7 leading Venture Capital firms in the UK

7 Leading Venture Capital Firms In The UK

Venture Capital firms are organisations that provide funding to start-ups, giving these new businesses the opportunity to hit the ground running. As the company grows, so does their revenue, and so will the value of the VC firms’ stake – a win-win for all involved.

The UK is considered a hotbed for VC investment with UK businesses attracting £22.7bn funding from VC funds in 2022.

In this blog post, we delve into some of the leading Venture Capital firms currently investing in UK start-ups, detailing their areas of expertise and notable clients.

Need to find the right employee benefits and support for your forward-thinking start-up? Give our friendly award-winning brokers a call on 01273 222805 or email [email protected] for FREE advice and market-wide quotes.

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1.  Seedcamp

Who are Seedcamp?

Known for being “Europe’s seed fund”, this VC firm invests in start-ups specialising in innovative tech solutions aimed at global markets. Its focus is on early-stage SaaS companies rather than companies which require hefty investments into physical products and hardware. Seedcamp are all about seeking businesses that want to change lifestyles, interactions, and how people make transactions. The company’s global network of experts is a huge selling point, helping businesses to build on their sales and marketing functions.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Software as a Service (SaaS)

Stage: Seed, Series A

Investment range: £100,000-£2 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

Seedcamp has financed more than 400 start-ups throughout London, including.

  • Wise
  • Curve
  • Monese
  • Screw (since been acquired by Coinbase)
  • Sorare
  • Maze
  • Primer
  • Cerbos
  • Outverse
  • Medusa

2. Forward Partners

forward partners venture capital

Who are Forward Partners?

Forward Partners have a particular interest in investing in start-ups in the Applied AI, Ecommerce, and digital marketplace sectors, focusing on early-stage angel investments. Forward Partners offers businesses the option to borrow against their revenues without requiring them to sell equity in return. They help to find market fit, develop scalable products, boost high-performing teams, and create innovative pathways to continue growth.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Applied AI, Marketplace, Ecommerce

Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed

Investment range: £200,000-£2 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

Forward Companies backs more than 50 companies, including:

  • Cluster Market
  • EmpowerRD
  • Heights
  • Highr
  • Breedr
  • Ahauz
  • Counting Up

3. Molten Ventures

Who are Molten Ventures?

One of London’s leading VC firms, Molten Ventures funds seed and early-stage companies across the UK and around the world. Its target businesses are high-growth technology companies with unique approaches to solutions for healthcare and consumer-related industries.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Deeptech, SaaS, AI, Healthtech

Stage: Seed, Series A-Series C

Investment range: £2 million-£50 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

Molten Ventures backs over 200 start-ups, including:

  • AllThings
  • io
  • Droplet Computing
  • HiveMQ
  • Coach Hub
  • EndoMag
  • AirBank
  • Cazoo
  • FintechOS
  • Crowd Cube

Value of portfolio: As of August 2022, Molten Ventures had net assets of £106.5m.

Want to learn more about Venture Capital? Check out: What is Venture Capital? A simple guide for start-ups.

4. Octopus VC

Who are Octopus VC?

Octopus VC is a VC firm consisting of experts across the fields of B2B software, Bio, Climate, Consumer, Deep Tech, Fintech, and Health. It is particularly interested in venture with a sense of purpose which goes beyond the bottom line. So, if you’re looking to change the world for the better, Octopus VC are likely to have their ears pricked.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Healthcare, Deeptech, Finance, B2B

Stage: Seed, Series A-Series B

Investment range: £1 million-£10 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

180+ teams backed and 32 successfully exited companies, including:

  • Tatum
  • Ribbon
  • Unlikely AI
  • Move Genius
  • Peak Data
  • Baselime

5. Episode 1

Who are Episode 1?

Episode 1 are a VC firm making Seed to Series A investments in B2B software start-ups and SaaS media platforms. Operating since 1996, their investors consist of former entrepreneurs with direct ties to Silicon Valley-based tech professionals. So, on top of investment funds, investors will also open doors to connections in the tech industry to help build solid partnerships for growing start-ups.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: B2B software

Stage: Seed, Series A

Investment range: £500,000-£2 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

Episode 1 has made over 90 investments, including in:

  • Zipcude
  • Attest
  • CloudMC
  • ai
  • UserReplay
  • Shazam
  • Zoopla

6. Business Growth Fund

Who are Business Growth Fund?

Known as BGF, Business Growth Fund are one of the most active and influential UK investors for small and mid-sized businesses. As an established and independent firm, BGF offers a wide international network of entrepreneurs and sector specialists. Its approach focuses on long-term capital, minority investments, and having a streamlined investment process.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Ecommerce, Healthcare, Technology, Media

Stage: Seed, Series B

Investment range: £2 million-£15 million

Notable portfolio companies/number of companies:

BGF has invested in more than 400 companies, including.

  • CHS Healthcare
  • Current Boday
  • Adestra
  • Fulfillment Crowd
  • Healthshare
  • Evoke
  • Blue Light Card

7. Maven Capital Partners

Who are Maven Capital Partners?

Last on our list is Maven Capital Partners, who invest in early-stage and medium health tech businesses and help them build credible marketing strategies. One of the UK’s top VC firms, they stay up-to-date with the latest fintech industry news and trends in order to offer their businesses the best support.

Funding breakdown:

Industries: Healthcare, Biotech, Ecommerce

Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed

Investment range: £100,000-£20 million

Notable portfolio companies:

Maven Capital Partners has invested in more than 400 companies and maintains a portfolio of 50+ rising start-ups, including.

  • Acton Banks
  • Aero Commerce,
  • Access Systems
  • Atterly
  • Airtube Technologies
  • Blueberry Therapeutics

How Hooray helps VC-backed firms

At Hooray Health and Protection, we specialise in helping start-ups and SMEs find the perfect employee benefits and health protection plans to support their staff and growing businesses. This means we deal with many VC-backed firms or those seeking investment. So, we like to keep a keen interest in what interests them!

Our friendly and award-winning team of experts take the time to listen to your specific needs and answer anything on employee benefits and health insurance. We bring you the best quotes and deals in the UK market, ensuring you achieve the best value with the best results.

Contact us at [email protected] or call 01273 222805 for FREE no-obligation advice and support.

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