As we close the chapter on 2024, we reflect on another milestone year for SFC Capital.
With nearly £20 million invested across 110 deals, we continued our mission to support the UK’s most innovative startups and scale-ups. This included investments in 75 new companies and 35 follow-on rounds for some of our standout portfolio performers.
This year, we were proud to be recognised as the UK’s most active Deep Tech investor by Beauhurst and to be named by Sifted as one of Europe’s top 10 investors in Climate, Healthtech, and Fintech.
It is truly extraordinary to be recognised as a leading seed investor in some of the most exciting sectors of the innovation economy. This position provides us with a unique vantage point on the trends shaping the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Deep Tech continues to take centre stage, driven by the rapid advancement and adoption of AI across sectors. From healthcare to enterprise solutions, the race to integrate and adapt is accelerating, with no room for complacency.
We’re amazed at the speed at which some of our companies have made AI an integral part of their product and entire operations, such as Cognism, which basically became an AI-first company in the space of a few months, with a huge increase in operational efficiency. Truly incredible to see.
We are doubling down on Deep Tech and have deepened our ties with the UK’s top universities and accelerators, allowing us to identify groundbreaking startups at their earliest stages. We have now proudly invested in spin-outs from ALL the leading incubators of Deep Tech companies in the UK, including the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Manchester, Bristol, UCL, Sheffield, and more.
While the headlines have recently focused on challenges faced by the European Green Tech sector such as those faced by EV-related ventures, we believe 2024 demonstrated the maturity of Green Tech. Clean Tech is no longer just a promise—it’s delivering results.
A shining example is Naked Energy, a solar technology portfolio company that closed a £17m Series B funding round led by E.ON and Barclays but also delivered groundbreaking projects, including the UK’s largest solar heat installation at the British Library. The commercial traction and funding momentum in Clean Tech are tangible and encouraging us to double down on this sector.
Secondaries are becoming a more frequent feature in Series A rounds and beyond, reflecting a maturing ecosystem. These transactions allow early-stage investors to realise returns while reinvesting in the next generation of innovators—a trend we wholeheartedly welcome.
In 2024, SFC Capital closed four secondary deals, delivering positive returns of 10x, 6x, 4x, and 2.5x. These exits underscore the strength of our portfolio and the capacity to generate liquidity from early-stage investments. We are only expecting this trend to accelerate as we are witnessing the launch of several funds with dedicated secondary strategies in the UK and Europe.
As we celebrate these successes, we remain focused on the future. Our team’s hard work has positioned us for even greater accomplishments, and we are excited to share some major announcements in early 2025.
To our investors, founders, and partners—thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we are shaping the future of innovation. Here’s to an even brighter 2025!
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Past performance is not indicative of future performance.