EIS Investment Opportunities

GCV Invest operates on a deal-by-deal basis, so it isn’t a fund in the traditional sense. That said, some of the EIS investment opportunities available do share characteristics with a fund-like structure.

For example, our current live opportunity—investing directly into GCV—offers a fund-like model with the flexibility of deal-by-deal investing. GCV holds stakes of between 20% and 100% in a number of portfolio companies, giving investors exposure to a diversified group of businesses through a single investment.

Many investors seek out venture capital firms that focus on deal-by-deal investing because it offers more freedom and control. A common piece of feedback from our investor network is that they enjoy building a portfolio over time, choosing which EIS opportunities to invest in as new ones are added to the platform.

To explore more of the benefits of investing deal-by-deal rather than through a fund, we’ve put together some content on the topic.

To claim tax reliefs from EIS investments, you can either speak to your accountant or complete the EIS3 form, which is issued to you shortly after the investment is made.

You can also claim via your Self-Assessment tax return. In some cases, you may need to amend a previous year's return to apply the relief to earlier income tax liabilities.

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) free profits are automatic—no claim process is required, as eligible gains are simply exempt.

For a more in-depth guide, we’ve created a resource covering how to claim EIS tax reliefs, including income tax relief, CGT deferral, inheritance tax relief, and more.

When signing up to GCV Invest, you'll go through a quick investor categorisation process—this is a requirement set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that all investors understand the risks involved with early-stage investing.

There are four FCA-recognised investor categories, and most individuals will qualify under one of them, such as a High Net Worth Individual or a Self-Certified Sophisticated Investor. The process is straightforward and typically takes just a few minutes.

Once categorised, you’ll see that the minimum investment for most GCV opportunities is £5,000. This threshold is clearly stated on each opportunity. At other venture builders or platforms, this minimum may vary—sometimes higher, sometimes lower—depending on the structure of the deal and platform policies.

EIS investments involve backing early-stage, often high-growth startups. As a result, returns are not guaranteed, and the risk is considered to be high.

That said, there are ways to manage and potentially reduce that risk. At GCV Invest and GCV Labs, we have a unique and close working relationship with many of the portfolio companies we support. This often includes hands-on help with business development, custom platform and website builds, and full multichannel marketing support. It’s this level of involvement that leads many, both internally and externally, to invest alongside others.

To help offset some of the risk, the government introduced the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). By investing in EIS-eligible opportunities, investors can access a range of tax reliefs, including:

• 30% income tax relief

• Inheritance tax relief (after 2 years)

• Capital gains tax deferral relief

• Loss relief

In the unfortunate event that the company fails, income tax relief and loss relief can be combined, reducing your effective loss exposure to as little as 38.5% of the original investment.

We’ve created a dedicated guide on how EIS loss relief works if you’d like to explore this further.

And if you’d like to speak with us about the risks involved, we’d be happy to help. Simply submit a contact form and we’ll arrange a call.

To retain the EIS tax reliefs, you must hold your shares for at least three years from the date of issue (or from when the business starts trading, if later).

Since EIS is designed as a long-term investment, most opportunities typically aim for an exit over 5–7 years, so meeting the three-year minimum is rarely a concern.