Akcela, Norwich's city-centre startup incubator, is delighted to announce a new three-year partnership with Lovewell Blake, one of East Anglia's leading firms of Chartered Accountants and Financial Planners.
The partnership will see Lovewell Blake, including their financial planning arm Lovewell Blake Financial Planning, provide dedicated financial expertise to the founders and growing businesses at Akcela's Fuel Studios hub. As part of the partnership, Akcela founders will have access to a free introductory consultation to discuss their accounting and financial planning needs, matched with an advisor who understands their sector and stage.
What the partnership covers
Lovewell Blake's support will span the full range of financial challenges that early-stage tech companies face, including tax-efficient company structuring, R&D tax credit claims, SEIS and EIS compliance for investor readiness, VAT registration and reporting, annual accounts preparation, and financial forecasting.
Through Lovewell Blake Financial Planning, founders and their growing teams will also have access to guidance on workplace pensions, life cover, and critical illness policies. These are areas that are often overlooked in the early stages of building a business, but which matter enormously as companies begin to scale and take on staff.
A long-term commitment to the region
James Adams, Founder and Managing Partner at Akcela, said: "Building a startup is hard enough without trying to figure out your finances alone. Having Lovewell Blake alongside us, with their full range of financial and planning expertise, means our founders now have access to the kind of support that growing businesses really need. From getting their accounts in order to protecting their team and navigating investor readiness, it's practical, hands-on guidance that makes a real difference."
James Shipp, Partner at Lovewell Blake LLP, added: "Norfolk and Suffolk are at an exciting moment in their tech journey, and we're proud to be committing to a three-year partnership with Akcela as they scale. We see this as a long-term investment in the region's future, supporting the founders and businesses that will shape the next chapter of our local economy. The technology landscape is changing fast, and we want to make sure the brilliant companies coming out of Akcela have the financial foundations, and the right protections in place for their teams, to grow with confidence."
Joining a growing ecosystem
Lovewell Blake joins a growing ecosystem of partners supporting Akcela's mission to co-build tech companies from early idea through to investment. Alongside Ashtons Legal and others, the partnership brings together the specialist expertise founders need at every stage of their journey.
With offices in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Bury St Edmunds, and Halesworth, a dedicated technology sector practice, and a full financial planning offering through Lovewell Blake Financial Planning, Lovewell Blake brings deep regional roots and broad expertise that will be invaluable to founders at every stage.
For more information about Akcela, visit akcela.co.uk. To find out more about Lovewell Blake, visit lovewell-blake.co.uk.
About Akcela. Akcela is Norwich's startup incubator, based at Fuel Studios in Pottergate. Since 2021, Akcela has been co-building tech companies alongside founders, providing workspace, expertise, community, and connections from early idea through to revenue and investment.
About Lovewell Blake. Lovewell Blake is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Financial Planners with offices in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Bury St Edmunds, and Halesworth. One of the oldest and most established practices in East Anglia, Lovewell Blake and their financial planning arm, Lovewell Blake Financial Planning, offer a comprehensive range of services for businesses and individuals, including accounting, tax planning, R&D tax credits, SEIS/EIS compliance, corporate finance, workplace pensions, and business protection such as life cover and critical illness policies.
If you're building a tech-enabled company and want access to this kind of structured support, apply to the Akcela programme or get in touch.
