Top 24 Venture Capital Firms In The UK [2023]

2021 was a record year for startup funding in the UK: London-based venture capital firms invested a whopping $33 billion, up from $13 billion in 2020..!

Whether you are raising seed, Series A or higher, in this article we have listed our top picks of the best venture capital firms in London and the UK, each with their industry focus and investment size. So, if you haven’t yet started to reach out, here is a good place to start learning about them.

This article is part of a series where we present you the top Venture Capital firms across the world. For Europe, check out our rankings for Amsterdam, Austria, Belgium, Berlin, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Looking for the top 12 startup incubators and accelerators in the UK instead? Check out our ranking here.

Top 24 Venture Capital Firms In The UK

Here’s a summary of our top 24 picks for the best venture capital firms in the UK (in alphabetical order):

Name	Sector focus	Investment stage	Investment range	Investments
Accel Partners	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	$50M – $75M	1793
AlbionVC	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	Undisclosed	103
Anthemis Group	Technology	Seed, Series A	Undisclosed	211
Ascension Ventures	Healthcare	Seed	$10M – $15M	78
Balderton Capital	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	$1M-20M	372
Beringea	Healthcare, Business services, and consumer, Media, Retail, SaaS, Advanced manufacturing,	Seed, Series A	$1M-$10M	145
BGF Growth Capital	Sector Agnostic	Seed	£1M – £15M	370
Calculus Capital	Sector Agnostic	Seed, Series A, A+	Undisclosed	54
Connect Ventures	Technology	Seed	$450K – $2.6M	103
Downing Ventures	Technology	Seed	Undisclosed	164
Force Over Mass	Technology	Seed, Series A	Undisclosed	139
Forward Partners	Technology	Seed, Series A	£200k – £2M	83
Fuel Ventures	Technology	Seed, Series A	£150k—£3m	86
Index Ventures	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	$100K – $1M	1043
IQ Capital	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	£500K — £10m	115
LocalGlobe	Technology	Seed	Undisclosed	325
MMC Ventures	Technology	Seed, Series A	£25K – £3M	177
Molten Ventures	Technology	Seed, Series A, A+	£2M – £50M	181
Notion Capital	Technology	Seed	$2M – $10M	151
Octopus Ventures	Health, Fintech, Deep tech, Consumer, B2B Software,	Seed, Series A, A+	$1M-$10M	335
Passion Capital	Technology	Seed, Series A	Undisclosed	156
Playfair Capital	Technology	Seed	£100k – £500k	87
Seed Camp	Technology	Seed, Series A	£200K – £750K	478
SFC Capital	Food & Drink, Life Sciences, Media & Entertainment, Mobile & Online Solutions	Seed, Series A	$100k – $300k	377

1. Accel

Accel is a global venture capital firm in San Francisco, Palo Alto, London, and Karnataka (India). This venture capital firm offers Seed to Series A+ funding to startups and companies in the software and tech-enabled services sector.

Unfortunately, Accel doesn’t disclose the exact investment amount on its website. However, so far, the firm has invested in 56 companies. Some of the most famous companies this venture capital firm has invested in include 1Password, BrowserStack, BlaBlaCar, Cohesity, Coin Tracker, Hootsuite, OLA, and Swiggy.

Apart from investment, Accel also offers hands-on mentorship and other support to help portfolio companies succeed in becoming sustainable companies.

2. AlbionVC

Albion VC focuses on helping to build the future of enterprise and healthcare by supporting the ventures in B2B software, health-tech, and deep tech. The VC firm has over two decades of experience investing in Seed through Series B. 

They look to build a strong relationship with their portfolio companies and their teams, enabling them to grow and achieve their entrepreneurship objectives.

Since its founding, the VC firm has sat on over 100 boards and gained experience of what great companies look like. Therefore, they are keen on identifying potential companies and supporting them throughout the business growth journey.

3. Anthemis Group

Anthemis group invests in technology-focused companies that work toward bringing transformational change in the financial systems. For decades, the VC firm has built and partnered with a collaborative ecosystem that seeks to transform, grow, and diversify globally.

Founded to drive a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive financial system, the VC firm‘s investment thesis has included founders who embody non-zero-sum mindsets and are committed to generating a net positive impact on the world.

To enable investee companies to build diversified financial service platforms, the VC firm has built a talented leadership team and a solid strategic advisory board, who work alongside the company’s management

4. Ascension Ventures

Ascension Ventures is an investment firm focusing on companies within the healthcare sector. 

The VC firm invests in seed-stage companies and seeks to add value to portfolio companies through reliable involvement in their day-to-day operations and by helping them seek financing for their projects. Their diligence process leverages the intellectual resources and insight across their limited partner base.

