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.

Failory's Top 4 Picks

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 Founded2014
FoundersLuke Antal, Michael Collins, Michael Madden
Total Funding$1B
Average Check Size$1M
IndustriesAI & ML, AR & VR, Consumer, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Industrial, IoT, Life Sciences, Proptech & Real Estate, SaaS, Climate & Sustainability, Transportation, Media, Manufacturing
Investment StageConvertible Note, Early Stage, Initial Coin Offering, Late Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments2156 (545 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits206 (24 IPO'd)
Top Portfolio StartupsFis, Blockfi, Simplisafe
Contactinfo@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 Founded2011
FoundersDavid Foreman, Michael Fletcher, Peadar O’Reilly
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments118 (90 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits7 (2 IPO'd)
Contactventures@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 Founded2003
FoundersChris Yeh, Tom Kuegler
Investment StageEarly Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments60 (2 as Lead Investor)
Nº of Exits9
Contactinfo@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 Founded2017
FoundersGreg Baker
Investment StageEarly Stage, Late Stage, Seed
Nº of Investments15
Nº of Exits3 (1 IPO'd)
Contactinfo@avgfunds.com / 603-206-5508