ISQ Partner Recommendations
Finding the right service provider when crowdfunding is important. Here are some of the companies that have delivered great work for us or our clients in the past.
Please ask ISQ to make a personal introduction.
Videographers
Our preferred videography partners and their showreels are listed below.
For more examples of crowdfunding campaign videos from successful ISQ clients, go to our YouTube channel here, where you'll find playlists for each of our videography partners.
To claim any of the partner discounts, email [email protected] and ask to be referred.
Wyld.
🌿🎥 Wyld. is reshaping the video production landscape with a strong focus on sustainability. Blending compelling storytelling, energy, and practicality, wyld. creates powerful videos that captivate viewers while advocating for eco-friendly practices. Each film is skillfully tailored to suit the platforms it will be showcased on, harnessing the best tools for every project. With their expertise, clients have raised £80M+, overfunded by 524%, and smashed funding goals in under 24 hours! 🌟
Join industry giants like Netflix, Oral B, Oracle, HP, and GiffGaff who have entrusted Wyld. with their vision.
We're thrilled to partner with Wyld. and offer our clients a 10% discount! For more information, visit: https://www.wyldfilms.com/crowdfunding
Mabinogi Film & Video Production
Mabinogi specialises in crowdfunding videos and has helped 40+ startups raise over £25m on Seedrs, Crowdcube and Kickstarter. Their team has been making videos for the past twenty years for clients such as Amazon, Tui, Delta Airlines, Ocado and the BBC.
We've partnered with Mabinogi to offer our clients a 10% discount! Mabinogi also offers a 50% financing deferment, payable only if and when the campaign is successful.
Catch Creative
Since the inception of Catch Creative, a creative agency based in London, founder and former BBC broadcast journalist Alex Sergent along with his team have overseen the production of 1000 + films and animations. Alex has first-hand experience in both crowdfunding on Seedrs and going through the ISQ programme with a previous business.
We've partnered with Catch Creative to offer our clients an attractive success-fee-only deal and more.
Perspective Pictures
A full-blown, and fully-equipped, digital-first, creative video production company based in East London. They’ve created over 5,000 videos, helped start-ups raise over 100 million pounds and worked on projects across 50 different countries with brands like RedBull, Buzzfeed, lululemon, Huel & Adobe. Perspective Pictures also has first-hand crowdfunding experience, completing two successful raises on Seedrs themselves.
We've partnered with Perspective Pictures to offer our clients a 10% discount!
Alchemedia
Alchemedia have helped start-ups in their fundraising journey by crafting successful pitch videos, and helped brands to communicate authentically to their audience through compelling original, value, and impactful stories. Alchemedia has helped clients raise over £20 million in private equity.
We've partnered with Alchemedia to offer our clients a 10% discount! Alchemedia also offers a 50% financing deferment, payable only if and when the campaign is successful.
Singularity Film
Singularity Film uses a combination of emotive filmmaking and cutting-edge strategy to build brands and generate funding videos that work. We start our projects by reverse engineering your offering and then create video that is built from the ground up to reach your goals.
Claim your 10% discount and free media consultation by referral from ISQ.
Content Creation Hub
Dream Factory
Dream Factory is the only content creation house for startups, with two ultra-modern studios in Shoreditch, with Studio 3 to launch in Brooklyn NY, early next year. We are a community of founders, creatives, investors, partners and dreamers, all looking to create an impact in the world.
DF is excited to partner with ISQ Crowdfunding to offer founders 10% off of all yearly membership packages. With crowdfunding videos costing more than ever, take advantage of unlimited access to our studios, equipment and dedicated director to create engaging videos and ultimately an impact on your target audience.
Location, Studios & Venues
Tutti
Want to explore potential locations for your crowdfunding video? Perhaps you’re on the hunt for a venue for an investor meetup? Tutti’s collection of over 1000 unique studios and locations is equipped to accommodate and inspire your individual creative vision. From churches to pubs, warehouses to studios, homes, clubs and many more…
Use the code "ISQ-5" to claim a 5% discount off hiring any venue across Tutti's library.
Marketing, Comms
Known Community
We've partnered with Known Community to offer our clients a 10% discount!
