Before a UK early-stage opportunity can even be shown to most private individuals, UK law asks a question: who are you? The answer takes the form of an investor statement — a short self-certification that has existed since 2005 and was last adjusted in 2024.
There are two routes. The high net worth individual statement applies to anyone with income of at least £100,000 in the last financial year, or net assets of at least £250,000 — excluding their main home and pension. The self-certified sophisticated investor statement applies to those who qualify by experience rather than wealth: recent investments in unlisted companies, membership of a business angel network, directorship of a substantial company, or professional experience in early-stage finance. Both statements are valid for twelve months and must then be renewed. The thresholds were briefly raised in January 2024 and reinstated at the original levels from March 2024 — a useful reminder that even the gateway rules move.
What signing actually means deserves plain words: you accept that promotions you receive may not be FCA-approved, that FCA and compensation-scheme protections may not apply, and that early-stage capital can be entirely lost. The statement is not a formality — it is the law’s way of ensuring that unlisted opportunities reach only people equipped to evaluate them.
It is also why serious organisations put a conversation before any document. At CVG, access to the ecosystem begins with registration and a call — classification, where relevant, comes later and privately. Anyone who offers you unlisted investments with no questions asked is telling you something important about themselves.
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