Ascension Ventures invests in the early-to-late stage within three to five years of a potential liquidating event. The venture capitalist provides portfolio companies access to an established team with demonstrated relevant experience, depth, and capability to build the business to scale and attract customers.  In addition, ascension ventures take boardroom positions in each portfolio company.

Their initial investments fall in the range of $10M – $15M. 

5. Balderton Capital

Balderton Capital is a venture capitalist with over two decades of investing in Europe’s most ambitious founders. The VC firm targets businesses within the technology ecosystem and works hard to provide the support they require through every stage of their journey.

The VC supports entrepreneurs who think big, are fearless, and have shown the determination to build successful businesses. Typically, they prefer working with founders who see way beyond personal financial gains. They target individuals on a mission to create an extraordinary future.

Balderton looks for the best and most ambitious founders and works hard to put their network, experience, and knowledge to support them and their teams.   

Their initial investments range between $1M and $20M.

6. Beringea

Beringea is a venture capital firm supporting visionary entrepreneurs to build successful companies. The VC firm has a track record of over three decades of successfully investing across various sectors. Beringea has cultivated an exceptional community throughout the years and helped founders scale companies and achieve their entrepreneurship ambitions.

The VC firm’s typical investments fall from £1 to £10 million. They invest in companies turning over approximately 1 million pounds or more. Ideally, the VC firm tends to lead Series A or Series B investment rounds and provide further funding or a follow-on investment. 

7. BGF

BGF growth capital invests in early-stage to growth-stage companies across all sectors. The VC firm seeks to invest in portfolio companies with a revenue of £1 Million to those with £100 Million.

Ideally, the VC firm seeks to ensure value creation by providing the portfolio companies access to a global network of business leaders, sector specialists, and other investors.

Besides, BGF helps portfolio companies strengthen strategic management through boardroom involvement and operational expertise. To help entrepreneurs achieve their objectives, the VC firm begins by listening to the management teams to understand their business goals.

8. Calculus Capital

Calculus capital invests in small and medium-sized companies in all industries. The VC firm takes pride in working in partnership with their investee companies, usually taking boardroom positions and providing strategic guidance on various issues. Typically, the VC firm looks for entrepreneurial, fast-growing businesses and invests between £1m and £3m.

The VC firm invests in privately held companies with solid growth prospects. They look for companies with a strong management team and relevant track record and support their management teams through the transformational business growth.

9. Connect Ventures

Founded in 2011, Connect Ventures is a venture capital firm based in London that focuses on Seed investments and product-led companies. Among others, they invested in Typeform, TrueLayer and Citymapper.

They typically offer equity checks anywhere from $450k to $2.6M.

10. Downing Ventures

Downing Ventures is a VC firm investing in enterprises that create technology-biased solutions. The VC firm looks for companies with a global vision, and provides them with financial and strategic expertise. They work collaboratively with portfolio companies all the way. The VC firm takes pride in its team and works with the management teams, helping portfolio companies reach essential business decisions.

Downing Ventures invests in the seed stage and provides the portfolio companies a skill-set that goes deep into their core sectors. 

11. Force Over Mass

Force Over Mass is an investment firm that focuses on B2B technology innovation companies in Europe and the UK. The VC firm invests in companies that combine transformational technology with a robust business model. Typically, the VC firm likes supporting companies and founders over multiple funding rounds and typically invests from seed to series B stage.

The VC firm believes that consistent performance is driven by broad sourcing, a disciplined investment process, helping companies scale, and optimal portfolio construction. Moreover, the VC firm combines a passion for innovation and domain knowledge to enable the portfolio companies to emerge victoriously. 

12. Forward Partners

Forward Partners is a venture capital firm providing pre-seed and seed funding to companies focused on building technology solutions. The VC firm invests between €200K and €2Million in outstanding founders with big ideas. In the case of seed funding, the VC firm invests between €300K and €2Million in companies with proven traction. In addition, the VC firm provides flexible funding from €10K to €1Million for a one-off fixed fee with no equity and no penalties. 

Since its inception, Forward Partners has focused on forging a new path for ventures and improving their odds of success. 

13. Fuel Ventures

Fuel Ventures is another of the top venture capital firms in the UK. Fuel Ventures funds early-stage technology companies looking for pre-seed, seed, and stage A funding. The VC firm targets fast-growth technology businesses and invests in them between €150K and €3M. They look for companies that have shown early commercial traction and provide them with workspaces and hands-on support to help them grow.

Founded by entrepreneurs, the VC firm understands the problems facing entrepreneurs at the early stage and throughout the business growth journey. Unlike other UK venture capital firms, Fuel Ventures has maintained a unique approach to investing. 

