EMI Valuation Services for Startups & Scale-Ups
Get an HMRC-approved EMI valuation for your UK startup. We handle the paperwork, the filing, and the expertise – so you can focus on rewarding your team.
Give your team a real stake in your success
Competing with bigger companies for talent is tough when you can’t match their salaries. EMI schemes level the playing field. By offering share options, you give employees a genuine reason to stay, grow with you, and care about the outcome – not just the pay cheque.
But an EMI scheme is only as solid as the valuation underpinning it. Before you can grant a single option, HMRC needs to agree on what your shares are worth. Too high, and your employees lose the tax advantages the scheme is designed to deliver. Get the process wrong, and people could end up with unexpected tax bills on options they haven’t even exercised yet.
That’s where we come in. We handle your EMI valuation from start to finish – the financial analysis, the HMRC submission, the approval process – so you can get your scheme in place with confidence and get back to running your business.
- Be investor-ready
- Negotiate confidently
- Startup valuations
- Employee share schemes
- CPA certified
Startup founders ♥ Standard Ledger
Building a startup is hard. Figuring out your finances shouldn’t be. From capital raising to exits, we’ve helped founders make the right moves – faster and with less stress.
“Closing our £2.5m round with Octopus Ventures was a huge milestone for HealsGood AI. Standard Ledger were instrumental throughout the process – helping us stay investor-ready, manage due diligence and present a clear financial story. They brought real structure and focus, which made a complex raise feel controlled and achievable. Having that level of financial leadership on our side gave us the confidence to move fast and negotiate from a position of strength.”
Jack Henderson
“Standard Ledger saved us from trouble during our UK setup. They turned around crucial work in 48 hours, preventing fines. Having the support you can trust, who knows what they’re doing, means less stress and frees up a lot of mental space.”
Peter Cole
“Standard Ledger was incredibly helpful in reviewing and modelling our finances. Thanks to their support, we reshaped our strategy and identified areas for growth. We are now ready for expansion into new sports and markets.”
Iggy Jovanovic
“John and the team have really understood our R&D story from day one, and have always had a plan for it. We’re in the third year of working together now, and it’s been really great.”
Nadun Hennayaka
“We didn’t hesitate to outsource our Company set up to Standard Ledger. Knowing that they’ll let us know what’s needed, where to sign and what to do is a huge weight off our shoulders. Our bank even commented on how well set up our documentation was!”
Gemma Clancy
“Having Standard Ledger manage bookkeeping has freed up a lot of time. It means I spend less time worrying about money and more time thinking about the bigger picture.”
Jock Lawrence
Valuations at a glance
Startup Valuation
Usually for capital raising or when preparing to exit your business. More info below.
EMI Valuations
An HMRC approved valuation so you can run an Enterprise Management Incentive scheme.
Growth Share Valuation
A tax-efficient way to incentivise your team, based on a ‘valuation hurdle’. More below.
We’ll ask for payment before supplying final materials.
Our valuation services in more detail
Startup valuations
Startup valuations are not an exact science. So it’s important to have a range you can confidently negotiate from.
Or maybe you’re an angel investor, after an independent view on the value of an early stage startup.
Either way, we work with leading global provider, Equidam, to deliver this service.
It includes:
- A detailed report with financial projections, five-way valuations and supporting explanations
- Reworking the report within one month (up to 2 iterations) if necessary
Pricing
- From £1,200 excluding financial model review
- From £1,700 including financial model review
Price can vary depending how much we need to prepare your financials for the valuation. We’ll talk this through with you first – no surprises.
Questions?
If you have questions about this service, please choose a time that suits to talk.
EMI valuations
An Enterprise Management Incentive scheme is a way to attract and retain talent to your startup by offering them share options in your company.
If you’d like to run one, you need to comply with regulations to be on the right side of HMRC and also to make sure your team members don’t get unnecessarily penalised on tax.
First up, you need a valuation approved by HMRC. This is essentially an agreement between you and HMRC about the price of the share option you can offer employees.
Then, if/when an employee decides to exercise their share options to convert them to actual shares, they have to pay the strike/exercise price per share, previously agreed with HMRC so they don’t get taxed.
With EMI valuations, you usually aim for a low company valuation that benefits employees. This is quite different from setting a company valuation for investors.
We’ll work with you to determine your EMI valuation, then prepare and file your paperwork with HMRC to receive the necessary approvals.
Pricing
- £1,500 for most EMI valuations
Price can vary depending how much we need to prepare your financials for the valuation. We’ll talk this through with you first though – no surprises.
Questions?
If you have questions about this service, please choose a time that suits to talk.
Growth share valuations
Growth shares are another way to incentivise your team.
They’re a special class of shares that only have a value if your company’s share price is above a particular hurdle. This means that other shareholders’ interests are only diluted if your company’s value exceeds that hurdle.
This means when you give someone growth shares, and you choose a hurdle that matches your company valuation today, the growth shares have zero value when they’re issued, thereby avoiding any tax issues.
So how do you set the valuation hurdle? That’s what we’re here for. We’ll walk you through the process and help you determine a valuation to establish a ‘hurdle rate’ for your company.
Pricing
- £1,200 for most growth share valuations
Price can vary depending how much we need to prepare your financials for the valuation. We’ll talk this through with you first though – no surprises.
Questions?
If you have questions about this service, please choose a time that suits to talk.
Managing your cap table
Ready to move on from a spreadsheet for your cap table management? Our much-loved partner Vestd is your go-to choice!
Vestd offer a range of membership options to suit your needs, starting from a Lite package and extending to comprehensive share plan and cap table management services. They specialises in ensuring compliance for any type of share issues and schemes, taking the stress out of this complex process.
Get in touch today for more information.
Get a startup valuation you can rely on
Make confident decisions with a clear, data-driven valuation. Whether it’s for fundraising, share schemes or exits, we’ll handle the numbers – so you can focus on growth.