Banks said no. So I built my own funding system.

[The Boost Fund]

Hard truth: most small businesses don’t fail because the idea was bad. They fail because they run out of money before the world catches up.

After seeing this happen over and over (including to me), I decided to build something different:

The Boost Fund.

It’s the UK’s first community-powered grant platform.

Here’s how it works:

• Members chip in £9.99/month.
• That fuels a grant pool.
• Every week, one founder wins a £500–£1,000 Boost.
• Every month, one founder gets a £3,000 Super Boost.

And here’s the kicker: even if your business isn’t selected right away, you still benefit.

•Access to a private founder network

•Business tools + resources to help you grow

No loans. No debt.

It’s built on a simple principle: founders funding founders. Instead of waiting months for a grant panel or getting rejected by a bank, we create our own system.


Now I’d love to get your perspective:

• Do you think this kind of model has a future in the UK business ecosystem?
• If you landed a £1,000 Boost for your business tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d spend it on?

Brutal honesty welcome, that’s why I’m here.

I’m in this community to network with other experienced business owners.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Sounds alarmingly like a pyramid

More importantly, the gambling element really doesn't address the core funding issue, it actively distracts from it

 

[The Boost Fund]

Sounds alarmingly like a pyramid

More importantly, the gambling element really doesn't address the core funding issue, it actively distracts from it

Thanks for raising that. I completely understand why it could sound that way at first glance.

To clarify: The Boost Fund isn’t gambling or a pyramid.

• There’s no recruitment model, no “levels,” and no financial upside for bringing in others.
• Members pay a flat £9.99/month, which goes directly into the grant pool.
• Grants are awarded transparently (weekly & monthly), and no one makes money from other members joining. the only payouts are the Boosts themselves.

On the “gambling” point: unlike gambling where the odds are stacked against you, here every member still gains value even if they aren’t selected for a Boost.


The aim is simple: create a fairer, community-driven way for small businesses to access funding, without loans or debt.

I’d genuinely love feedback on how to make the model clearer, because the last thing I want is for it to be misunderstood.

 

[DontAsk]

• Grants are awarded transparently (weekly & monthly),

Based on what criteria?

 

[Mark T Jones]

Thanks for raising that. I completely understand why it could sound that way at first glance.

To clarify: The Boost Fund isn’t gambling or a pyramid.

• There’s no recruitment model, no “levels,” and no financial upside for bringing in others.
• Members pay a flat £9.99/month, which goes directly into the grant pool.
• Grants are awarded transparently (weekly & monthly), and no one makes money from other members joining. the only payouts are the Boosts themselves.

On the “gambling” point: unlike gambling where the odds are stacked against you, here every member still gains value even if they aren’t selected for a Boost.


The aim is simple: create a fairer, community-driven way for small businesses to access funding, without loans or debt.

I’d genuinely love feedback on how to make the model clearer, because the last thing I want is for it to be misunderstood.

Let's call it a lottery then.

From decades of experience, the biggest barrier to start ups getting funding is a lack of coherent plan or strategy - The Start Up Loan is great if these are in place.

The idea of making a monthly financial commitment in the hopes of getting funding doesn't in any way address the issue.

So, set it up and see if it works commercially - but in my view, promoting it as an alternative to proper funding is misleading and dishonest

 

[The Boost Fund]

Based on what criteria?

Grants are awarded through a transparent draw process. Every member has an equal chance each week and month which keeps it simple, fair and with no behind the scenes decisions.

And importantly which I forgot to mention: subscriptions are capped. This means the community won’t just grow endlessly it’s designed to stay sustainable, transparent and fair for everyone involved.

 

[The Boost Fund]

Let's call it a lottery then.

From decades of experience, the biggest barrier to start ups getting funding is a lack of coherent plan or strategy - The Start Up Loan is great if these are in place.

The idea of making a monthly financial commitment in the hopes of getting funding doesn't in any way address the issue.