From graphic designers to PR pros, the Known community is made up of like-minded go-getters and brand builders. Here to deliver all of your communications needs and more, but with added flexibility.
The Known team of talent can support you with any aspect of your business journey, from designing your initial investment deck, creating a landing page or full-scale site, to PR and marketing once your business has launched.
Our model is scalable and allows you to dip in and out of our little book of expert contacts in whichever capacity you require to ultimately help get your business, Known.
Alex Sergent (Catch Creative)
Former politico and BBC broadcast journalist, Alex Sergent raised over £300k (through Seedrs) during the pandemic for a dating platform called BARE and overfunded by 172%, smashing their target of £175K. He is also a trusted partner of ours for both videography and PR support.
Alex brings growth and traction to a business by helping to set realistic goals & targets and advising on strategy and implementation. His skill is achieving good press exposure for a company, and achieving success through other marketing channels which in turn will lead to increased growth, traction and most importantly - investment.
Believe Digital
Performance marketing and custom web development experts believe.digital have been helping businesses grow their own way since 2010.
With an emphasis on measuring & clearly reporting results, and a focus on delivering digital marketing campaigns that are designed tailored to meet the goals & objectives of your company as these develop over time. This organisation is an essential partner for any ambitious business.
A certified Google Partner Agency, Believe have a combined experience of over 50 years across Search Engine Optimisation, Google & Microsoft Ads management, social media, conversion rate optimisation, email marketing & automation and custom development for websites as well as backend integrations – all designed to help you do better business online, always in-house & never out-sourced.
For all first-time clients, believe.digital is offering up to £600* introductory discount, dependent on services signed up for.
Are you ready to Grow Your Own Way?
Digital Ethos
Digital Ethos use the latest in digital marketing techniques, data and technology to help businesses grow, thrive and achieve extraordinary things.
Through their dedicated teams of specialists, they offer a genuinely holistic approach to marketing. Their services include:
- SEO, PPC
- Digital PR,
- Marketing Strategy,
- Social Media,
- Photography,
- Videography,
- Graphic Design,
- Web Development and
- Web Design.
This support carries through from initial pitch deck support and crowdfunding outreach to Marketing & PR strategies once you have reached your funding goals.
So, are you ready to be extraordinary?
Maggie
Expert flexible marketing for ambitious startups who need extra support to turbo-charge their crowdfunding marketing.
Planning and executing a successful crowdfunding campaign can amount to a full-time job and that’s on top of running the business and securing angel or VC investments.
Maggie will work with you to create a stellar crowdfunding marketing campaign and execute it flawlessly to maximise your chances of funding success.
Maggie’s crowdfunding services:
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Crafting your marketing and comms plan to maximise investor reach - pre-registration, private, public and post phases
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Creating campaign text and video script
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Social strategy and content creation for your social media platforms
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Live marketing campaign management
How else can Maggie help you?
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Fractional Marketing Director and interim marketing services
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Marketing consultancy - advice on strategy, marketing technology, automation, improving processes, reporting and resourcing
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Social media strategy and support
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Content creation
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Campaign management
Maggie is run by Catherine Nichols, who has extensive global marketing experience in startups, Tech, IT, SaaS and FinServ as well as supporting SMEs on a project basis.
Maggie is delighted to partner with ISQ Crowdfunding to offer first time clients 10% off crowdfunding services. Choose from hour, half day, day rates or whole campaign support.
Graphic Designers
Known Community
We've partnered with Known Community to offer our clients a 10% discount!
From graphic designers to PR pros, the Known community is made up of like-minded go-getters and brand builders. Here to deliver all of your communications needs and more, but with added flexibility.
The Known team of talent can support you with any aspect of your business journey, from designing your initial investment deck, creating a landing page or full-scale site, to PR and marketing once your business has launched.
Our model is scalable and allows you to dip in and out of our little book of expert contacts in whichever capacity you require to ultimately help get your business, Known.
Digital Ethos
Digital Ethos use the latest in digital marketing techniques, data and technology to help businesses grow, thrive and achieve extraordinary things.
