An initial public offering (IPO) is one of the primary options for founders and investors looking to raise significant amounts of capital. While London’s markets have historically been a pre-eminent location for companies to list, there has been growing concern about the City’s international competitiveness – particularly when it comes to technology firms.
The government is seeking to address the problem with various reforms to the listing regime, following recommendations made by Lord Hill, the previous EU commissioner for financial services, in a report released last year.
Founders of high-growth tech businesses will be acutely aware of the amount of time and effort required to raise capital and the impact it can have on the management and performance of the core business....