--- title: "SFC 500 Roundtable: History of SFC Capital, Lessons Learned & SEIS/EIS Investing" description: SFC Capital celebrates 500 portfolio companies, reflecting on their journey, lessons learned, and the future of SEIS/EIS investing with insights from their leadership team. image: https://sfccapital.com/hubfs/SAJ%20podcast%20-%20Thumbnail-1.png --- Disclaimer Please note, company introductions through SFC Capital Ltd ('SFC') are only suitable for ‘High Net Worth Individuals’, or ‘Sophisticated Investors’ as defined by the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) who are familiar with and willing to accept the high risk associated with private investments. Any investor requesting to contact a company through SFC Capital does so at his/her own risk and is solely responsible for conducting any legal, accounting or due diligence review. There has been no investigation to the accuracy of any information or terms contained herein and we strongly suggest that you seek advice from a person authorised under the FSMA who specialises in advising on investments of this kind prior to commencement of any potential transaction. All content provided by SFC Capital is strictly for informational purpose only and does not constitute business, financial, investment, hedging, trading, legal, regulatory, tax or accounting advice or services. SFC Capital 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. SFC Capital does not sell or offer to sell any securities and no information provided by SFC Capital is intended to constitute or to be interpreted as any such offer. SFC Capital simply provides an introductory service where potential partners of all sorts can meet. The SFC Angel Fund is managed by SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFCCP’) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. Information on the Fund 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 the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. Any decision by an investor to buy shares in a fund must be made solely on the basis of the information and terms contained within the Fund’s offering memorandum. Investment in the Fund is made entirely at the investor’s own risk and professional advice should be sought in case of doubt. SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFC’) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. This document 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 the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. The SFC Angel Fund is managed by SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFCCP’) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. Information on the Fund 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 the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. Any decision by an investor to buy shares in a fund must be made solely on the basis of the information and terms contained within the Fund’s offering memorandum. Investment in the Fund is made entirely at the investor’s own risk and professional advice should be sought in case of doubt. The SFC Angel Fund is an SEIS/EIS fund which raises money for early-stage businesses by investing in SEIS and EIS eligible ventures with the aim of returning a profit for investors in the fund. Investment in early-stage companies involves risks such as illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. Investment in SEIS/EIS funds 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 product will be achieved or that the strategies and methods described herein will be successful. 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. No warranties or representations of any kind are expressed or implied on this website. I Accept The Terms ## FCA Mandatory Risk Warning & Risk Summary > ## Risk Warning > > **Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.** ## Risk Summary **Estimated reading time: 2 min** Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) considers this investment to be high risk.   What are the key risks? 1\. You could lose all the money you invest. Investments made by the SFC Angel Fund SEIS (the “Fund”) will be in shares in early-stage businesses. Investors in these shares often lose 100% of the money they invested, as many early-stage businesses fail. 2\. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here: [https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investment-protection-checker/](https://sfccapital.com/fca-mandatory-risk-warning-and-risk-summary/%20https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investment-protection-checker/)    Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here: [https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers](https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers) 3\. You won’t get your money back quickly Even if the businesses the Fund invests your money in are successful, it may take several years to get your money back. The most likely way to get your money back is if the businesses invested in by the Fund are bought by another business or list their shares on an exchange such as the London Stock Exchange. These events are not common. 4\. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.  A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.  [https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest](https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest) 5\. The value of your investment can be reduced The percentage of each investee company that the Fund owns will decrease if the business issues more shares. This could mean that the value of your investment in each investee company reduces, depending on how much the business grows. Most start-up businesses issue multiple rounds of shares.  These new shares could have additional rights that your shares don’t have, such as the right to receive a fixed dividend, which could further reduce your chances of getting a return on your investment. 6\. S/EIS tax reliefs are not guaranteed Whilst it is the Fund's intention to invest mostly in companies qualifying under SEIS legislation, SFC cannot guarantee that all investments will qualify for S/EIS relief (or IHT relief) or, indeed, if they do initially, that they will continue to do so throughout the life of the investment. The tax advantages of investing through the Fund are therefore not guaranteed.  If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here: [https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart](https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart)  Close Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more. [![SFC Logo + Title x web](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web.png?width=2000&name=SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web.png)](https://sfccapital.com) - [Startups](https://sfccapital.com/raise) - Investors - [SEIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/seis-funds) - [EIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/eis-funds) - [SEIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/seis-explained) - [EIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/eis-explained) - [Angel House](https://sfccapital.com/angel-house) - [Advisors](https://sfccapital.com/advisors) - [Portfolio](https://portal.sfccapital.com/portfolio) - [About Us](https://sfccapital.com/about-us) - [Blog](https://sfccapital.com/blog) - [Login](https://portal.sfccapital.com/login) # SFC 500 Roundtable: History of SFC Capital, Lessons Learned & SEIS/EIS Investing [SFC Team](https://sfccapital.com/blog/author/sfc) 30 Jan 2025 [News](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/news) ##### Share on - - - SFC Capital is celebrating 500 portfolio companies. As part of this series, we have sat down our leadership team who, over more than 10 years, have made SFC into what it is today. Hear from Stephen Page (Founder and CEO), Joseph Zipfel (Chief Investment Officer), and Angelika Burawska (Chief Operating Officer), moderated by Ed Prior (Head of Investors Services), as they reflect on SFC's journey, lessons learned, milestones, and what the future holds. [Watch the full episode here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to_2a6z8n9s) ### Stephen's Journey From Entrepreneur to Investor Stephen Page’s entrepreneurial career as a founder of multiple software startups, marked by successes and challenges, led him to create SFC Capital in 2012. “One of my failed companies made me realise what startups really needed: money, not just services,” Stephen shared. The launch of the [SEIS scheme](https://sfccapital.com/seis-explained) that same year created the perfect environment for his vision. SFC’s early efforts included pitching events like “Crocodile Lair,” which eventually led to investments in transformative companies like Onfido. “We started with small gatherings at Home House,” Stephen recounted, “and now we’ve grown to manage £150 million in assets, supporting some of the UK’s most innovative startups.” ### Building an Ecosystem for Innovation Reflecting on the early days, Joseph Zipfel admitted, “We didn’t have grand plans to be a £150 million fund manager. It was about learning, adapting, and building a strong foundation for investing in pre-seed companies.” Fast forward to today, SFC Capital is synonymous with excellence in SEIS investing, enabling startups to thrive with expert guidance and funding. Angelika elaborated on SFC’s success in sourcing startups: “We’ve built a robust network of accelerators, venture builders, and universities, which ensures we’re always at the forefront of innovation.” This approach, combined with proprietary technology, allows SFC to manage a high volume of investments with precision. ### Lessons Learned “In any business, mistakes are inevitable,” Stephen noted. “The key is to learn from them without making fatal ones.” Joseph echoed this sentiment, emphasising the importance of analysing red flags and improving processes. “Our model now evaluates 30 to 40 data points to identify risks, enabling us to invest more effectively.” ### The Future of SEIS and EIS Investing As the largest SEIS fund in the UK, SFC Capital’s focus remains on delivering exceptional returns for investors. Stephen highlighted the critical importance of SEIS to the UK economy: “It’s a unique scheme globally, essential for fostering innovation. Any negative changes could jeopardise the UK’s position as a leader in early-stage investing.” Joseph sees immense potential for growth: “Despite our success, awareness of SEIS and EIS is still low. The market is underutilised, and there’s an opportunity to bring in more investors and expand the impact.” ### Why SFC Stands Out Angelika underscored the team’s role in SFC’s success: “We’ve built a team of self-starters who share our entrepreneurial spirit. They’re the driving force behind our ability to deliver both value and innovation.” The podcast also touched on the firm’s proprietary technology, which ensures transparency and accessibility for investors. “Our platform provides real-time updates on investments, enabling investors and advisors to track performance seamlessly,” Angelika explained. ### Join the Journey With over 500 startups backed and a vision to double that in the coming years, SFC Capital is shaping the future of early-stage investing in the UK. “Ultimately, our success will be measured by the returns we deliver to investors,” Stephen concluded. [Watch the full podcast video here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to_2a6z8n9s) ## Related Articles 10 Nov 