Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. These are high-risk investments and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

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Risk summary for non-readily realisable securities which are shares:

Last updated: 01 November 2025

Estimated reading time: 2 min

Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.

What are the key risks?

1. You could lose all the money you invest

If the business you invest in fails, you are likely to lose 100% of the money you invested. Most start-up businesses fail.

2. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong

Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here or via the following URL link: https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investment-protection-checker/.

Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here or via the following URL link: https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers.

3. You won’t get your money back quickly

Even if the business you invest in is successful, it may take several years to get your money back. You are unlikely to be able to sell your investment early.

The most likely way to get your money back is if the business is bought by another business or lists its shares on an exchange such as the London Stock Exchange. These events are not common.

If you are investing in a start-up business, you should not expect to get your money back through dividends. Start-up businesses rarely pay these.

4. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment, for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on anyone to do well.

A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments. Read more about it here or via the following URL link: https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest.

5. The value of your investment can be reduced

The percentage of the business that you own will decrease if the business issues more shares. This could mean that the value of your investment reduces, depending on how much the business grows. Most start-up businesses issue multiple rounds of shares.

These new shares could have additional rights that your shares don’t have, such as the right to receive a fixed dividend, which could further reduce your chances of getting a return on your investment.

If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here or via the following URL link: https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart.

Please find the PDF version here.

EIS Capital Gains Tax Boris Johnson September 28, 2021 By David Carson min read

Ireland based Harty Nutrition successfully obtains SEIS & EIS approval

Annotation 2019-04-18 135217

"We had been looking into applying for EIS advance assurance and the whole process seemed very daunting. Johnathan from Sapphire Capital explained the whole process to us and took us through it step by step in a very efficient manner. It was extremely seamless and we were delighted to have found them to help." Ross McDowell - Harty Nutrition Limited.

Description:

The company’s principal business is that of innovative health food manufacturing specialising in the production of raw-formed nutritional products for the healthy snacking market. The company’s brand, Origin Clean Protein Bars is an all-natural sports nutrition and healthy snacking brand which currently has a range of naturally positioned ‘real food’ protein bars selling in retail throughout Ireland and online. The Company is the only protein bar who manufacture in Ireland and do not outsource production to international co-packers.

Sector:

Innovation health food.

Classification:

SEIS and EIS advance assurance.

Back to Summary

David Carson

Intern at Sapphire Capital