Agata Leliwa Nowicka

🌱 Looking to Connect with Leading VCs and Early-Stage Investors? 🌱 At Virtualnonexecs, we don;t only work with PE firms - we are also proud to be working with some of the UK’s most active early-stage investors to help them find the top board advisors and chairs who can drive impact. If you're a non-executive or chair looking to connect with the heart of the startup ecosystem, take note of the names below. Here are 10 of the UK's most active early-stage investors and the incredible numbers that back them: 1. Octopus Ventures - Backed 100+ startups, with a portfolio value of over £1.3 billion. 2. Seedcamp - Over 400 startups funded, including unicorns like Revolut and TransferWise 3. LocalGlobe - Invested in 300+ startups across deep tech and fintech. 4. Playfair - Early backer of companies like Stripe and Anduril. 5. Passion Capital - Early investor in Monzo Bank, managing £100M+ in assets. 6. Ascension - Over 100 startups backed with a focus on social impact and fintech. 7. Frontline Ventures - Backed 80+ startups across Europe with a key focus on B2B. 8. MMC Ventures - £500M+ under management, supporting 60+ innovative growth companies. 9. Balderton Capital - Invested in 220+ startups with notable exits like THG. 10. Entrepreneur First - 500+ startups built, including companies now worth over $10 billion collectively. ✅ To join Virtualnonexecs: https://lnkd.in/eXBj687 ✅ If you are a VC or company looking to hire: https://lnkd.in/d3na7CEC #NonExecutiveDirectors #Chairs #VentureCapital #Startups #Virtualnonexecs #BoardRoles #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

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"Funding Collapse sends investment in start-ups to six year low" The Times today covering the shocking stats that VenturePath uncovered, with our partner Beauhurst. Great quotes from supporters Michael Moore CEO, BVCA and Julian David CEO, techUK. * UK VC funding at Series A is -44% from last year, and worsening * Q3 24 is down a staggering 57% from Q2, itself down from Q1 * 9 in 10 seed funded startups cannot access Series A VC funding, the next 'rung on the funding ladder' * Just 32 future scaleup companies across the whole of the UK were able to access their first VC funding round in Q3...a 6 year low * Half a billion less capital is going in to UK scaleups at Series A, than just 2 years ago! As the UK scaleup funding gap widens, we are losing ground against other countries, at both startup stage (a position the UK worked hard to achieve, since 2011), and for scaleup support. OECD data: 13th in the world for scaleup support, and that's before Series A funding access dried up. I get that its confusing. Another report (BBB, Nations & Regions) released this week spoke of positive trends in private investment, stating "The data for Q2 2024 shows that investment value has continued to grow". Great, I love to see optimistic data. But under analysis that bundles venture with private equity (later stage), where a few megadeals skew the numbers. Otherwise the exact opposite is true. Our independent research here, for the UK ScaleUp Investment Mission, is laser beam focussed on Series A. The funding round where companies move from the c.1m startups launched each year, through the 2,179 that access seed funding, into the rarefied category of being recognised as future scaleups, attracting Series A funding (£2-10m). The UK venture landscape is currently funding just 248 pa of these companies, and declining. We've been sharing this urgent call for support with the new Government since the day after the election. I've personally met with several Ministers, and spoke to all the relevant Government departments. I will shamelessly repeat loudly what is at stake. UK scaleup funding at Series A has nearly halved in a year, and continues to decline steeply, more than halving in the last quarter. VenturePath developed The UK ScaleUp Investment Mission to convene the scaleup support ecosystem and £7bn of funders to help address this problem, to improve nationwide access to VC investment, and create more venture-backed successes. We have clear support, clear recommendations to reverse this decline in UK scaleup investment, and have made a clear ask of Government for participation in this, to ensure immediate action is taken to create the conditions for success for UK scaleups, ensuring the focus on growth isn't undermined by lack of capital, or equitable access to it. Government decision makers, we'd love your interest, to progress to action. HM Treasury: Rt Hon Rachel Reeves Spencer Livermore James Murray & CC Poppy Gustafsson (welcome to the debate).