So, set it up and see if it works commercially - but in my view, promoting it as an alternative to proper funding is misleading and dishonest

Thanks for being direct. I appreciate the honesty.
To clarify a couple of points:

• It’s not a lottery, members aren’t just “buying a ticket” and hoping. Everyone gets ongoing value regardless of selection, through business tools, resources, and a private founder network. The Boosts are one part of the model, not the whole thing.
• I agree with you on strategy! funding without a plan doesn’t solve much. That’s why part of our mission is to help founders not just access money, but also connect, share and learn from each other inside the network.
• On the “alternative to proper funding” point. I don’t position this as a replacement for loans, grants, or investment. It’s an additional option for those who are excluded or delayed by traditional routes. For some founders, a £1,000 Boost to cover stock, marketing, or equipment is exactly the breathing space they need to keep going.

I know the model is unconventional, and I expect it will raise eyebrows but that’s part of trying to tackle an old problem in a new way.

 

[fisicx]

Most new businesses fail because the owners fail to plan and budget not because they run out of cash.

Really can’t see how your idea is going to help. Coughing up £120/year in the 1 in 52 hope to get £500 seems like poor odds. None of the other benefits have any real value.

Maybe I’m just a miserable sod but I’d not want to give you my money. I can borrow that sort of cash through all sorts of channels.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Thanks for being direct. I appreciate the honesty.
To clarify a couple of points:

• It’s not a lottery, members aren’t just “buying a ticket” and hoping. Everyone gets ongoing value regardless of selection, through business tools, resources, and a private founder network. The Boosts are one part of the model, not the whole thing.
• I agree with you on strategy! funding without a plan doesn’t solve much. That’s why part of our mission is to help founders not just access money, but also connect, share and learn from each other inside the network.
• On the “alternative to proper funding” point. I don’t position this as a replacement for loans, grants, or investment. It’s an additional option for those who are excluded or delayed by traditional routes. For some founders, a £1,000 Boost to cover stock, marketing, or equipment is exactly the breathing space they need to keep going.

I know the model is unconventional, and I expect it will raise eyebrows but that’s part of trying to tackle an old problem in a new way.

So, you want to create a professional network, with monthly subscription, with the potential bonus of a win?

Personally I'd completely re-work/re-word my marketing in that order of priority, because your headline thread title really doesn't cut it.

Then of course, ask yourself why your £10 per month network will gain more traction than say, this one, or LinkedIn, or numerous other professional networks?

 

[The Boost Fund]

Most new businesses fail because the owners fail to plan and budget not because they run out of cash.

Really can’t see how your idea is going to help. Coughing up £120/year in the 1 in 52 hope to get £500 seems like poor odds. None of the other benefits have any real value.

Maybe I’m just a miserable sod but I’d not want to give you my money. I can borrow that sort of cash through all sorts of channels.

Appreciate you sharing your view and I don’t think it’s miserable at all. These are exactly the kinds of questions I expected when putting this out there.

You’re right! lack of planning and budgeting kills a lot of businesses. But from my experience (and the founders I speak with), cashflow gaps are often what tips them over the edge, even when the idea and plan are solid. A £500–£1,000 Boost doesn’t replace proper financial management, but it can be the difference between making payroll, buying stock, or running that one marketing push that brings in customers.

The idea isn’t to replace loans or other funding routes. It’s to create an extra, community-driven option for founders who either don’t qualify for “proper” funding or don’t want to take on debt.

I know it won’t be for everyone, and that’s fine but for some founders, community-powered grants could be an option.


Let me know how I could make this better suited.

 

[The Boost Fund]

So, you want to create a professional network, with monthly subscription, with the potential bonus of a win?

Personally I'd completely re-work/re-word my marketing in that order of priority, because your headline thread title really doesn't cut it.

Then of course, ask yourself why your £10 per month network will gain more traction than say, this one, or LinkedIn, or numerous other professional networks?

Appreciate the feedback and you’re right, there are already plenty of free communities and professional networks out there.

Where I see the difference is:

• Most networks stop at conversation. The Boost Fund goes further by turning community into actual funding weekly/monthly Boosts alongside the peer support.
• Focused tools. Members aren’t just chatting; they’re getting access to practical business tools and resources they can actually use to run and grow their businesses.
• Skin in the game. £9.99/month isn’t about profit. it’s about creating a shared pool where everyone contributes, so the funding model works. Free groups often struggle with engagement because nobody has anything invested.

