· By James Bates-Prince
Oatsu's crowdfunding FAQs
Oatsu is crowdfunding, which means you have a chance to own a little bit of us. Right now we’re in the pre-registration phase, aimed at our loyal followers and customers.
Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
If you require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at hello@oatsu.com.
What is crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding gives you a simple way to become a shareholder in Oatsu. As a shareholder, you'll own a real piece of our company. If we grow, you’ll stand to benefit financially. But it's important to note that when you invest, your capital is at risk.
What is equity crowdfunding?
Equity crowdfunding allows multiple investors to purchase shares in a company, using a crowdfunding platform like Seedrs.
What is Seedrs?
Seedrs is the crowdfunding platform that facilitates investments in Oatsu. They’ve supported over 2,000 deals to date, including companies like Revolut, Allplants, Cheeky Panda, Manilife, THIS!, Oddbox and Mindful Chef. In short, they can be trusted.
Why is Oatsu crowdfunding?
Since we launched in 2020 we’ve grown a lot, and now that we’re in discussions with mainstream retailers like Holland & Barrett and Co-op, Oatsu has attracted significant interest from investors. But at Oatsu, we like to share. Through crowdfunding, we’d love to involve as many of our oat-loving customers and supporters as possible.
We’re on a mission to make breakfast easy for all. With this investment, we plan to:
- Support our upcoming launches into one of the UK’s largest health store chains, and one of the UK’s largest convenience store chains
- Develop and launch the UK’s first ‘just add milk’ overnight oat mixes allowing you to prep perfect overnight oats anytime, anywhere
- Invest in our Supply Chain
- Grow our team
What does ‘early access’ and ‘pre-registration’ mean?
To help make sure there’s enough Oatsu for our biggest fans, we have a pre-registration phase that secures you early access to our funding round. If you pre-register, you’ll have a chance to buy before the public at large, and get access to our investor rewards. There’s a limited number of Oatsu shares to go round, and once we hit a certain level of funding, the crowdfund will close.
Pre-registering for our campaign does not commit you to investing later – it just guarantees you access, and you’ll be notified as soon as the campaign goes live.
Seedrs will guide you through the entire process, from pre-registering your interest to making an investment and beyond. For a comprehensive guide on Seedrs' authorization process, making investments, payments, and cancelling investments, please refer to this guide.
Who can invest?
To invest in Oatsu through Seedrs, you must be over 18 years old, legally eligible to invest, and a resident of the UK, Europe, or another country supported by Seedrs.
How much can I invest?
Investments in Oatsu start from as little as £10. Bigger investments get you more and more of Oatsu, and the only limit is our total crowdfund cap. You can also specify whether you'd like your investment to be public or anonymous. Afterward, you'll be presented with an Investment Agreement, which is a standardised agreement between you and Seedrs regarding your investment. If you're satisfied with the terms, click to accept, and you'll have successfully made an investment!
How do I get a return on my investment?
The main way to profit from your investment is to sell your Oatsu shares for more than what you paid for them. If Oatsu grows to the point that we get bought out, this is called an “exit event”, and your shares will be purchased at the agreed price of sale.
It’s possible that Oatsu could also scale to the point that we go public on a stock exchange, or conduct a share buyback. You may also have the opportunity to sell your shares on the Seedrs Secondary Market, where investors can buy and sell shares from each other online. Please bear in mind that the ability to buy and sell shares on the secondary market depends on demand, so immediate sales may not always be possible.
Investing carries inherent risks, including the potential for capital loss, illiquidity, lack of dividend payments, and dilution. Therefore, investments should be part of a diversified portfolio. It is essential to read the Risk Warnings before investing, and investments should only be made by individuals
What does ‘overfunding’ mean?
Businesses on Seedrs need to hit their funding target within 30 days, and if we don’t, you’ll get your money back. But, if the target is met within 30 days, we’ll go into overfunding. Nothing much changes - investors who participate during the overfunding period do so under the same terms as other investors. But overfunding makes our oats tingle with excitement, and gives Oatsu the opportunity to make a real difference.
It's worth noting that businesses are not obligated to accept all funds raised during their overfunding period. Seedrs will notify you via email if your overfunding investment is not accepted, and your payment will be refunded to your Investment Account.
What is an ordinary share?
Ordinary shares represent standard equity ownership in a company. Typically, owners of ordinary shares have the right to vote at shareholder meetings, receive dividends, and receive distributions if the company is wound up. However, these shares do not come with preferential treatment. Seedrs utilises a nominee structure, which means that Seedrs generally exercises these rights on your behalf. Please note that businesses funded on platforms like Seedrs seldom pay dividends. Consequently, even if a business succeeds, you are unlikely to see a return on your capital or profit until you can sell your shares, which may take several years.
How do I become a shareholder?
Becoming a shareholder in Oatsu is as simple as opening an account with Seedrs and making your investment through their platform. Your investment will be managed and held within your registered Seedrs account.
How do I pay for my shares?
Once you've made an investment, you'll need to complete the payment. If you can pay with a debit/credit card, you can do so during the investment confirmation process. If debit/credit card payment is not an option for you, you'll need to deposit funds into your Seedrs account and then allocate the investment amount to the campaign you're investing in. Remember that you must deposit and pay for the investment before the campaign closes; otherwise, your investment will be cancelled, and you won't receive shares in the business.
Is signing up with Seedrs straightforward?
We think so - it’s a quick process and free for individuals in the UK and EU. Once your investor profile is complete, you'll have access to our campaign, the ability to ask questions, request more information, and make investments. When creating your Seedrs account, be sure to use your own name as the investor. Joint investments or investments made on behalf of someone else cannot be accepted.
In order to make investments, you'll just need to successfully complete Seedrs' Investment Authorization Questionnaire. If you reside in the UK or Europe, you can also self-certify as a "high net worth individual" or a "sophisticated investor." For investors in accepted jurisdictions outside the UK and Europe, self-certifying as an accredited investor in your local jurisdiction is required. This demonstrates your judgement and understanding of the risks associated with investing in private companies.
Can I cancel my investment or change my mind?
You have the option to cancel an investment at any time before a campaign closes directly from your Seedrs Investment Account. A minimum of 7 days is provided for cancellation. By cancelling, any funds you've already paid will be returned to your Seedrs account, allowing you to allocate them to other investments if you wish.
If you have unallocated funds in your Seedrs account, you may withdraw them at any time. The withdrawal process may take up to 48 hours, and the funds will be returned to the account from which they originated.
And remember, pre-registering does not mean a commitment to invest.
What happens when the campaign ends?
Once our campaign closes and the Seedrs team has completed legal due diligence and investment documentation, Seedrs will transfer the funds to Oatsu in exchange for shares. You'll then receive an electronic share certificate from Seedrs, confirming your status as an official investor in Oatsu. This certificate will also include a link to our post-investment portal, where you can stay updated on our progress.
Investing involves risks, including loss of capital, illiquidity, lack of dividends and
dilution, and should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. Please read the Risk Warnings before investing. Investments should only be made by investors who understand these risks. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and is subject to change in future. No communications about any campaigns on Seedrs you receive from Seedrs or the fundraising business, through email or any other medium, should be construed as an investment recommendation.