Laying claim to the UK’s first B-Corp certified venture capital firm, it should come as no surprise that Bethnal Green Ventures is restocking the shelves of the deployable capital cabinet and now looking to back 100 new ventures over the next four years through its Tech for Good programme.
Today, the firm has announced the first close of a new fund at £33 million with commitments received from the British Business Bank, M&G Catalyst, Big Society Capital, and 22 Ventures managing director Peter Bristot.
According to BGV, the new fund aims to make at least half the investments into ventures founded by women.
Six by six
In addition to an initial £60,000 investment in exchange for a seven percent stake in the company, BGV’s Tech for Good programme offers six weeks of workshops and clinics, in-person talks with industry leaders, and of course, networking and social events.
This initial phase is then followed by an additional six weeks of bespoke coaching.
BGV offers further investment from pre-seed to Series A to 10-15 of the most promising portfolio companies each year.
177 and counting
To date, the Tech for Good programme has backed 177 ventures and seen exits with science collaboration platform Overleaf and smarter smartphone company Fairphone.
Bethnal Green Ventures’ managing partner Melanie Hayes shared:
"We firmly believe the companies at the top of the FTSE and the Nasdaq in 10 to 20 years time will be those that can demonstrate their positive social and environmental impact as well as their financial success. It’s our job to find and support those companies when they’re just starting out."
Lead image: BGV team members. Photo: Ben Peter Catchpole
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments