How to Verify a Capital Advisory Firm or Placement Agent

Before engaging any firm to help raise capital - or before accepting a role with one - it pays to confirm that it is exactly what it says it is. Legitimate advisers welcome that scrutiny. This guide sets out the practical checks anyone can run, in a few minutes, to verify a capital advisory firm or placement agent.

1. Confirm the legal entity

Start with the company register in the firm's home jurisdiction. In Ireland, that is the Companies Registration Office (CRO) at core.cro.ie, where you can confirm the registered company name, number, directors and registered office. A genuine firm has a registered legal entity you can find on the public record. Artane Partners, for example, operates through Artane Partners Limited, registered in Ireland (CRO no. 795432).

2. Check the people are real

Look up the named team on LinkedIn and confirm their backgrounds line up with the firm's claims. A credible adviser has identifiable, verifiable people - not anonymous profiles. Cross-reference the founder and senior team against the firm's website and independent databases such as Crunchbase.

3. Understand how they get paid

A reputable placement agent agrees its fees clearly and in writing before any work begins, typically combining an engagement fee with a success fee payable on a completed raise. Be wary of any firm that is vague about fees, or - critically - that asks you to pay money to "release", "unlock" or "guarantee" investor funds. That request is a hallmark of advance-fee fraud, and no legitimate firm makes it. Capital should flow directly between the investor and the company, never through the adviser.

4. Review the track record and ask for references

Ask to see the firm's track record and to speak to references. A confident, legitimate adviser is happy to arrange this and to walk you through completed transactions. Diligence runs both ways - the same standard the firm applies to investors and clients should apply to the firm itself.

5. Verify that any approach is genuine

Scammers sometimes impersonate real firms. Confirm that emails come from the firm's official domain, and cross-reference any approach against the firm's website and registered details before responding or sharing information. If anything feels off, contact the firm directly through its website to confirm.

If you would like to verify Artane Partners specifically, see our verification page and credentials, or read more in our FAQ. We are always happy to be checked.