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We are very delighted to announce the launch of The Mills Fabrica's 2023 Impact Report ! Outlining our innovation framework, the Impact Report is a vital gateway that gives access to the public and audiences a thorough guide on how we structure our impact and innovation landscape across our diverse business streams, ranging from our VC investment fund, startups incubation program, global innovation challenge program and partnerships, all the while embedding sustainability metrics for impact evaluation. As we strive towards creating a more sustainable future spanning across both #Techstyle and #Agrifood tracks, we are leveraging our resources and network to cultivate a more sustainable and promising future on all fronts, with our best efforts. Download the Impact Report here: https://bit.ly/3XzmbB0 #TheMillsFabrica #NanFungGroup #Techstyle #Agrifood #Innovations

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Great insights from Adam Agius on what to consider when raising debt for a search fund buyout. Most relevant to the UK market, but a worthwhile read for all searchers. There's more debt capital keen to support search acquisitions than ever before, but approaching it naively can be very costly...

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The article outlines five critical priorities for the UK government to support SMEs better: improving access to finance, enhancing digital infrastructure, reducing regulatory burdens, fostering innovation, and expanding international trade opportunities. These actions are essential in empowering SMEs, the backbone of the economy, to thrive in a competitive and rapidly evolving market. The government can help SMEs overcome challenges, drive economic growth, and create more resilient and sustainable businesses by addressing these key areas.

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As a Partner at Antler, one of the most active early-stage investors in the world, I’m thrilled to announce our latest round of investments—£840k across seven exciting new British startups! The eleventh UK residency brought together over 2,400 applicants from across the globe, with 78 founders making the cut. This group reflects incredible diversity, representing 24 nationalities and 18% female founders. After a rigorous selection process that included over 200 hours of due diligence per company, we’re backing just under 1% of applicants, confident in the impact they’ll have. Here are the seven ventures joining the Antler family: 🔎 Vente AI: Changing the recruitment game by automating how agencies discover roles and optimize their candidate pipelines. 💡Distillery: Unlocking rapid insights for businesses, providing crucial product and marketing data 25x faster than traditional methods. (Vasil Yakov, Edward Louth) 🏦 Banqora: Uses AI to automate document processing and streamline post-trade operations, saving financial institutions significant time and money. 🏠 AskVinny: Simplifying property management with AI, making tenant-landlord interactions effortless and improving service delivery. 🪲 Omma: Supporting sustainable farming with AI-driven insect incubation, reducing the need for pesticides in large-scale horticulture. 🧑‍🏭️ Tradestack: Helping trades businesses quote quicker and win more jobs with an AI-backed productivity tool. 🏨 Inntelo AI: Transforming hotel operations with AI that automates guest services, making every stay smoother and more personalized. With some of them already speaking to follow-on investors and closing investment rounds, I’m personally excited about what lies ahead for them all. If you’d like to connect with any of the founders or learn more, drop me a message! 🚀 🦄 #VentureCapital #Investments #Founders #TechStartups

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🌍 Upcoming fund close – SEIS 🌍 Following the launch of our SEIS fund we are now counting down to the first close of the fund on the 9th August. The SEIS fund will invest in early-stage startups across the UK that are accelerating the transition to net zero and a green economy.    The SEIS fund will build on the progress of OnePlanetCapital’s EIS fund which was launched in 2021 and has grown to £10m of assets under management with 31 investments made.  For further information visit our website - https://lnkd.in/eqdcwBMf 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. Investment in the OnePlanetCapital Climate Change SEIS is restricted to Professional Clients, High Net-Worth Investors and Self-Certified Sophisticated Investors. Always take time when considering your investment decisions. Financial advice is recommended.

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💡 The Real Challenge Begins After Raising Investment: With the Labour Party winning the UK general election, the focus on leadership and strategic decision-making is paramount, not just in politics but in business too. In the final episode with Edward from West Hill Capital, we reflect on the true challenge for entrepreneurs: transitioning from raising capital to effectively delivering results. We explore the importance of strategic allocation and the potential risks if funds are not managed wisely. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Let's continue to drive innovation and growth together. If you're looking to raise investment or need support within your business, let's connect: https://lnkd.in/e8Wf2TTa #Entrepreneurship #InvestmentStrategy #StartupSuccess #DigitalHealth #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #ExecutionMatters #WestHillCapital #InvestorInsights

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Is the UK Government Setting Entrepreneurs Up to Fail? 🚫 With the new UK Budget just around the corner, a question haunts the entrepreneurial community: Is Britain really serious about fostering a startup ecosystem that can compete globally? The planned abolishment of Business Asset Disposal Relief—along with a proposed hike in Capital Gains Tax—feels less like "encouragement" and more like a slap in the face to anyone with an entrepreneurial dream. Entrepreneurs fuel economic growth. They are job creators, problem solvers, and innovators. Yet, with policies like this, we're signalling that risk-takers might not belong in the UK. Cutting tax incentives designed to reward high-risk ventures in favour of short-term gains sounds like a one-way ticket to mediocrity. If this isn’t anti-entrepreneurial policy, I don’t know what is. And let’s not forget: while policymakers talk about making the UK the next “Silicon Valley,” we’re still dealing with outdated infrastructure, huge disparities in opportunity, and barriers that stifle innovation across the country. Outside of London, many regions are barely keeping up, yet they’re expected to compete on the global stage.