2017 [News](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/news) ##### [SFC is crowned Best Angel Syndicate at GIAwards](https://sfccapital.com/blog/sfc-announced-best-angel-syndicate-growth-investor-awards) Jenny Tooth, CEO of UKBAA, presented Startup Funding Club with the Best Angel Syndicate award at the... [Read More](https://sfccapital.com/blog/sfc-announced-best-angel-syndicate-growth-investor-awards) 5 Jun 2023 [Startup Stories](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/startup-stories) ##### [Startup Stories: GrowGrows](https://sfccapital.com/blog/startup-stories-growgrows) From police work and cold coffee to scaling a sustainable babywear brand Journeying from the unlikel... [Read More](https://sfccapital.com/blog/startup-stories-growgrows) 19 Oct 2022 [News](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/news) ##### [Smart Kiwi closes £250k pre-seed round led by SFC](https://sfccapital.com/blog/smart-kiwi-closes-250k-preseed-round-led-by-sfc) Smart Kiwi will use the funds to develop a demand predictive model to optimise resource allocation a... [Read More](https://sfccapital.com/blog/smart-kiwi-closes-250k-preseed-round-led-by-sfc) [![SFC Logo + Title x web (white)](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web%20(white).png?width=2000&height=318&name=SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web%20(white).png)](https://sfccapital.com) - [Startups](https://sfccapital.com/raise) - [About Us](https://sfccapital.com/about-us) - [Blog](https://sfccapital.com/blog) - [Terms of Use](https://sfccapital.com/terms) - [Press](https://sfccapital.com/press) - [EIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/eis-funds) - [SEIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/seis-funds) - [SEIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/seis-explained) - [EIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/eis-explained) - [Advisors](https://sfccapital.com/advisors) - [Anti-Slavery Policy](https://sfccapital.com/anti-slavery-policy-statement) - [Privacy Policy](https://sfccapital.com/privacy) - [ESG Statement](https://sfccapital.com/esg-statement) - [Complaints Policy](https://sfccapital.com/complaints-procedure) - [FAQ's](https://sfccapital.com/faq) - - - [Login](https://portal.sfccapital.com/login) #### Partners: [![mayor of london logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/mayor%20of%20london.png?width=564&height=247&name=mayor%20of%20london.png)](https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/shaping-local-places/funding-opportunities/london-co-investment-fund-lcif) [![london coinvestment fund logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/london%20coinvestment%20fund.png?width=564&height=247&name=london%20coinvestment%20fund.png)](https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/shaping-local-places/funding-opportunities/london-co-investment-fund-lcif) [![smb logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/smb.png?width=564&height=247&name=smb.png)](https://www.smb.london/) [![Young talent logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/Young%20talent%20(1).png?width=600&height=296&name=Young%20talent%20(1).png)](https://yourtalentsolutions.co.uk/) [![eisa logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/eisa.png?width=564&height=247&name=eisa.png)](https://www.eisa.org.uk/) [![Bennet brooks logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/Bennet%20brooks.png?width=564&height=272&name=Bennet%20brooks.png)](http://www.bennettbrooks.co.uk/) [![SFC Web - HP - Partner Logos - British Business Bank (BBB BBI) (white; 104 x 50px)](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logos%20-%20British%20Business%20Bank%20(BBB%20BBI)%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px).webp?width=520&height=250&name=SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logos%20-%20British%20Business%20Bank%20(BBB%20BBI)%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px).webp)](https://www.bbinv.co.uk/) [![ukri - innovate uk logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/ukri%20-%20innovate%20uk.png?width=564&height=248&name=ukri%20-%20innovate%20uk.png)](https://www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk/) [![investing in women code logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/investing%20in%20women%20code.png?width=564&height=248&name=investing%20in%20women%20code.png)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investing-in-women-code) [![uk business angels logo](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC_Capital_Theme/Image/uk%20business%20angels.png?width=564&height=247&name=uk%20business%20angels.png)](https://www.ukbaa.org.uk/) [![SFC Web - HP - Partner Logo (white; 104 x 50px) - Home Grown](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logo%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px)%20-%20Home%20Grown.webp?width=520&height=250&name=SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logo%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px)%20-%20Home%20Grown.webp)](https://homegrownclub.co.uk/) [![SFC Web - HP - Partner Logo (white; 104 x 50px) - Markel](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logo%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px)%20-%20Markel.webp?width=520&height=250&name=SFC%20Web%20-%20HP%20-%20Partner%20Logo%20(white%3B%20104%20x%2050px)%20-%20Markel.webp)](http://www.markelinternational.com/) 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, high net worth investor or certified sophisticated investors only for the purposes of the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook.; 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. 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