Through their dedicated teams of specialists, they offer a genuinely holistic approach to marketing. Their services include:
- SEO, PPC
- Digital PR,
- Marketing Strategy,
- Social Media,
- Photography,
- Videography,
- Graphic Design,
- Web Development and
- Web Design.
This support carries through from initial pitch deck support and crowdfunding outreach to Marketing & PR strategies once you have reached your funding goals.
So, are you ready to be extraordinary?
PitchWork
PitchWork is the perfect design partner for startups. They specialise in creating top tier pitch decks for your investment success. Working to structure, signpost and edit your deck into a concise and compelling narrative, before making sure it looks its best with a full design refresh.
In addition, PitchWork designs and develops dynamic and exciting websites to showcase your business as you go to market and beyond.
They also offer monthly retainers to serve as your design partner on day-to-day design tasks as you grow your business.
Ask to be referred today to see how they can support you.
Brand Affiniti
A Bristol-based Graphic Designer with 15 years of experience, Brand Affiniti gets to know and understand businesses and the decision-makers and teams that make them truly unique, to create solutions that match their mission, vision and culture.
Services include:
- Full rebrands
- Exhibition graphics
- Infographics
- Pitch decks
- White papers
- Marketing collateral, which includes:
- Leaflets
- Brochures, both digital and print
Be seen, be heard, be you. It’s about understanding your audience and building affinity with them as they interact with your brand. Creating loyal and long-lasting customer relationships.
Photographers
Photo Heads
Photo Heads specialise in company headshots, event photography, products, editorial and PR photography. Photo Heads create stunning images that make a great first impression for your business.
In simple terms, photography helps sell stuff. Whether it’s trying to make a good first impression, creating desire through product shots or making sure that every element of your brand looks perfect, the photographs absolutely must be of a high standard.
Before picking up a camera they start the process with a discussion to find out exactly what you want to achieve through the commissioned photographs. Then they get creative and produce a collection of images that will make an impact.
Legal Support, Private raises, R&D Tax Credits
FounderCatalyst
The FounderCatalyst platform quickly and professionally creates all of the legal paperwork and helps manage investor engagement.
They do 4 things:
- Provide a growing set of free resources which should be helpful to all founders. This includes template HR contracts, advisor vesting agreements, Term Sheets, CapTable modelling tools and guides to doing a funding round. These are available from: https://www.foundercatalyst.com/free-stuff.
- SEIS/EIS advance assurance, using an automated platform plus human review. They’ve got a great success rate (>99.5% vs the HMRC average of 82%) and what’s best, it’s free when you buy a funding round.
- All of the legal paperwork you need to complete your funding round. You can go from creating an account to closing a funding round in less than 10 minutes. You and your investors sign online, and they’ve got an intelligent data room to optimise your engagement with your investors. They’ll also help you with the cumbersome SEIS compliance process post-raise.
- Make introductions between customers and potential sources of funding - a mixture of angel groups, SEIS funds, junior VCs, brokers, platforms, Crowdfunders etc.
Their commercial model is unique – everything they do is just £1,495 ex-VAT fixed fee and you will be supported by a team of exited founders turned angel investors. Oh, and there is a £100 discount off of their already unbeatable price when you join via ISQ – just use this link to sign up and claim your discount: http://www.foundercatalyst.com/p/isq
SeedLegals
SeedLegals is the UK market standard for companies raising investment, they automate the legals you need to grow your business, with unlimited support along the way. Services include:
- Incentivising your teams with EMI share options,
- SEIS/EIS applications to HMRC,
- Managing cap tables,
- R&D Tax credits
- Funding round legal support.
To be referred to SeedLegals, click here and enter "ISQ Crowdfunding" in the 'Referred by' box.
Leyton
Leyton is an international consulting firm that helps businesses leverage financial incentives to accelerate their growth and achieve long-lasting performance.
With over 12 years of R&D experience and unrivalled tax and technical expertise, Leyton UK is ideally positioned to unlock potential value within your business. The benefit can be reinvested in accelerating current or upcoming projects, hiring new staff or supporting your overall growth.
Their tax and technical experts help thousands of businesses each year to simplify their access to complex incentives and maximise their financial benefits. In the past year alone, Leyton has helped their UK clients claim more than £900m in R&D Tax Credits to support their growth plans.