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I couldn’t be prouder to be a Venture Partner at Isomer Capital (aka the best European FoF - at least for me) as we just announced the launch of our pioneering £100m secondaries fund. This fund is dedicated to acquiring stakes from LPs in various VC funds, tapping into a massive and largely unexplored market. 🌟 Key Highlights: - Focused Investment: Primarily targeting stakes in VC funds, with selective investments in private companies. - Robust Funding: Already over 20% funded, thanks to strong support from Nordic family offices and a German foundation. - Market Potential: With a growing number of private tech companies and a VC liquidity crunch, Europe's VC secondaries market is poised for rapid growth. - Track Record: This isn’t Isomer’s first foray into the secondaries market. As a firm we’ve done several secondaries deals with portfolio companies and VC firms, including early-stage VC Seedcamp (in 2021) and mobility giant Bolt (in 2023). - Expert Team: Welcoming the amazing Omolade (Rachel) A., formerly of Coller Capital, as a principal to lead this initiative. 💡 Investment Strategy: - 65-75% of the fund will buy "LP interest" stakes in VC funds. - 15-25% will be directed towards stakes in companies. - Up to 15% reserved for flexible investment opportunities. 📈 Looking Ahead: We're targeting returns of 2-3x, with significant distributions expected in the next 4-7 years. As one of the few players in this space, we're not just participating in the market—we're driving it forward. Read all about it here: https://lnkd.in/dc7sbC3G #VentureCapital #SecondariesFund #EuropeanVC

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Great to see SIS Ventures make this list by TechRound https://lnkd.in/eDtRbggM A bit more about what we look for below. If you're a founder and these hit the mark 👇 then please get in touch Investment targets SIS Ventures is focused on high-impact, high-growth potential businesses our investee companies are innovation-led, often spun out of Scotland’s leading university innovation programmes. Portfolio companies are also carefully selected for their commitment to developing their environmental, equality and diversity, social impact and governance practices. SIS Ventures seeks to provide equity investment to: ✔ High growth potential with a global scale and intent to provide significant impact ✔ Focus on social and/or environmental impact, aligning with impact themes / at least one of the UN SDGs ✔ Product or service backed by defensible technology or proprietary know-how ✔ EIS or SEIS qualifying ✔ Low capital-intensive businesses ✔ Sector agnostic, but historically invested across Life Sciences, MedTech, Climate Tech, Circular Economy, Biotech ✔ Pre-seed – Series A ✔ Headquartered in Scotland

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🚀 Exciting News! All investors and founders at London Tech Week this is FOR YOU 🔥 Today! For #LondonTechWeek 2024 We're hosting the Deep Tech Showcase!! Co-organised with Frontier Deep Tech and powered by Mishcon de Reya LLP 🌟 Join me and the Silicon Roundabout Ventures folks + co-organisers for drinks and snacks today from 5pm at Mishcon's London office: You'll find an immersive in-person event highlighting some of Europe's most innovative technology advancements. This is your chance to network and explore emerging technologies, connecting with like-minded founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who are shaping a better world through next-generation technologies. We are proud to present an incredible lineup of pioneering companies: 1. Seabird Technologies - Charting new waters with cutting-edge ocean exploration solutions 🌊 2. clare&me - Digitizing mental health with groundbreaking tools and resources from Berlin 🧠 3. Greenjets - Revolutionizing travel with bespoke electric jet engines ✈️ 4. Hirsch and Mann Hirsch and Mann - Creating bold digital and physical experiences for premium brands 🌐 5. Urban Legend - Offering a healthier twist on traditional doughnuts 🍩 6. Pi Energy Inc. - Providing affordable solar energy with the flexibility to power just about anywhere ☀️ 7. Toast - Award-winning social enterprise brewery turning leftover loaves into liquid gold 🍺 8. Lumirithmic - Portable high-end facial scanning and animation technology 🎭 Calling all investors and founders! This is an event you don't want to miss. Come and witness the future of technology and innovation. Secure your spot now and be part of this transformative experience. Register in the comments 👇 Let's shape the future together! 🌟 #DeepTech #Investors #Founders #Networking #Defence --- I'm a solo Venture Capitalist on a mission to channel start up capital to hard to build technologies 🔥 ❤️ & Follow+ to keep up with the journey 🛣️