I don’t position this as “better than LinkedIn or UKBF.” It’s something different — for founders who feel locked out of traditional funding routes but still want the benefit of community and resources to support their growth.

How would you suppose I can make this idea better suited?

 

[cjd]

It *is* a lottery and as such falls into the Gambling Act regulations

Gambling Act 2005 (s.14–16), a lottery is:

“An arrangement where persons are required to pay to participate, one or more prizes are allocated to participants, and the allocation of prizes is wholly by chance or by a process which relies wholly on chance.”

It's not a funding scheme because it relies on chance not need. It doesn't solve any funding need at all - you can't get the money when you need it, only if you happen to win it.

 

[Mark T Jones]

How would you suppose I can make this idea better suited?

I've no idea. TBH I think the challenge you've created yourself is having multiple points of focus, which then becomes no focus.

You will need a very compelling benefit, with evidence and testimonials to part people from a £10 per month commitment

 

[fisicx]

I’d pay £10/month if I knew I had access to funds when I needed them. And then continue to pay until the money was paid off.

But that’s just a saving account on steroids.

What I won’t do (nor will many others) is pay into a lottery with a chance of getting some cash. I can already do that for a quid at the corner shop.

 

[WaveJumper]

Sounds very much like a lottery in truth, is this up and running already if so how many members have you attracted to date

 

[Ozzy]

It is a lottery, basically, which means it is regulated by the Gambling Act - so I hope the OP has the relevant registrations in place and is complying the laws surrounding gambling.

 

[Nathanto]

Instead of waiting months for a grant panel or getting rejected by a bank, we create our own system.

Instead of waiting months to be rejected by a bank you can instead wait months (or indeed probably years) and still get nothing? All the time paying £9.99 a month for the privilege?

Your proposal is the very definition of a lottery and so needs to be licensed by the Gambling Commission:

• payment is required to participate
• one or more prizes are awarded
• those prizes are awarded by chance.

Sorry, it's not remotely a grant platform and is a complete non-starter on that basis.

 

[ctrlbrk]

Is this the website?

UK Boost Fund

www.ukboostfund.co.uk

 

[WaveJumper]

Is this the website?

UK Boost Fund

www.ukboostfund.co.uk

Where is all the contact info on their website

 

[fisicx]

I thought it was this one:

Parked Domain name on Hostinger DNS system

 

[WaveJumper]

I thought it was this one:

Parked Domain name on Hostinger DNS system

Ah awaiting booster rockets

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

It's not a funding scheme because it relies on chance not need. It doesn't solve any funding need at all - you can't get the money when you need it, only if you happen to win it.

This is the only real reply needed to this thread.

 

[Buryblue]

How do you cover operating costs and who's paying for Gambling Commission licensing and compliance?

 

[tony84]

Most businesses fail because they run out of business? I will take your word on that.

If you have a business owner who is prepared to shell out £10 a month in the hope of getting £500-3,000, im not sure they deserve the investment. £500 is a case of putting in some overtime or doing a second job in a bar for a month. If people cant be arsed to earn £500-1,000 it wont be lack of money why their business idea failed.

Aside from that, there appears to be no vetting of the businesses. So your going to just give someone £500-3000 for a business that might fail because the business idea or the owner are not very good.

And it sounds like gambling/lottery and a pyramid scheme.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I don't like it one bit

 

[ThatDevAaron]

From the perspective of a business owner - I like it

 

[SillyBill]

Its an idea I haven't heard before, so in a crowded space of ideas, it was worth exploring and well done for that.

My view though is that it reads like a very low value lottery, credible business people want certainty, not a game of chance. Perhaps I'm of a size of business which doesn't understand the attraction, which I get, but I really don't see £500-1000 moving the needle that much for any business, even micro. Sure, it'd be a nice win one month, but how can you plan a business with a very modest investment you may never get?