Startups made easy. Sorted.

Option Scheme Insights Preview Image (2)
Option Schemes 1 min read
Expert reviewed

UK report 2024: How does your share option scheme compare?

Published: 
Feb 6, 2023
Updated: Jan 25, 2024
Suzanne Worthington
Suzanne Worthington

Want to know how other startups structure their share option schemes? You’re in the right place.

This free report contains the findings of our January 2024 survey of all active option schemes on SeedLegals set up in 2022 and 2023,- both EMI and Unapproved schemes.

Want to know how other startups structure their share option schemes? You’re in the right place. We dive into the data for insights to help you plan or evaluate your own scheme.

Option Scheme Insights Preview Image (2)

 

Report contents

We’ve analysed the data from hundreds of share option schemes set up on SeedLegals in the UK in 2022 and 2023. Our experts highlight trends and share insights on the choices companies make for their EMI and Unapproved schemes.

In this report, you’ll find out:

  • What % of shares companies set aside for the option pool
  • How long companies choose for the options vesting period
  • Whether companies opt for a vesting cliff and if so, when
  • What vesting frequency companies choose
  • Whether companies offer accelerated vesting and when it applies
  • When companies allow holders to exercise options
  • What % of companies have both EMI and Unapproved schemes

About the authors

Meet the team behind the scenes:

Tommy Hackley

Tommy Hackley

Tommy is an experienced equity strategist with a specialism in R&D tax credits and share option schemes. Find out more about Tommy.

 

Mo Saed Circle

Mo Saed

Mo leads the SeedLegals new business team and is an option schemes expert. Master graduate Mo studied Business and Finance and has previously worked for Funding Circle.

 

 

Suzanne Worthington Circle

Suzanne Worthington

Sooze writes content for our website. She’s previously worked for Tide, Aviva and the BBC. Sooze studied Physics and Linguistics, and is obsessed with making complicated topics easy to understand.
Read more from Sooze

 

 

Talk to an expert

Not sure what type of option scheme you need? Don’t know how to get started? Book a free chat with one of our options experts to get your questions answered.


Start your journey with us

  • Beulah
  • Brolly
  • Oddbox Transparent
  • Index Ventures
  • Seedcamp
  • Qured