Shakespeare Martineau
Specialist legal services for startups, entrepreneurs & fast-growth business owners.
As a full-service law firm with a focus on fast-growing businesses, Shakespeare Martineau is able to tailor its service offering to fit clients' needs. Their multi-disciplined team combine strategic legal advice and experience with a practical understanding of emerging companies’ commercial needs, acting for startups and fast-growing businesses across a wide range of sectors.
Their track record speaks for itself…
- Sector specialists advising start-ups and fast-growing companies for over 30 years
- Over 850 people in multiple offices across the UK
- Ranked as a leading law firm in the Legal 500 UK 2022
Lead Investment & Funding Support
Scribe
Scribe is a private company data platform, covering rich information on >150k UK Angel investors, by cheque size and industry. Founders use Scribe to identify people who are actually investing, diligence people they’re talking to and find the right investors for their businesses.
Their insight gives first-time Founders the confidence to get started with fundraising. We’ve partnered with Scribe to offer a £20 monthly discounted access to their platform, cancel anytime.
Use code: ISQ20 to claim your discount.
Swoop Funding
Swoop is a business funding and savings platform enabling businesses to discover the right funding solutions across loans, equity and grants, and to identify and easily make savings - all in one fell swoop.
They work with over 1,000 funding providers from mainstream banks, alternative lenders, venture capital funds, SEIS/EIS funds, angel investors and grant agencies, meaning that whatever your funding requirement, they’re able to offer a solution.
Swoop can help you get warm introductions into their vast network of VC funds, angel syndicates, family offices and HNWs by smart matching you to the investor's requirements. Swoop helps to set up a strategy for your raise and help you close out your round successfully.
We've partnered with Swoop to offer our clients a 10% discount on any of their services. Just ask to be referred!
Alts
Alts is the world's largest community of alternative investors. With their Sponsored Deep Dive, they'll publish a special newsletter dedicated solely to your company, and send it out to their entire community of 100,000+ investors globally.
Alts creates insightful, honest content that will drive hundreds of clicks and interested investors your way. They've helped raise money for companies like Ember Fund ($25,000 in 3 days) Swapstack ($10,000 in 2 hours) and dozens more.
"We drove $25,000 between the 24th and the 27th from three investors. I'd say it was a success! Thanks!" - Cher Park, Head of Growth at Ember Fund
If you have a working product and are earning revenue, you are pre-qualified.
Ask ISQ to be introduced!
Connectd
Connectd is the leading community network that connects entrepreneurs and startups with investors and NEDs to secure growth opportunities. Connectd’s innovative technology helps organisations and individuals find each other through a data-driven approach and cutting out the middlemen in the investment cycle.
Founders are able to create a deep set of progress reports to ensure investors are kept up-to-date and investors can accurately target opportunities for deals through powerful data insights.
In addition, ConnectdLegal provides frictionless access and management of contracts, NDAs and agreements to simplify often complicated legal processes.
The Connectd ecosystem brings unrivalled networking, peer-to-peer learning, and meaningful opportunities to connect and deal with the right people, at the right time
Angels Den
Europe’s largest investor-led fintech platform that helps high-growth startups and SME’s get access to equity, debt and revenue-share-based financing.
Angels Den has assembled an extensive network of 27,000+ High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNWIs).
It empowers startups with access to a diverse range of Non-Dilutive finance options, including:
- R&D Advance Funding,
- Recurring Revenue Financing,
- Revenue Share Financing,
- P2P Lending,
- Merchant Cash Advances,
- Asset-Based Financing, and
- Venture Debt.
OutFund
Outfund is the largest e-commerce investor in Europe. They provide founders with fast and flexible funding to allow them to scale without giving away equity. Companies can apply online within minutes and access between £10k-10m in as little as 24 hours. Join clients including Lupe Technology, Hēdoïne and Lemonade Dolls who have utilised OutFund alongside crowdfunding.
Funding is provided through a virtual wallet and can be spent by either uploading an unpaid invoice or by using their virtual card (digital marketing spend).
