Capital Raising Advisory: A Powerful Diversification for Your Firm
Accountants Minute 413
Capital raising isn’t just for big business. With government-backed programs like Crowd-Sourced Funding Equity Raising and Early-Stage Innovation Company (ESIC) status, small businesses now have powerful tools to secure growth capital. As an accountant, bookkeeper, or business advisor, this opens up a significant opportunity to diversify your firm’s services – while positioning yourself as a key strategic partner for ambitious SME clients.
At ESS BIZTOOLS, we’ve developed comprehensive, easy-to-implement product packages that help you deliver these services confidently and efficiently – without spending hundreds of hours developing your own systems and research.
Crowd-Sourced Funding Equity Raising (CSF)
Perfect for private or unlisted public companies with:
✅ Annual turnover under $25M
✅ Assets under $25M
✅ No existing stock exchange listing
With CSF, eligible SMEs can raise up to $5M per year from everyday investors via licensed intermediaries. Retail investors can contribute up to $10,000 each, with a 5-day cooling-off period – making it a low-barrier capital raising model that’s gaining traction across Australia.
Key benefits for your firm:
✅ Offer a specialised service that few competitors do
✅ Guide clients through the preparation, documentation, and engagement with intermediaries
✅ Help transform high-potential SMEs into investment-ready companies
Our ESS BIZTOOLS CSF Product Package gives you the full roadmap—from compliance to investor communications.
Early-Stage Innovation Company (ESIC)
Designed for startups and innovation-driven SMEs, ESIC offers major tax incentives to attract early-stage investors:
✅ 20% non-refundable tax offset (up to $200,000)
✅ Capital gains tax exemption if shares are held for 12 months to 10 years
To qualify, companies must:
✅ Be under 3 years old (or 6 in special cases)
✅ Earn <$200,000 in turnover and spend <$1M in the prior 12 months
✅ Pass either the Gateway Test (points-based) or Principles Test (submitted to the ATO)
With our ESS BIZTOOLS ESIC Product Package, you’ll be equipped with step-by-step guidance, application templates, and investor-ready documents to support clients through both self-assessment and ATO-approved pathways.
Why Diversify into Capital Raising Advisory?
✅ Deliver commercial value beyond compliance
✅ Strengthen your SME relationships
✅ Build recurring advisory income
✅ Position your firm as an innovation growth partner
Whether your clients are building the next big tech product for external sale, or simply need new capital to expand operations, these services put you in a trusted advisory role – at the centre of their growth strategy.
Ready to Offer These Services?
With ESS BIZTOOLS, you can deliver professional, compliant, and impactful capital raising advisory services – without starting from scratch. Our expertly developed packages save you time, ensure accuracy, and give you the confidence to lead.
Questions? Contact us today and discover how easy it is to get started.
EXPLORE ESS BIZTOOLS AND SUBCRIBE HERE
Take Advantage of Our EOFY Offer
Now is the perfect time to expand your advisory services.
Until 8 July 2025, we’re offering 50% off all ESS BIZTOOLS product packages – including our comprehensive R&D advisory toolkit.
For example, our flagship Financial Forecasting Package, which includes the R&D module, is available for just $3,990 (inc GST) for 12 months (normally $7,980).
Act now and equip your firm to offer high-value, future-focused services.
FIND OUT MORE AND SUBSCRIBE HERE
Visit our website – www.essbiztools.com.au – to discover the detailed overview of the services provided by ESS BIZTOOLS. You are also welcome to contact us on 0418 190 181 or email .
Free Webinar by ESS BIZTOOLS
Real-Time Results: Turning Reports into Action
📅 Wednesday 9 July 2025
🕚 11:00 AM AEST
💻 Live and Complimentary
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to deliver fast, insightful financial interpretations using business health checks, valuations, performance metrics, and benchmarking tools.
Discover how to turn daily, weekly, and monthly data into actionable advice that helps SME clients improve profitability, spot issues early, and stay on track for long-term growth. If you're ready to offer more than compliance, this is your chance to lead with insight.
Help your clients make smarter decisions – faster.
ESS BIZTOOLS Podcast
In this compelling episode, Peter Towers, Managing Director of ESS BIZTOOLS, explores how offering Research & Development (R&D) advisory services can transform your firm into a strategic partner for innovative SMEs. Discover why R&D is not just a tax incentive – it’s a powerful differentiation tool for accountants, bookkeepers, and business advisors.
Peter outlines:
✅ Why R&D services are critical in a post-compliance world
✅ How to guide clients from idea to incentive and beyond
✅ Key requirements: company structure, $20K minimum spend, documentation
✅ The ripple effect: mentoring, commercialisation, and capital raising
✅ How ESS BIZTOOLS supports your journey with 46 R&D tools and templates
With looming changes in compliance workflows and increasing SME demand for innovation support, now is the time to diversify your service offerings.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
Listen to more Accountants Minute Podcast episodes here
Want to know more?
Visit www.essbiztools.com.au.
If you would like to have a discussion about how this concept of virtual CFO services can be supplied by Australian accounting firms please ring our Managing Director, Peter Towers, on 0418 190 181 and we will arrange a complimentary 45-minute Zoom meeting to discuss your firm’s position and to give you our advice.
We believe that this is the blueprint for the delivery of an enhanced range of services by Australian Accounting and Bookkeeping firms to assist SME businesses to add value to their businesses and to assist accountants and bookkeepers not only to attract but to retain outstanding talent who want to be involved in the delivery of “real accounting services”.
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