Founded as an investment firm focusing on the most promising startups, we have evolved into a unique set of private market funds investing globally in equity and debt across complementary sectors and stages. We fuse traditional values with a contemporary approach and balance exacting processes with the agility to capture commercial opportunity and compelling investment returns. Our continuous search for new opportunities has led us to create a balanced collection of complementary funds and relationships.
Approach
Today, we operate three core fund strategies ranging from seed stage primary equity, direct GP stakes secondary, and senior secured direct lending to SMEs. The Firm also managed a collection of special opportunity funds ranging from portfolio acquisitions to co-investments and one take-private.
The Leaders Fund specialises in early-stage European venture capital, leveraging 50+ years of team expertise, proprietary tech, and extensive networks. With a hands-on approach, we target finance, healthcare, sustainability, and productivity sectors, building high-conviction portfolios in markets where the UK and EU can lead the world.
Our Access Fund enables founders of later-stage European and UK companies to de-risk positions, recoup capital, and allows their employees to access liquidity. Our approach delivers returns by focusing on Europe’s venture capital liquidity gap and acquiring secondary stakes in Series B and later stage companies at discounted rates. This addresses the region’s extended path to IPO or exit, offering earlier cash returns and mitigating risk. Investors gain unique access to fast-growing enterprises, benefiting from reduced J-curve effects and strong returns.
Our Growth Debt Fund offers non-dilutive senior debt to high-growth software and advanced manufacturing firms, supported by the British Business Bank and prominent investors like Phoenix Group. Led by a team with a decade-long track record, we are providing growth capital to IP-rich companies nearing profitability, filling a crucial funding gap in Europe’s technology landscape.