Modern polymath Sam Simpson (CEO @ Founder Catalyst & Co-Founder @ Forge Technologies) has worn every hat: quantum physicist, £450 m buy-and-build survivor, SEIS-powered founder, angel in 30+ start-ups.

In this episode he breaks down:



Why an 18 % loan-note stack killed 2e2 overnight, and how that shaped his “no-debt” rule



Turning a £20 k SEIS cheque into a 30×, tax-free exit (and what most founders miss)



Growth-at-all-costs is dead; profitability, AI-driven efficiency & the “barbell economy” are in



Angel vs buy-out returns, optionality, focus, and building Forge Technologies without bank debt



⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro & welcome

1:12 The 3 Cs – Customer, Colleague, Commercial

5:32 2e2 collapse & debt lessons learned

10:18 COVID wipes out an events venture

15:04 Rock Technologies – SEIS to £100 m exit

23:18 Founder Catalyst – powering funding rounds

27:30 Forge Technologies – buy-and-build, no leverage

34:00 Angel vs buy-out returns (+ SEIS/EMI tips)

38:12 AI, profitability & the barbell economy

44:40 Personal milestones, focus & future plans

46:50 Key take-aways & wrap-up



🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Founder Catalyst – SEIS/EIS & EMI platform → https://foundercatalyst.co.uk

• Forge Technologies → https://forgetech.co.uk

• SEIS & EMI Guides (UK Gov) → https://gov.uk

• BGF (Business Growth Fund) → https://bgf.co.uk





*About M&A Zing*  

Host: Gareth Hawkins – CEO & Co-Founder, BizCrunch (exited founder & M&A investor). Each week we dive into real-world SMB M&A across the UK & Europe.



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Featured News  

• Microsoft chooses a boutique London venue for Satya Nadella’s EU product launch – the inside story of an events business wiped out by COVID

• BGF doubles down on UK tech after its nine-figure exit from Rock Technologies

• UK Startup Loans: £25 k per founder at 6 % – why Sam Simpson still says “no PG debt”



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