Toddlers, you've got to love them, but who knows how to control them! My 3 year-old is the light of my life, though I really can't wait until he's grown out of this phase.

ESIC companies can not take the some approach, and must grow up fast!

If you're company was incorporated from 1/7/14 to the 1/7/15, you're officially managing a 3nager. Yes, that's 2015, 2016 and the current tax year combining towards the 3 tax years, even if the company is probably only 2 years old as you read this.

On 1/7/17 you'll be considered 4, and as a 4 year-old you'll be expected to jump another through s360-40, which requires you to accumulate 3 tax years expenses within a 1 million dollar cap.

To complicate that further, as you include the current year in your cap test. Problem; even though you don't know how much you have spent yet, and investment will increase that spend, you need to confirm your under the cap.

The moral of this story and theme of this blog, Early Stage Innovation Companies can't wait for tax time, get your credentials and get funded as fast as you can. Your chance at ESIC fuelled investment will be gone before you know it.

Go well,


Tom