You don't have to be in Silicon Valley to get your startup funded these days. Cities like Manchester are building their own strong communities for founders.
The scene includes heavy hitters like Alumni Ventures, which has backed over 2,100 companies and seen more than 200 exits. You'll also find firms like Praetura Ventures that focus on helping early-stage businesses get started.
Below is our list of the best 4 VC firms in Manchester.
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Buy It For $97 $297 →Alumni Ventures provides accredited investors access to venture portfolios, building funds around university alumni networks and specific industry themes. The firm co-invests with established venture firms across more than 1,400 companies, including SimpliSafe and BlockFi, giving its investors the flexibility to back entire funds or individual deals.
| Year Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Luke Antal, Michael Collins, Michael Madden |
| Total Funding | $1B |
| Average Check Size | $1M |
| Industries | AI & ML, AR & VR, Consumer, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Industrial, IoT, Life Sciences, Proptech & Real Estate, SaaS, Climate & Sustainability, Transportation, Media, Manufacturing |
| Investment Stage | Convertible Note, Early Stage, Initial Coin Offering, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 2156 (545 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 206 (24 IPO'd) |
| Top Portfolio Startups | Fis, Blockfi, Simplisafe |
| Contact | info@av.vc / +1 603-518-8112 |
Praetura Ventures raises capital to invest in businesses during their early stages, from seed onward. They have built a reputation as a supportive and proactive investor, injecting more than just capital to help founders navigate the challenges of growth.
| Year Founded | 2011 |
| Founders | David Foreman, Michael Fletcher, Peadar O’Reilly |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 118 (90 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 7 (2 IPO'd) |
| Contact | ventures@praetura.co.uk / 0161 641 9475 |
Wasabi Ventures provides deep operational support for early-stage companies across a range of industries, from publishing to healthcare IT. Their team of functional experts in areas like sales, marketing, and technology acts as a dedicated resource to help founders build and scale their businesses.
| Year Founded | 2003 |
| Founders | Chris Yeh, Tom Kuegler |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 60 (2 as Lead Investor) |
| Nº of Exits | 9 |
| Contact | info@wasabiventures.com |
Bascom Ventures brings together accredited University of Wisconsin-Madison alumni to pool capital and invest in companies connected to the university. The fund supports startups across seed, early, and late stages, offering both capital and the collective experience of its alumni investors.
| Year Founded | 2017 |
| Founders | Greg Baker |
| Investment Stage | Early Stage, Late Stage, Seed |
| Nº of Investments | 15 |
| Nº of Exits | 3 (1 IPO'd) |
| Contact | info@avgfunds.com / 603-206-5508 |