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Firestartr

Europe, England, United Kingdom, London

Description

Firestartr is a London-based venture capital firm established in 2012, dedicated to supporting promising digital entrepreneurs. Their core mission is to guide companies through the critical journey from seed stage to Series A funding and beyond. Operating within the dynamic UK tech ecosystem, Firestartr distinguishes itself as a hands-on investor, providing not only capital but also strategic guidance and operational support to its portfolio companies, aiming to foster sustainable growth.

The firm primarily targets early-stage digital businesses, actively seeking out innovative startups with high growth potential across various sectors. Firestartr's investment strategy is characterized by a deep engagement with founders, offering mentorship and leveraging their extensive network to facilitate market entry and expansion. They often serve as the first institutional investor in a company, helping to de-risk the initial stages and prepare ventures for subsequent, larger funding rounds.

Firestartr typically invests between £100,000 and £1,000,000 in its initial seed-stage commitments, demonstrating a flexible approach to early-stage funding. Over its operational history, the firm has cultivated a diverse portfolio, having made investments in over 30 companies. This includes a track record of successful exits, with at least five portfolio companies achieving significant acquisition or public listing events, underscoring their ability to identify and nurture valuable ventures. Their commitment extends beyond the initial cheque, frequently participating in follow-on rounds to support their portfolio's continued expansion.

Investor Profile

Firestartr has backed more than 51 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 9 rounds, about 18% of its total and boasts 19 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United Kingdom, United States, Spain.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Financial Services, FinTech.
  • Typical check size: $127K – $1.3M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (67%)
  • Series A (16%)
  • Series Unknown (6%)
  • Undisclosed (4%)
  • Series B (2%)
  • Series C (2%)
  • Corporate Round (2%)
  • Convertible Note (2%)

Country Focus

  • United Kingdom (49%)
  • United States (27%)
  • Spain (4%)
  • Switzerland (4%)
  • Philippines (2%)
  • Sweden (2%)
  • Kenya (2%)
  • United Arab Emirates (2%)
  • South Korea (2%)
  • Germany (2%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Financial Services
  • Fintech
  • Payments
  • Blockchain
  • Finance
  • Wellness
  • Bitcoin
  • Saas
  • Apps
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Firestartr frequently co-invest with?

Seedcamp
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 4
Wayra UK
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 3
DN Capital
North America, California, United States, Menlo Park
Co-Investments: 3
500 Global
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Co-Investments: 4
Digital Currency Group
North America, Connecticut, United States, Stamford
Co-Investments: 5
BY Venture Partners
Europe, NA - Jersey, Jersey, St. Helier
Co-Investments: 2
London Co-Investment Fund
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 7
Downing Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 4
Kima Ventures
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Co-Investments: 3
Passion Capital
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does Firestartr often collaborate with?

BD
North America, California, United States, Palo Alto
Shared Deals: 2
CA
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
MV
Europe, Madrid, Spain, Madrid
Shared Deals: 1
AP
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Shared Deals: 1
David Stern
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
NA
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
TH
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
CS
North America, Washington, United States, Kirkland
Shared Deals: 1
AM
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 2
AP
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Firestartr?

Qori

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Qori is a pioneer mobile payment solution allowing brick and mortattr merchants to cost-effectively accept bank and crypto payments.

CryptocurrencyFinancial ServicesPaymentsRetailService Industry
SeedApr 15, 2022
Amount Raised: $1,946,142
Banked

Palo Alto, California, United States

Banked is a fintech company providing an account-to-account payments platform built on modern banking rails.

BankingFinancial ServicesFinTechPaymentsSoftware
Series AFeb 14, 2022
Amount Raised: $27,061,988
Clarisights

Lewes, Delaware, United States

Clarisights is a no-code reporting platform for data-driven marketing teams.

AdvertisingBusiness IntelligenceSaaS
Series AOct 4, 2021
Amount Raised: $14,000,000
Mamo

Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Financial Operating System for businesses in MENA. Mamo regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority ("DFSA")

Financial ServicesFinTechMobile PaymentsPaymentsPeer to Peer
UndisclosedJun 17, 2021
Amount Raised: $8,000,000
StudentFinance

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

StudentFinance is a global career mobility fintech platform for re-skilling and up-skilling the global workforce.

BankingEducationFinanceFinancial ServicesFinTech
SeedMay 18, 2021
Amount Raised: $5,500,140
Gr4vy

San Mateo, California, United States

Gr4vy is a cloud payment orchestration platform that helps businesses manage their payment solutions

Financial ServicesFinTechPaymentsSoftware
Series AApr 29, 2021
Amount Raised: $11,100,000
Railsr

London, England, United Kingdom

Railsr is a fintech company that offers banking and wallet components.

BankingCredit CardsFinancial ServicesFinTechInsurTech
Series ANov 12, 2020
Amount Raised: $37,000,000
Railsr

London, England, United Kingdom

Railsr is a fintech company that offers banking and wallet components.

BankingCredit CardsFinancial ServicesFinTechInsurTech
Series ASep 4, 2019
Amount Raised: $10,000,000
Verse

Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Verse offers a payments platform that allows users to share payments easily, instantly, and with no hidden fees.

Financial ServicesFinTechMobile PaymentsPayments
Series UnknownMay 31, 2019
Amount Raised: $5,306,804
Wagestream

London, England, United Kingdom

Wagestream is a financial services firm that allows employees to access a portion of their earned wages before payday.

AppsFinanceFinancial ServicesFinTech
Corporate RoundSep 10, 2018
Amount Raised: $5,862,245