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SFC Capital Invests Into 500th UK Startup

SFC Team

26 Jan 2025

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SFC Capital is marking an important milestone: We have now officially invested in our 500th portfolio company! This milestone represents the culmination of over a decade of dedication, invaluable lessons, and an unwavering belief in the transformative potential of early-stage startups.

When SFC Capital was established as the “Startup Funding Club” angel network in 2012, our mission was clear: to support ambitious entrepreneurs in building the businesses of tomorrow. With the groundbreaking introduction of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), SFC seized the opportunity to establish one of the very first SEIS funds and set a strong foundation for future growth – SFC Capital was born. Early investment successes included Onfido and Cognism – more about those below.

Fast forward to today, SFC has now invested in more than 500 ambitious UK startups, supporting them to transform their industries, create jobs, and drive economic growth across the UK. This milestone underlines our position as the most active early-stage investor in the UK, now making over 100 investments every year.

"It's quite astonishing to see the immense progress we have made over the last decade. Never would I have imagined that we would end up investing in more than 500 companies. We are determined to continue growing, reaching more founders, and contributing to the success of the early-stage innovation ecosystem in the UK."
- Stephen Page, Founder & CEO of SFC Capital

Reflecting on Our Impact

Over the years, SFC Capital has had the privilege of supporting startups across a wide range of sectors, from cutting-edge technology and life sciences to green energy and consumer innovation. Among our investments are companies that have reached global recognition, driven positive societal change, and provided remarkable returns for our investors.

A great example is Onfido, a company that exited in 2024 as the UK's biggest tech exit in recent years, or Cognism, a company redefining how B2B Sales is done around the world. These are the achievements we aspire to replicate and the benchmarks we encourage our founders to surpass.

“From the start, our strategy has been to invest at an early stage in a large number of innovative companies, in order to maximise the probability of highly successful outcomes. The main challenge was to execute a large volume of deals while maintaining a high standard of quality in every investment. I believe that we have managed to achieve this by partnering with the best startup organisations in the UK, and by developing a unique decision-making system looking at over 50 data points and informed by the learnings from the hundreds of startup investments that we have been involved in.”
- Joseph Zipfel, Chief Investment Officer of SFC Capital

The Company You Keep

The journey to 500 companies has been driven by a shared belief in the power of early-stage innovation. This milestone is the result of the unwavering support of investors who recognise the potential of the next generation of businesses, the founders who have partnered with us to bring their ideas to life, and the partners who help us make it all happen—from tax experts to regional accelerators, tech companies to academic institutions. It has been and remains a collective effort that continues to propel us forward in the mission to back visionary entrepreneurs and drive impactful change.

Looking Ahead

Reaching 500 investments is an exciting moment, but we’re already focused on the next chapter. With a growing portfolio and more than 20 successful exits delivering strong returns to our investors, we’re just at the start of what’s to come. Our commitment to backing the businesses of tomorrow is stronger than ever, and we’re determined to continue shaping the UK’s early-stage ecosystem for many years.

To all our founders, investors, and partners: thank you for being part of this incredible journey. Here’s to the next 500 investments and beyond!

If you’re a founder with a bold vision, an investor looking to back the next wave of innovation, or someone who shares our passion for entrepreneurship, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we’ll forge the future.

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DISCLAIMER:
SFC Capital Ltd (SFC) is an appointed representative of SFC Capital Partners Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) in the United Kingdom (FRN 736284). This website is intended for professional investors only; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. The content is for information purposes only and should not be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any securities.

Investment in early-stage companies involves risks such as illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. Investment in SEIS/EIS eligible companies should be considered as part of a diversified portfolio. The availability of tax relief depends on individual circumstances and may change in the future. The availability of tax relief depends on the company invested in maintaining its SEIS/EIS qualifying status. There is no assurance that the investment objectives of any investment opportunity will be achieved or that the strategies and methods described herein will be successful. The investment products cited herein may place capital at risk and therefore investors may not get back the full amount invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of an investment may go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the full amount invested. Companies’ pitches for investment are not offers to the public and investments can only be made by members of SFC Capital. SFC Capital takes no responsibility for this information or for any recommendations or opinions made by the companies. Neither SFC Capital nor any of its employees provide any financial or tax advice in relation to the investments and investors are recommended to seek independent financial and tax advice before committing. This website is not directed at or intended for publication or distribution to any person (natural or legal) in any jurisdiction where doing so would result in contravention of any applicable laws or regulations. No warranties or representations of any kind are expressed or implied herein. This material is confidential and is the property of SFC Capital.