Client Background
The client had spent two years helping UK SMEs find grants through spreadsheets and personal contacts. They wanted to turn the workflow into a product but had no technical co-founder, no business plan, and no clarity on whether the idea was innovative enough for endorsement.
The Objective
To package an existing service into a scalable, software-led business that meets the innovation, viability and scalability bars set by endorsing bodies.
Step 1: Ideation
We pressure-tested the manual workflow and identified where AI could materially change the user experience: surfacing grants, loans and R&D tax credits an SME actually qualifies for, instead of generic listings. The product was reframed around qualification logic, not search.
Step 2: Business Plan Development
We wrote an endorsement-ready plan covering UK SME funding gaps, competitor positioning against incumbents like Swoop and Capalona, a clear revenue model (subscription plus success fee), and a realistic scalability path.
Step 3: Product Development
We built a working prototype showing the qualification engine, application tracking, and document workflow so the assessor could see the product, not just read about it.
Step 4: Financial Strategy
We built five-year projections grounded in real conversion data from the client's existing service, then coached the founder until they could defend every assumption without notes.
Step 5: Interview Preparation
Mock interviews focused on the hardest questions: defensibility against incumbents, why now, and how the AI layer is more than a wrapper.
Outcome
The application stood out due to:
- A product narrative grounded in real customer evidence
- A defensible AI qualification engine
- Five-year financials tied to historical conversion data
- Confident, structured interview performance
Final Result
- — Endorsement secured
- — Working prototype in private beta with existing clients
- — Clear roadmap to a paid SaaS launch in the UK
