WHO IS GRANT?

For most of his career, Grant Nicholson kept his head down and just built.

No fluff, no ego, no LinkedIn chest-beating — just solid businesses, good people, and results that spoke for themselves.

But now, with everything he’s built in place — and with the energy transition finally hitting its inflection point — it’s time to raise capital and scale. And that means stepping up and telling the story.

Grant is the founder of Pharaoh Capital, and the driving force behind Inicio — a fast-growing business that installs solar power systems on commercial buildings under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model.

THE PITCH

The pitch is simple: clients don’t pay a penny up front. They get cheaper, cleaner power from day one. Inicio owns and maintains the system. Everyone wins.

“It’s a model that makes sense,” says Grant. “Clients save cash. We build recurring revenue. The asset is secured. And we’re contributing to the wider sustainability goals everyone’s under pressure to hit.”

This isn’t his first rodeo. Grant’s spent over a decade in energy — founding, investing in, and leading businesses. He’s seen the fluff and the fads. But what he’s building now is different: it works.

Bootstrapped using Pharaoh Capital’s own cash flow, Inicio now brings in over six figures per month in contracted recurring income — and growing. Projects have already been delivered for the NHS, CBRE, and multiple PLCs. The group revenue sits at £24M, with a lean operating structure and a clear path to scale.

BUT SCALE REQUIRES CAPITAL

“We’ve pushed it as far as we can organically,” says Grant. “We’re now raising £100M in debt to fund the next wave of installations — and that’s just the start. This model has the potential to become a machine. It works for investors, clients, and the environment. It just needs fuel.”

Grant’s not your typical ESG founder. He’s not interested in headlines or greenwashing. He wants results — and results that last. His view is clear: doing good and making money shouldn’t be opposites.

“You get all this noise in the market — promises that don’t add up, tech that doesn’t scale. I like deals where everyone wins. The client cuts their bills. We cut carbon. We build something that pays back over time. That’s the kind of business I want to run.”

For years, Grant kept quiet. A few media stories tried to pull him down. Old-school instincts told him to keep his wins private.

But now? He’s done hiding.

Want to Talk?

“I’ve spent years building a strong, cash-flowing business. It’s time to stop playing small and scale this thing properly. I want my brand — and this company — to finally match what we’ve already achieved behind the scenes.”

I’ve never cared much for the spotlight. But now, with the clean energy transition hitting a critical tipping point, it’s time to scale.

And that means telling the story properly.

This is that story.

INICIO OVERLAY

NO-NONSENSE BUSINESS. ALIGNED INCENTIVES. REAL IMPACT.

For most of my career, I kept my head down and focused on building. No LinkedIn chest-beating. No press fluff. Just businesses that solve real problems.

My background is in energy, where I’ve spent over a decade starting, scaling, and investing in companies — with one goal in mind: build better models.

The Problem:

In energy, big suppliers win when customers lose. The more you use, the more they make. The worse the crisis, the bigger their margins. That’s never sat right with me.

Inicio — a zero-capex, solar-as-a-service business that helps commercial clients save money and cut carbon, from day one.
We install and maintain solar systems. Clients pay nothing upfront. They get cheaper, cleaner energy immediately. We only profit if they save.

“That’s how energy should work — aligned incentives, real savings, long-term value.”

  • Founder of Pharaoh Capital — a private investment group backing smart, scalable businesses.
  • Builder of Inicio — with over six figures of monthly recurring income and clients like the NHS and CBRE.
  • Lean and bootstrapped — using my own cash to prove the model before raising.
  • Now raising £100M in debt to scale further (refer to the electron green angle of PR, here.

“I believe in businesses that last. That pay back over time. That deliver for customers, investors, and the planet — without compromising any of the above.”