Key details
- Funding from £10k - £5M (max 1x av. monthly revenue)
- No dilution or personal guarantees
- Fees from 6% (6-month term)It’s your business stay in control!
- Apply in just 5 minutes, offers as fast as 24h with continuous additional top-ups
Criteria
- Registered company in UK, ES, AU, DE, US, BE, IE, NL
- 6 months of trading history
- Min £/$/€10k per month in revenues
To see how much you could receive, complete an application here.
Capital Pilot
Combining human insight and clever tech, the Capital Pilot Rating and Assessment provides a bias-free, in-depth analysis of business investability, helping a diverse range of Founders to prepare for and secure early-stage investment.
The process is simple; you apply, they assess, you then receive your investability rating and a 24-page report containing detailed feedback and actions designed to enhance your chances of fundraising success. If your rating is high enough you are automatically eligible for £50,000 worth of investment through the Boost Fund.
Capital Pilot simplifies the process, reduces bias and increases opportunity in the early-stage investment marketplace. Equality of access to funding for everyone, everywhere.
Recruitment
Dunbar Brown Group
We've partnered with DBG to offer our clients a 10% discount!
DBG is a boutique Technology, Sales, and Marketing Recruitment agency based in the UK, started by Andrew Dunbar and Mark Brown who have combined over 12 years of recruitment agency experience for Global organisations. They believe in building trust and being transparent but most importantly delivering the service that was promised.
They like to work in partnership with businesses to help beyond recruitment needs. This includes providing:
- Labour market analytics,
- Salary surveys on skillsets of interest,
- Competition or location analysis if looking to open an office,
- Attraction and retention strategies
- Creating or providing benefit package comparisons for your industry.
DBG works with businesses to be in the best place possible to apply for funding. They supported a small Fintech company that grow their team from 2 co-founders to 5 staff members, which then bolstered their VC funding round to grow to more than 30 staff. They later used Seedrs to seek further investment for expansion.
DBG has helped many funded companies to recruit a team and achieve their ambitions for growth and scale.
To claim your discount, ask to be referred today!
ISL Talent
ISL Talent is an award-winning talent consultancy that partners with ambitious startups and scaleups.
Bringing great people and great companies together is personal. They know that the strongest teams are built from the inside out, starting with first-class people who embody your values and share your vision. Their goal is to see startups become scaleups and for all individuals to thrive.
ISL Talent is not your average recruiter; they’ll work with you, consulting and advising on your needs, helping to find the perfect fit for your team. Their team can help you at whatever stage of the journey you’re at.
Services include:
- Recruitment health checks,
- Salary surveys,
- Organisation chart mapping,
- Market insights,
- Access to their expansive network and comprehensive recruitment tools.
ISL Talent has partnered with ISQ to offer you a free 1-hour talent health check.
They'll dive into your company organisation chart, helping you to develop a plan around building the right team. You'll get exclusive access to salary data and market insights to make sure you're competitive in hiring and retaining your talent.
Findrs
Findrs is a dedicated recruitment partner for startups, working with some of the tech industry's leading innovators to develop and execute growth strategies. As a startup, you face unique challenges, and you need a growth partner that appreciates and can adapt to your ever-changing needs. Findrs understands that your most valuable asset is your team, and the stakes are high when making early-stage hires.
With Findrs, they reject the niche market approach and commoditised candidate sourcing. There’s no spot trading or spamming profiles. Unlike other recruiters, they take the time to truly understand your mission and values while taking a holistic approach to hiring. Moreover, they don't burden you with upfront retainers and offer monthly instalment payment options.
Helpfulness is one of Findrs' core values. They go beyond recruitment, so even if you're not quite ready to recruit, they will still go out of their way to support you:
- Team hiring cost reports for investment pitches
- Salary benchmarking
- Pitch advice
- Network and investor introductions
- Competition analysis
- Market insights
Knowing who to hire and when to hire is a challenge. Findrs offers free strategic growth planning workshops, helping you develop a hiring plan. With a well-defined roadmap of the skills your business needs, you'll be better equipped to find the right individuals who can drive your vision forward.
Findrs' standard terms are structured around two models:
- A flat fee of 18%, with a 3-month rebate.
