Startup funding advisers compared: GrantTree, TBAT and Granted

Choosing a startup funding agency is a due-diligence exercise. Compare each firm on stated scope, best fit, fee basis and post-submission terms, then verify the contracting company before you appoint anyone.

What to take away

How the three advisers compare side by side

All three sell help with public funding, but stated scope differs in width and in what happens after submission. The table sets out scope, best fit and the fee question to put to each firm. Delivery quality cannot be scored from public pages.

Leave the quality rows blank until references arrive. A firm that names the writer, the reviewer and the hours gives you something to compare.

What a funding adviser can and cannot do

Grant advisers work inside rules the funder sets. Innovate UK runs themed competitions and other programmes, and each call carries its own scope, eligibility test and project size. Read the full scope before paying anyone.

Awards in the UK sit under the subsidy control regime set by the Subsidy Control Act 2022, so the same costs cannot normally be funded twice. HMRC administers R&D tax relief separately. Ask in writing how a grant would affect a relief claim on the same project.

If grant timelines look slow, equity is the other official route. The Enterprise Investment Scheme offers tax reliefs to investors in qualifying companies, and GOV.UK sets out the eligibility and relief conditions.

Regional support adds a further layer. Growth Hubs and combined authorities run local grant and support programmes, and the official business finance and support hub lists national and regional schemes together. For a wider view of route selection, see our funding routes ranked by fit.

Fees and the questions to settle before signing

None of the three publishes standard fees, so the engagement letter matters more than the pitch. Price the same brief with every firm on one basis, then compare totals.

Fee models vary between fixed fee, day rate and a success element. A contingent fee shifts the adviser's incentive, so check which work is dropped when a bid looks weak. Supplier due diligence follows a familiar pattern: verify the claims, then commit.

Costs beyond the fee matter too. A funding budget that prices delay and dilution shows what a long decision wait costs your company.

Example: a scoring sheet for one grant brief

Build one sheet with rows for scope fit, named staff, hours, challenge quality, fee basis and post-submission terms. Score each row from one to five and weight fee only after the scope questions.

Advisers who reject weak bids score higher than advisers who promise submission. If a firm cannot name the person doing the work, leave that row blank and note why.

Common questions

Which of the three should I appoint?

GrantTree is the safest first call if you want grant funding and R&D tax relief handled together. TBAT fits a bid that must sit alongside project delivery. Granted suits a narrow grant brief with an identified competition.

Why are there no published fees?

No rate card was available for any of the three when the public pages were checked. Fees depend on the competition, the scope and the evidence, so any quote is specific to one brief.

Can an adviser make my project eligible?

No. Eligibility comes from the competition scope and the funder's rules. An adviser can sharpen the case and improve the wording, but a project outside the scope will fail.

How do I verify a funding adviser?

Check the contracting company at Companies House, ask for references in your sector, and read the engagement letter against what was promised on the call. Confirm who signs the final claim.