The best SEIS investments funds available in the UK

We have previously outlined the basics behind the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), and how established small businesses can benefit from it. Now, we want to showcase the top SEIS funds currently available in the UK, mainly aimed at early-age startups. The following VC (venture capital) firms invest across sectors in early-stage businesses and are offering to help many companies needing additional finances.

What is a SEIS fund?

You may wonder what a SEIS fund is. SEIS funds are a form of venture capital fund that is used to invest in SEIS-eligible companies. Venture capitalist companies are some of the most common equity investors for high-growth startups. VCs buy shares and help private companies to grow and develop. Many VCs were founders of their startups, so they can offer advice and long-term support when investing. Therefore, VC funds invest in riskier portfolios than other funds.

VC funds manage the money of investors seeking private equity stakes in startups and small-to-medium-sized businesses with strong growth potential. However, VC funds are often out of reach to most ordinary investors and are regarded as high-risk opportunities.

Where are VC (venture capital) firms based?

Although SEIS funding can be found anywhere, most private equity and leading VC firms are based in London, with investors offering support to the top startup companies founded in the capital. In 2021, around 51 per cent of equity deals for high-growth UK businesses, backed by some of the best VC firms, were awarded to companies in London.

The best SEIS investment funds from top venture capital (VC) firms in the UK

Below is a list of currently active SEIS investment funds available in the UK and offered by top venture capital (VC) companies, listed alphabetically. Some of the best venture capital (VC) firms on the list are located in London, focusing on investing in startups based there.

01 7percent

7percent invest in early-stage tech startups that they feel represent great financial opportunities

02 Accel Partners

Acel Partners is an American-based VC (venture capital) fund currently managing European operations in London. It focuses on the tech sector and has invested in 35 London-based startups through 81 equity deals.

03 AlbionVC

AlbionVC has more than 20 years of experience in venture finance, backing companies from late-seed to Series B.

04 Angel Academe

Angel Academe focuses on female-founded tech startups, investing in early and later stages. In addition, they aim to introduce more women to angel investing.

05 Ascension Ventures

Ascension is one of many early-stage venture capitalist companies that invests in early-stage technology companies. They have high hopes in helping the next generation of tech and impact founders, with a focus on startups raising their first or second round.

06 Anthemis

Anthemis invests in tech companies that offer to change financial systems positively. They have a particular emphasis on fintech.

07 Balderton Capital

Balderton Capital invests in startups across Europe and the UK in both early and later stages.

08BGF

BGF has invested in small to medium-sized businesses across all sectors throughout different regions of the UK and Ireland. They have backed 72 companies in London through 95 equity funding rounds.

09British Design Fund

British Design Fund is focused on investing in purpose-led British product companies. They usually invest in startups and early-stage businesses.

10Britbots

Britbots is aimed at UK businesses focusing on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), providing early-stage investment when a company has begun to show commercial traction.

11 Concept Ventures

Concept Ventures is the largest pre-seed fund in the UK, dedicated to early-stage companies. They help invest up to £750,000 pre-seed stage.

12 Connect Ventures

Connect Ventures is focused on B2B SaaS, fintech, consumer software and digital health businesses investing at early-stage, pre-seed and later stages.

13 Crane Venture Partners

As well as the UK, Crane Venture Partners also invest in software startups across Europe, the US and Israel. They focus on SaaS, open-source, data-first, machine learning and creator-driven companies, investing at an early stage and pre-seed.

14 Deepbridge Capital

Deepbridge Capital invests in startups in the technology, life sciences and renewable energy sectors at early and later stages.

15 Downing Ventures

Downing Ventures supports companies focusing on deeptech, healthcare, education, e-commerce and data analytics. They have backed 47 London-based companies through 70 equity rounds.

16 Episode 1

Episode 1 invests in B2B software startups in the UK, offering seed funding. Click here to visit their website and find out more.

17 Force Over Mass

Force Over Mass offers support to B2B tech companies, focusing on AI, fintech and Industry 4.0 across the UK and Europe. They invest in the early stages and up to Series B.