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Very much looking forward to joining the discussion and sharing the importance of embedded finance within our products. Embedded finance has the potential to revolutionise customer experience across a number of verticals, offering unparalleled convenience to keep up with evolving consumer expectations. #FTTEmFin #FintechTalents #embeddedfinance

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A HUGE thank you to everyone involved in publishing the latest report from ESG_VC and the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) today! The report is packed full of useful insights into how start-ups are actually performing across their work on environmental, social, and governance issues. There's also a brand new roadmap for ESG in start-ups with specific guidance on the initiatives to implement from Pre-Seed through to Series C and beyond. A particular shout out to everyone involved in the production including Suzi Gillespie and Ewa Skornas at the BVCA, David Strong and Dianne Skurray at Marriott Harrison, and Susannah Philipson and Nadeem Muzaffar at Seven Hills, who designed this beautiful report. I'm also massively grateful for all of the hard work that our VC contributors put into compiling data from 587 portfolio companies across the UK, Europe, and around the world - a few names to mention include Ashleigh, Shanice, Lauren, Laure, Michelle, Jason, Hessel, Emily, Beth, Joe, James, Eugenia, Alex, Grace, Emma, Emily, Lucy, Cordelia, Nina, Raj, and Rob. Thank you to you all! And thanks as ever to the remaining members of our steering group for their ongoing support of ESG_VC - Antonia at Seedcamp, Leslie at Astanor Ventures, Natalie at Lakestar, Andrew at Par Equity, and of course Karen McCormick for all of your support at Beringea! Check out the full report via the link in the comments! And let us know what you think about it! #ESG_VC #sustainability #venturecapital

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Great to see this from Andy Ayim MBE Open Angel is a comprehensive platform designed to equip aspiring angels with the tools, knowledge, and community they need to embark on their angel investing journey. Through a multifaceted approach, Open Angel addresses the barriers to entry that have traditionally hindered diverse participation in angel investing: Learning Hub: Master the fundamentals of angel investing at your own pace with a curated selection of learning resources, including videos and playlists featuring insights from industry experts and seasoned operators. Find your Co-Investing Community: Connect with like-minded investors through partner profiles and a syndicate directory, facilitating collaboration and diversification of investment portfolios. AI-Powered Resources: Leverage cutting-edge technology to assess your eligibility to invest and explore available tax reliefs, streamlining the investment process and maximizing returns. As Andy Ayim, Founder & CEO of Angel Investing School, notes, "After successfully training 600+ angel investors around the world, we're launching Open Angel, to share the best of what we have learned from seasoned investors and operators in an easy and accessible way." Open Angel launches today at openangel.co.uk #capitalraising #startups #fundraising #founders #venturecapital #investors #vc #vcfunding #technology #startup #tech

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🚀 Big News for UK #Startups: EIS & VCT Extended to 2035! In a huge win for entrepreneurs and investors, the UK government has extended the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Trust (VCT) scheme until April 2035! These tax-relief schemes have fueled £41 billion in investment over the last 30 years and are now set to provide another decade of support for early-stage businesses. 🙌 With 30% upfront income tax relief and capital gains exemptions, these schemes encourage investment in high-risk, high-reward #startups, driving #innovation, job creation, and economic growth across the UK. #Startups and investors alike now have long-term stability to continue scaling new ventures. 📈✨ Industry leaders are applauding this move. Michael Moore from the British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) called it "a vital step" to maintaining the UK’s competitive edge as the third largest #venturecapital market in the world. Extending these schemes ensures that more capital flows into the UK’s most exciting early-stage companies. This is a major boost for the UK’s startup ecosystem and a clear signal that the government is backing #innovation and #entrepreneurship for the long haul. 🌍💡 ETA Technologies is celebrating the good news and is dedicated to leveraging our cutting-edge technology to assist investors in identifying the most promising founding teams for investment. In the early stages, it is truer than ever: investors invest in people... What impact do you think this will have on the UK’s startup landscape? Source: https://lnkd.in/dUaFND_p

