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SFC ranks high in PitchBook’s 2018 Global League Table

Joseph Zipfel, Chief Investment Officer With a background in investment banking and a Master's from ESCP Europe, Joseph manages SFC Capital's investments, investor relations, and portfolio company fundraising strategies since 2014.
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Startup Funding Club ranks in the Top 5 Most Active Angel & Seed Investors in the World in PitchBook’s 2018 Global League Table.

Last month, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that PitchBook has named Startup Funding Club #5 Most Active Angel & Seed Investor in the world in its 2018 Global League Table! And it does not end here – we have also been ranked #5 most active VC organisation in Europe across all categories and #3 in the UK & Ireland just behind Enterprise Ireland and Mercia Technologies.

This is a fantastic achievement and, given that we were relatively unknown outside of London only a few years ago, it is almost surreal to see SFC listed alongside some of the finest early stage investors such as Y Combinator, Techstars or Speedinvest. SFC initially started as a small angel club and has become the most active angel network in the UK, having been recognised as such by the UK Business Angels Association amongst others. We launched the first SFC fund in 2014 to leverage our angel network, and it has now grown to be one of the most active pre-seed funds in the UK (and in the world, apparently!), investing in over 40 companies per year.

Our strategy has always been to be “sector agnostic,” which allows us to look for great talent across all industries and irrespective of factors such as location, age, gender, or education. We are very proud of the entrepreneurs we have backed and believe that this approach has allowed us to build a more diversified portfolio of startup investments than traditional venture investors, with companies ranging from Food & Drink brands to Satellite Technology.

We have already seen some early successes in our portfolio such as Onfido, Screencloud or Cognism, which are leading the way for the next wave of companies that will be scaling up in 2019 – such as Transcend Packaging, Humanising Autonomy or Bloom Magic. We have achieved this in part thanks to our network of great co-investors, starting with the SFC angel investors who put their own cash where their mouth is and roll up their sleeves to support the companies that we invest in together. We are also lucky to work with a great network of later stage VCs that provide the capital needed to scale up our investments.

It is worth noting that, although we rely heavily on the great SEIS and EIS tax relief schemes established by the UK Government, we have achieved all of this without receiving any public money. This means that much like the startups we have backed, we have had to generate our own income to build a sustainable business. By doing so, we have faced the same issues as most of our portfolio companies and can better understand their own challenges.

We are thrilled to be recognised as one of the most active early stage investors globally. Our focus going forward is to deliver great returns to our investors and help our portfolio companies achieve their ambitious exit plans. We are looking forward to making some exciting announcements in 2019 and 2020 in this respect – watch this space!

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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.

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