14. Index Ventures 

Index Ventures is a technology-focused venture capital firm looking to invest in people behind big ideas and help them discover their potential. The VC firm invests in building relationships that endure and are based on curiosity, thoughtfulness, and deep conviction. From seed stage to venture and explosive growth, the VC firm works with the entrepreneurs and helps them in coming up with the best business growth strategies.

As a close-knit group, the VC firm builds genuine relationships with the companies they back. Every relationship is personal and defined by all the moments spent working and brainstorming with each other.  

15. IQ Capital

IQ Capital is a VC firm supporting founders through providing access to deeptech knowledge and extensive global connections from seed to exit. The VC firm has more than two decades of supporting companies. From the seed stage, they help entrepreneurs tackle business growth challenges and build successful companies. Their initial investments range from €0.5M to €10 M. they seek investments in AI, Data Science, IoT, etc. While they seek seed-stage investments, the VC firm can partner with portfolio companies throughout their growth journey.

16. Local Globe

Local Globe is a UK-based venture capital firm investing in seed-stage startups. Since its inception, Local Globe has continued seeding ambitious UK founders focusing on technology. The VC firm has invested in companies focused on SaaS and artificial intelligence. They offer financial assistance and strategic expertise. 

17. MMC Ventures

MMC Ventures is a London-based investment firm focusing on enabling entrepreneurs to build transformative businesses. The VC firm takes pride in providing entrepreneurs with genuine and long-term support. MMC commits to immersing in every sector they target and being informed, knowledgeable investors. The VC firm engages the investee companies in every investment and provides expert counsel to the management teams.

Across all their investment funds, the VC firm backs companies transforming industries through innovations and the use of fast-evolving technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain. Their initial financial investments fall in the range of €25K to €3M. 

18. Molten Ventures

Molten Ventures is a leading venture capitalist investing in seed and early-stage startups operating in the UK and beyond. The VC firm targets businesses that venture into the latest technologies to build innovative solutions for healthcare and consumer-related industries.

The VC firm injects capital, knowledge, and experience to help businesses achieve long-term success. Molten ventures help businesses expand globally.

The VC firm’s initial investments fall in the range of €2M to €50M. 

19. Notion Capital

Notion Capital is a venture capital firm focusing on SaaS and Cloud focused European companies. The venture capitalist looks for committed founders and provides financial and hands-on management support throughout the business growth journey. Investing at an early stage, the VC firm is committed to enabling fast growth and creating opportunities so that the founders go far beyond. Since its founding, the VC firm has strived to give founders a platform of insights, business networking opportunities, and hands-on management support that nurtures leadership and promotes business growth.

Their initial financial investment is between $2M and $10M.

20. Octopus Ventures

Octopus VC is another of the top venture capital firms in the UK. The VC firm focuses on entrepreneurs investing in healthcare, finance, deep tech, consumer, and B2B software solutions. The VC firm commits its time, energy, and focus on people and ideas that will leave a world-changing impact.

Their initial investments fall from £1 million for Seed to £10 million for Series B. Octopus VC continues backing startups right through to the IPO stage, apart from the initial investments.

21. Passion Capital

Passion Capital is an early-stage VC firm targeting entrepreneurs and operators who apply experiences to help founders and early-stage teams to build successful companies. Targeting media and technology companies, the VC firm offers financial assistance, analysis, and advice to founders, Passion Capital operates in the United Kingdom.

22. Playfair Capital

Playfair Capital invests in entrepreneurs building technology companies that rethink how we work and live. The UK-based venture capital firm helps ambitious and exceptional entrepreneurs to create a brilliant technology business. Playfair invests early and enthusiastically in founding teams focusing on the UK. They thrive being a generalist technology fund with the flexibility to look at a broad range of companies each team member has an interest and focus.

The founder-focused VC firm provides the entrepreneurs more than capital. They share with the founders their broad experience of operating and scaling businesses and help them in navigating to the next stage of their journey. 

23. Seedcamp

Seedcamp is a VC firm investing in world-class founders that use technology to address real problems impacting the more major global markets. The VC firm provides the infrastructure to support its exceptional founders. The VC firm believes that extraordinary talent can come from anywhere, a belief that remains rooted in their DNA and actions. They believe that investing in excellent people with transformative ideas is the key to building companies that will create leading business solutions.

Their initial investments range between £200K  and £750K.

24. SFC Capital

SFC Capital is a VC firm investing in innovative founders who create solutions that impact a broad market. The VC firm targets early-stage companies that have created a unique model to allow investors to get exposure to SEIS and EIS eligible businesses through a diversified portfolio.

The Vc firm seeks to build long-term relationships with entrepreneurs. They look for teams with the good entrepreneurship ambitions and have shown the potential to deliver significant returns.

SFC Capital leads pre-seed rounds and invests between €100K and €300K in exchange for an ownership stake of 10% to 20%.