, and three different grant programs—but if they don’t know these exist, they’ll never apply. We’ve built a system that surfaces these opportunities. Combining that with Robert’s amazing fundraising education creates a genuinely comprehensive financial strategy for founders.”
The partnership will give Fundraising101 students preferential access to Money Insights’ platform and matching services, while Money Insights members looking to raise equity or debt can enrol in Fundraising101’s comprehensive courses. Both companies will co-develop educational content addressing the full spectrum of startup financing.
For Scottish founders navigating the UK’s complex funding ecosystem, the combined offering provides both investment-raising education and practical connections to alternative capital sources – addressing what Hokin calls “a more complete picture of startup finance.”
About Fundraising101™ Academy
Founded by Robert Hokin in Glasgow, Fundraising101™ Academy teaches pre-seed Scottish tech startups how to get “Raise-Ready” effectively. With over 30 years of UK technology investment experience and a network of 34,000+ LinkedIn connections in the startup ecosystem, Hokin has developed comprehensive educational support covering equity, debt, pitch development, and investment-deck due diligence. Find out more HERE.
About Money Insights
Money Insights helps UK business owners find, save, and understand money through financial education and smart matchmaking. Founded by Karen McFadden, the platform has uncovered over £2.5 million in opportunities for British businesses through monthly insights, vetted partner connections, and access to an AI-powered Money Matchmaker (MiMi) currently in development for grant matching. Find out more HERE.
Media Contacts:
Robert Hokin
robert.hokin@fundraising101.academy
Karen McFadden
karen@moneyinsights.uk