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I first learned of TeamApt (now Moniepoint) through my brother, Olumide Soyombo In 2021, Verod engaged with Tosin Eniolorunda, he presented an ambitious vision that, candidly, seemed beyond typical PE growth trajectories. Fast forward to today: Moniepoint Group has processed over $182B in payments, demonstrating exceptional resilience through Nigeria's complex operating environment. What sets Moniepoint apart is their profound understanding of mass-market financial services, combining sophisticated technology with practical distribution networks. Their hybrid online-offline approach has proven crucial in a market where conventional digital-only channels fall short. Under Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike's leadership, they've built an intricate network serving over 2 million merchants through 11,000 distribution associates. Congratulations to the Verod team Adewale Odusanya, CFA Dipo Okuribido, Gbenga Abogan, Oluebube Ezeoke, ACA, Gideon Adunola, for closing this transformative partnership. Welcome to the Verod ecosystem, Moniepoint Group. Here's to building Africa's financial future together. #FinTech #Impact #AfricanInnovation #PrivateEquity #Ecosystem #Verod

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I’ve just found a video of Marc Andreessen outcompeting other VCs in startup funding rounds with their new $7.2bn fund. In all seriousness the split and timing of their mega fund structure is interesting. 2/3 focussing on infrastructure and growth. Rest - the uje. Except for one phrase that I think is just awesome - they’ve allocated $600m to ‘American Dynamism’. I almost don’t care what that means. I just love the notion and will be borrowing the theme for our UK future fundraises. UK Dynamism is long overdue. The United States of Freedom leads the way for our ecosystem and they’re suggesting back into growth kids. Yes inertia. Yes this will take some time to deploy! But back into growth all the same. Where as is the norm in startup land - timing is everything. Congrats to A16z. I’m not in the slightest bit envious. #venturecapital #vc #startups #investing #startupfunding #oldwhitemen #lps #fundraising #vcfunds #usausausa

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Numbers & insights from a deep tech venture studio that launched 11 companies (all are active) in the last 7 years, reaching £85M valuation across the portfolio: 1. Post Urban, initially bootstrapped by Luke Robinson, an academic with a PhD in physics from Cambridge, now operates with external funding from a UK-based fund. 2. Launched 5 companies during the first 5 years and 6 companies during the last 2 years. 3. All 11 completed pre-seed rounds; 1 of them got Series A, 2 of them are approaching their Series A. 4. The startups have collectively raised ~£25M in venture capital, in addition to receiving grants. The total valuation of the 11 companies is ~£85M, half of which have not yet undergone subsequent funding rounds. 5. Initial equity splits: the venture builder 20%, CEOs of startups 35% (vests over 4 years), CTOs – 20-25%, employees 10-15%. 6. The initial valuation of startups was £2 million, with £300K invested by the venture builder. The last 2 startups were at £3.5-4M initial valuation. 7. Building deep tech ventures requires significantly higher initial funding because these projects need more time to develop demonstrable products. Two portfolio companies hit £1M in ARR. 8. The venture builder has increased the capital for the last 2 startups to ensure they reach meaningful milestones. The CEOs of the startups were able to secure additional funding through their networks, £350K and £450K, respectively. 9. The deep tech investor pool is smaller than that for sectors like SaaS, which requires a stronger proof of concept and market readiness to attract funding. 10. 3-4 times, potential customers became investors in Post Urban Ventures. This is a great approach because it secures investment and validates the concept by gauging whether these potential customers truly believe in the solution and its market necessity. 11. They don't start with a technology or an idea; instead, they integrate insights about global problems and, by actively engaging with advisory boards, founders, and industry experts, identify pain points and align them with technological solutions. 12. They do not bring universities in as co-founders but source scientists or professors to contribute to research and development. This involves leveraging academic expertise to support the technical aspects of startup projects until a prototype is developed. 13. The studio maintains strong connections with major academic institutions, including Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College, and UCL, supporting its deep tech focus and facilitating access to new technologies and potential founders. 14. Areas of focus in deep tech: AI (Knowledge Graphs, NLP, DNNs, Computer Vision, Edge AI, Active Learning), Quantum Technologies, Biotech, AgTech, Enterprise SaaS. Watch the full interview to gain insights into the portfolio companies, handling IP collaborations with universities, key challenges, and team construction: https://lnkd.in/dCi7fZ7G

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