18Fuel Ventures

Fuel Ventures want to see the growth in startups at the early stage. As one of the top VC (venture capital) firms in the UK, they focus on tech companies and invest funds from pre-seed to Series A.

19 Frontline

Frontline is aimed at “globally ambitious” B2B companies, investing at early and later stages. Although primarily based in the UK, they have plans to go global.

20 Guinness Ventures

Guinness Ventures invests in any early-stage companies regardless of which business sector they belong in and where in the world they are located. They invest from the seed stage to Series A. Click here to visit their website and find out more.

21 Haatch

Haatch is an early-stage investment fund focused on offering support during pre-seed capital stage and later-stage funding rounds for UK startups. In addition, they invest in companies across all sectors.

22 Imbiba

Imbiba invests in companies in the leisure and lifestyle sectors at early and later stages.

23 Index Ventures

Index Ventures have supported many companies in London through 126 individual equity fundraisings.

24 Jenson Funding Partners

Jenson Funding Partners offers “innovative and disruptive” investing to startups across various sectors, from the pre-seed to later stages.

25 LocalGlobe

LocalGlobe invests in London-based founders at early-stage tech startups, specialising in SaaS and artificial intelligence (AI) companies.

26 Martlet Capital

Martlet helps early-stage B2B startup companies based in deeptech and life sciences, particularly those in Cambridge.

27 MMC Ventures

MMC Ventures supports in funding businesses that focus on transformative technology, usually making investments during Series A but also offering support during pre-seed and later-stage.

28 Nauta Capital

Nauta Capital makes investments in software-based businesses across various sectors, emphasising B2B businesses. They invest particularly in early-stage companies.

29 Northzone

Northzone focuses on early-stage and later-stage companies from different sectors in the UK, Europe and the US.

30 Notion Capital

Notion Capital supports companies based in European enterprise tech, SaaS and cloud-based software, typically investing funds between $3-5 million.

31 o2h ventures

The o2h Human Health SEIS Fund invests at the early stages, including pre-seed, for companies involved in AI and novel drug discovery.

32 Octopus Ventures

Octopus Ventures launched their fund in 2008 and have primarily made investments in businesses operating in healthcare, fintech, deeptech and consumer sectors. Since 2011, they have backed 95 London-based companies through around 162 equity deals.

33 Passion Capital

Passion invest in companies specialising in digital media, software and e-commerce.

34 Redline Capital

Redline Capital helps invest in tech companies based in the UK, Europe, North America and Israel. They offer support to businesses at any stage of funding.

35 Samaipata

Samaipata invests in early-stage companies based in digital platforming.

36 SFC Capital

SFC Capital is one of the most notable venture capital funds listed here, investing in early to later-stage startups across various sectors in the UK.

37 Speedinvest

Speedinvest supports businesses based in deeptech, fintech, health, industrial tech, SaaS and marketplaces and consumer investing at early and later stages.

38 SuperSeed

SuperSpeed supports early-stage B2B software companies.

39 Sustainable Ventures

Sustainable Ventures are involved in tech companies that are addressing the issues of climate change and resource scarcity, investing in early-stage businesses.

40 Symvan Capital

Symvan Capital are “empowering ambitious founders of tech startups and scale-ups”, emphasising B2B companies. They invest in early-stage companies and at pre-seed.

41 Truesight Ventures

Truesight Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed-stage startups across Europe, focusing mainly on the UK and the Nordics.

42 Vala Capital

Vala Capital supports funding top startup companies looking to create a positive change in their market, regardless of sector. They invest from pre-seed to later stages.

43 Worth Capital

Worth Capital invests in consumer and B2B early-stage companies across the UK. They aim to work with “strong founders that have created an innovative proposition based on unique market insight, where there is potential to build a loved brand”.

Conclusion

This is just a list highlighting some of the many VC (venture capital) firms that offer SEIS investments to startups. Remember you can use databases such as Angel Investment Network, Crunchbase and the UK section of the EU Startups Database to search the full list of funding available for a startup.