In the wake of the UK’s Autumn Budget 2025, the tech industry has been abuzz with both applause and apprehension. As a female founder bootstrapping startups in Europe, I’ve had my fair share of navigating economic pivots, government reforms, and talent quandaries. The recent announcements from Chancellor Rachel Reeves have sparked debates, especially in how these decisions impact entrepreneurs like us. Let me walk you through what tech leaders see as wins, what still needs fixing, and why the idea of stability resonates deeply with many of us.
First, What Did the Budget Do Right?
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Enterprise Investment Scheme Extended to 2035
This announcement is a sigh of relief for startup founders. Founders often struggle with planning long-term growth when investment schemes are unstable or short-lived. This extension gives both investors and business owners a clear horizon. A notable enthusiast of this policy, Dame Anne Glover of Amadeus Capital Partners, called it a move that builds much-needed confidence for scaling businesses. If you’re wavering on where and how to base your startup, this move might tip the scales in favor of the UK. -
Evolving the Employee Management Incentives (EMI)
The updated EMI scheme introduces a 15-year option life and raises the employee cap. In simpler terms, it’s easier to attract and retain top talent in technology companies without constant concerns about losing employees once they outgrow the benefits. Tom Leathes from Motorway, a car marketplace that hit unicorn status, said this change directly empowers growing businesses like his to reward long-term contributors, keeping skilled workers grounded where they’re needed most. -
AI Growth Zones and Funding for Innovation
£100M has been earmarked for advancing AI infrastructure. This is music to the ears of startups working in deeptech, machine learning, and similar fields. Programs such as BridgeAI are proof that the government acknowledges the transformative role AI technologies can play in the coming decades. I’ve spoken to founders who share optimism but also stress the need for skilled workers alongside hardware improvements. Professor Rachid Hourizi, a key player in AI education, puts it well: infrastructure is only as good as the teams who use it.
What’s Missing?
As promising as these updates are, there’s still ground to cover.
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No Clear Cybersecurity Investments
Tech leaders are wary that without dedicated budget allocations for cybersecurity infrastructure and training, companies (especially startups) remain vulnerable. We need more clarity, and funding, for this area, especially given how AI applications also expose sensitive data. -
Capital Gains Tax Changes Could Hurt Small Wins
Starting November 2025, capital gains relief for Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) has been reduced from 100% to 50%. For bootstrapped founders operating on small margins, this pulls the rug from under already tenuous financial planning. Solidarity from tech VCs like Jamie Roberts, who noted that consistent policies drive investor confidence, has been vocal, but the damage from such shifts can deter the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Why Stability Over Flashy Changes?
Time and again, founders emphasize the need for consistent frameworks. Sudden tax changes or policy shifts mean you’re left scrambling to pivot, spending more effort on bureaucratic adjustments than business growth. As someone who’s built self-funded ventures with tiny budgets, I can say this type of forewarning matters more than anything else.
Many tech leaders backed the budget's tilt toward stability. After reforms in recent years, a “pause” to let previous measures settle gives startups breathing room. I deeply relate to Steven Drost of CodeBase, who compared the UK’s tech ecosystem to a “mycelial network.” For those of us not working in forestry (wink), it means our connections, partnerships, and habits rely on steady growth over sudden uprooting.
So here’s how I look at it: Stability isn’t flashy, but it sets the groundwork for experimentation, hiring, and making your first hires with confidence.
Learning Tips from This Budget Moment
If you’re an entrepreneur in Europe, here’s how to make sense of what’s next:
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Focus on Longevity
With schemes like EIS extended to 2035, plan for long-term investors who align with your values. Short-term partnerships are less enticing when frameworks reward staying the course. -
Adapt to Talent Incentives
Use reforms in EMI benefits to creatively incentivize your team. Think about offering flexible incentive packages that weave growth plans into job offers. -
Lobby When Needed
Pool your voice with others if current tax changes (like CGT reductions) harm your business. Maybe not all of us run large VC-backed firms, but collectively, founders have a say. Stay connected to your local government reps about policy changes. -
Invest in Regional Networks
If you’re based outside usual tech hubs like London, use regional initiatives stemming from programs like Venture Capital Trust expansion. Capital is flowing to new hubs, and this is a call to take action to claim your part.
Lessons for Female Founders and Bootstrapped Businesses
As women in business, many of us understand the value of playing the long game. Budgets like these teach us that planning far ahead pays off, especially if stability factors into policy frameworks.
Missteps like sudden tax changes also highlight the need for community networks. European founders, especially bootstrapped ones, have every reason to build regional ecosystems with others in similar shoes.
Also, while governments focus on infrastructure like AI Growth Zones, make your top priority a human investment. Your team’s skills and mindset will outperform hardware or funding in the long haul.
Wrapping It Up
The Autumn Budget 2025 has sparked new pathways for technology pioneers, but its real success hinges on consistent implementation and continued industry dialogue. For entrepreneurs like you and me, it offers a mixed bag. Yes, the reforms bring relief for scaling and innovation, but rising costs or unclear allocations for cybersecurity could leave holes.
Female founders, especially, can take this as motivation to push for more inclusion around smaller businesses. Let’s learn, adapt, and grow as we always do, and make the most of incentives while pushing for better ones in the next cycle.
FAQ
1. What are the key advantages of the UK's Autumn Budget 2025 for startups?
The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) extension to 2035 provides long-term stability for startups and investors, while the revised Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) make it easier to attract and retain talented employees. Learn about EIS and EMI
2. What changes were made to the Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) scheme?
The updated EMI scheme now allows a 15-year option life and an increased employee cap, supporting long-term talent retention in tech businesses. Discover more on EMI changes
3. What funding has been allocated to support AI development in the UK?
The Autumn Budget 2025 allocates £100 million for AI infrastructure, including the launch of “AI for Science” and support for three AI growth zones. A significant focus has also been placed on the development of an AI-skilled workforce. Learn about UK AI investment
4. How has the Autumn Budget 2025 impacted Capital Gains Tax for entrepreneurs?
The Capital Gains Tax relief on Employee Ownership Trusts was reduced from 100% to 50%, which some tech leaders worry could harm small businesses and discourage entrepreneurial investment. Understand the CGT changes
5. What are AI Growth Zones and how will they benefit tech companies?
AI Growth Zones are regions designated for targeted investment in AI infrastructure and innovation. This initiative aims to support startups in fields like machine learning and deep tech. Explore AI Growth Zones
6. How are regional tech hubs supported by the recent budget?
The Autumn Budget 2025 emphasizes regional growth through the expansion of Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), which will channel investments into new, emerging tech hubs outside of London.
7. Why do tech leaders emphasize stability in government policies?
Tech leaders argue that consistent and predictable policies foster confidence among entrepreneurs and investors, enabling long-term planning, growth, and investment. See expert opinions on stability
8. Are there concerns raised by the tech sector about the 2025 budget's priorities?
Yes, tech leaders have expressed concerns about insufficient investment in cybersecurity and the impact of taxation changes on entrepreneurial confidence. Read about tech industry concerns
9. What initiatives encourage regional technology expansion?
The government removed some restrictions around VCT investments, supporting capital flow into regional tech ecosystems. Leaders believe this enhances economic activity beyond London.
10. How does the Autumn Budget 2025 align with the needs of women founders and bootstrapped businesses?
Female founders are encouraged to leverage long-term schemes like EIS and EMI while focusing on networking and regional collaboration to build resilience. Learn how founders can adapt
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