- A shared risk model, with payments spread over 6 months at a rate of 23%.
In collaboration with ISQ, they're pleased to offer clients special rates:
- A flat fee of 15%, with a 3-month rebate.
- A shared risk model, payable over 6 months at a rate of 20%.
These introductory rates will remain valid for 12 months from the date of the first placement.
Growing your business: People, Culture, Community
The Future Kind collective
The Future Kind Collective is a culture consultancy with the service design expertise to create kinder, fairer, better-designed employee experiences for every stage of your growth. They help their clients to design their way out of their most complex people challenges as they scale and build the best possible experience for every person touched by their company. Whether it's facilitating the best offsite you've ever had, whizzing through a rapid 2-week team alignment sprint, solving your most thorny culture challenges, turning your values into measurable behaviours and rituals, or designing your culture from scratch. They'll have something to support your needs and budget.
ISQ has partnered with The Future Kind Collective to offer our clients a 5% discount on any of their services. Just ask us for an intro!
The Entrepreneurs collective
Entrepreneurs Collective is a member community of founders, investors and startup enthusiasts. They accelerate their members’ success globally with over 100 events per year, over a million pounds in startup credits from AWS, Azure, Stripe, Hubspot, Dropbox etc. and over £50 Million raised so far. The Entrepreneurs Collective is the UK's most exciting founder & investor community.
To find out more or attend one of our events please speak to our community manager [email protected] or book a call here: https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/aditya-bodke
ISQ has partnered with The Entrepreneurs Collective to offer our clients a 10% discount on any of their services. Just ask us for an intro!
Business Support & Advice
The Finance Department
The Finance Department levels the playing field by providing the insight and knowledge entrepreneurs and finance professionals need, but find difficult or expensive to come by. Presented in a new and innovative, easy-to-consume digital format, it's an indispensable resource for entrepreneurs and their teams, providing them with unique access to industry-leading expertise so they can grow successful and thriving businesses.
Developed by the team behind Acclivity Advisors, The Finance Department is a pioneering new digital platform, bringing together the very best business minds to share their wealth of knowledge and experience. The platform democratises and decentralises the essential financial information entrepreneurs and their finance teams need at the start of their high-growth journey. This information is usually inside the heads of advisors and finance professionals, so this is TFD's way of making it more accessible to others. They want entrepreneurs to be able to ask better questions to advisors through up-skilling their finance knowledge, and having The Finance Department as a resource will mean they do not need to go to professionals for the simple stuff.
In summary, save them precious time, money and knowledge gaps.
YTKO Ltd
YTKO Ltd supports & delivers a wide range of public-funded programmes to help startups and established SMEs achieve their ambitions. They support through a combination of 1-2-1s, workshops, networking, e-learning platforms and much more. Workshops include topics such as marketing, financial management, business strategy, sustainability and funding.
For more information, call 0800 917 9324 or email: [email protected]
Post raise support: How to exit
JP Jenkins
Founded in 1991, JP Jenkins is the UK’s most trusted trading platform for private companies, a match bargain trading facility allowing shareholders to buy and sell shares. Their team are always looking for exciting start-ups, scale-ups and long-established private companies to be showcased on their growing platform.
They help companies to engage with existing shareholders and prospective investors to match their shares. They open the door for investors to access opportunities and help early-stage investors realise a return on their paper wealth.
Speak to JP Jenkins if you're interested in:
- Liquidity (trading of shares)
- Visibility to a wider investor audience (via international PR and internal communications)
- Guidance on advisors, legals, brokers. etc
- Potentially planning a future IPO (pre-IPO guidance and support)
- Improving investor relations (visible corporate investors page)
- Corporate governance (support on growth and introductions)
Idea Validation
Lunos
Lunos supports businesses from early idea to scaleup to get market confidence and demonstrate traction. They do this through iterative experimentation across 5 key areas of any proposition; problem, customer, solution, business model and route to market.
Their key focus is to look at how you can experiment, engage and build demonstrable evidence as quickly as possible using low cost tools or methods.
Visit heylunos.com to get in touch and explore how they can help you and your business, grow, scale and give you confidence towards future decisions based on validated knowledge.
