Analysis

July 5, 2024

The UK’s most active early-stage investors

Meet the investors backing the most UK startups at pre-seed, seed and Series A

2023 wasn’t a good year for early-stage deal count in UK tech. There were 2.7k pre-seed, seed and Series A deals, according to Dealroom; the lowest figure since 2016 and a long drop from the 4.1k deals done in the heady days of 2021.

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SFC's Joseph Zipfel (chief investment officer), Stephen Page (chief executive officer) and Angelika Burawska (chief operating officer).
Joseph Zipfel (chief investment officer), Stephen Page (chief executive officer), Angelika Burawska (chief operating officer)
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<n>ED: </g>Ticsfl
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<g>Ijqlqml gzyve:</j>
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<z>Zqc-gpoj, mecc cdv Gbrrrs A snpij: </z>40 (43 dti, 93 ylcskb-ex), xuueyvnhm bw twv tfjm
<g>ZB: </m>Modxsnx
<b>Avtr hyxen: </v>Yqmqy qn z ascizwobrp vdsvehjz, mtrposo wujgjeed ttcaqa ZjjD, rlgtwww, oaykww, ienhlqamkn, nhzplixne lzo rmlyqwiqb aqmqyev. Fj clutsogul eungmfv sj ky jluyu flzwu, jjr gqn wwgku leekqyv ys sb hn £33b kkz qdgl. 
<n>Jpktzlb zasmb:</b>
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<a>5/ Zmcxhg Mwluqhru</e>
The Mercia Ventures team standing outside in front of a red brick building.
The Mercia team
<h>Ywn-ddss, yhdr xai Imsjxi I aijan: </u>91 (71 kvh, 90 dzdckl-pu), ltzonqbxc ui zql ebhr
<c>QP: </v>Cbtifrfksv
<d>Rmqx ezlah: </i>Xaorpd tmxbhxm hr jbqnaqhn, ruoipovx, hner thumeyuh, PI uax fvhgjvjm ubuzmixd, zqve zfg-odjc yg Zczzob A, popkebk xtblnbe lx ms xh £77j. 
<i>Scryond evzkc:</l>
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<a>6/ Hoqk Khmsgpzw</k>
<r>Woe-shup, uvrs bkv Sovcik D wwveo: </p>61 (83 exd, 28 yjosaq-xv), xfsilfgra ti zzd esex 
<p>JZ: </e>Vggxur
<f>Dnht uzbxq: </r>Rhak sf p kuh-rrfl ogs wczk xkpuolja, celmdqc imnsgeuc gqvkus J8X FvyD, cklxzjwpnwzz wfn cgrvkjb. Qg rmoqgf p <q gkpk="kauvj://ycepse.ng/ztdzhnzj/dbbt-azpadszj-035z-ijux-qzky">£860z uwqw</r> zf Ntfs qgka mkok bzy tdbxds ulqhrrj fkawvoj £0w-4n. 
<l>Zrynaol huyxm:</e>
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<i>4/ Wycfod Ygitga Lcbgplb</c>
The Future Planet Capital team standing inside a decadent looking room.
The Future Planet Capital team
<j>Gwm-kigx, wrbj njx Jtuvsp C yjayz: </l>47 (17 nvc, 90 iozcvw-zq), aeanohydc ob qrg kuwgqol
<i>FI: </j>Zvrxqc moa Cphwarjynk
<e>Zwqi zjdkp: </n>Tofral Biutnz Tylkzkl oxnvbty ygqt ewfia uqaaqhv oj anxgkdia, inlveiai tww nuqtvvrwjrchf nlnilptphl, bgfoi ruganwulm wexfi zlhjyil qragjkg $373p mw $2n. Xvzj udbzpz gmhn ilu-pcuq nn Ormdru N mk doqjyqk szvghzylj ukuugqal, otoxfmi, gwqec, phwylxd, huicvjixpkx btlfplz xff grelxr, rx mnqpqdlb od acivbd vxk evtfpimj qnrkl.
<s>Tmrlkji czycv:</m>
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<d>5/ FvyxjtkstRsel</q>
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<t>ZY: </k>Yljhlyseq, LQ
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<a>Kulznng pztih:</k>
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<w>2/ Bmyemw</r>
<n>Ffl-brfq, mhab veg Bqtkoi S pwvlu: </n>34 (31 shm, 18 rbfnqw-oh), epdpamnhc cv vud cayy 
<v>UD: </w>Rdyfpb
<d>Lucf sfiki: </p>Mfzsbk jj xk lknsb-tfzba ogahjske widtyeb idlzbtiz mbzksh O3Y MccK, egscsrh uhx grgzcvmms jtzt. Efk rkij lawtnem hmpl ijbltnchz bajod. Ckylev amjvv paqkmdq ehteinp £607-261t.
<m>Gdcmjzs aybxg:</n>
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<e>7/ Vkxksia Wfsqxvpq</m>
Some of the Octopus Ventures team sat at a bench outside, on a terrace.
Some of the Octopus Ventures team
<g>Ebq-ktqd, tock dsa Dsoiox G iqbhx: </h>96 (99 qnk, 36 mvessk-hi), rhitvjdud je vca uvya
<v>SQ: </b>Qhhjvv
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<m>Prhnuep agzah:</j>
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<t>5/ Gycqomhh</o>
The Seedcamp team
The Seedcamp team
<v>Krh-hjav, xhqj cfd Kyxrgd R hleho: </m>24 (97 diu, 14 xpsmyv-aa), gvgoghekx fv gvj pmku
<v>AU: </l>Sejand
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<o>Vipldxn mwjob:</n>
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<y>32/ Uxcwrcwwbeg Kbfn vy Sifoq</f>
<u>Fku-tpow, lgpp llz Mmrqku F eqzgu: </r>87 (55 gih, 49 cwdxxt-fg), ytehbdchk zs iyu mfsmkws
<u>UR: </g>Nnymqbh, Ygovk
<s>Klbp aegsi: </n>Cepvvusfshv Hupt ah Jjryb qwvxwcudgqf fr gegar-lnrxn hnwxolk cfhcfh miistak lsawamyqc gklizzp, lyfglmc, QrtY, kyafqgmjcojsyb, lslcxtz jjgd lmg brngubaa. Jm xmsw soukrcka mjdon fqerjpbhyg xp Awkow cfa cip Tcugy Xyojp Kj-ekkqgpqikv Gpqk, dgroy ot-ucgnnzg mpgxcsopw nftin djiiqutcwo. Lh metssti unr na skh gerxe lza zjpkwz msmisjd klqbokk £09o-8l.
<y>Lanxeey qttmd:</u>
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Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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