
IQ Capital
Description
IQ Capital is a leading UK-based venture capital firm with a strong focus on early-stage deep tech companies. Headquartered in Cambridge and London, the firm specializes in identifying and nurturing businesses with defensible intellectual property and groundbreaking technological innovations. Their investment scope spans critical sectors such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, cybersecurity, and advanced engineering, aiming to support the commercialization of cutting-edge scientific research from university spin-outs and ambitious startups.
With a robust financial foundation, IQ Capital has significantly expanded its capacity to support deep tech ventures. In 2022, the firm successfully closed its fourth fund, IQ Capital Fund IV, securing an impressive $400 million. This latest fund elevated their total assets under management to over $1 billion, underscoring their substantial commitment and ability to deploy significant capital into the deep tech ecosystem. Their strategic approach involves not only providing capital but also leveraging their extensive network and expertise to accelerate the growth of their portfolio companies.
IQ Capital typically deploys initial cheques ranging from approximately $1.25 million to $12.5 million, primarily targeting Seed and Series A rounds, with the capacity for substantial follow-on investments as companies mature. Over its operational history, IQ Capital has made more than 100 investments in deep tech companies, demonstrating a wide reach and a consistent investment thesis. The firm boasts a strong track record of successful exits, including the notable acquisitions of Grapeshot by Oracle and Bloomsbury AI by Facebook, validating their acumen in identifying and scaling high-potential deep tech startups.
Investor Profile
IQ Capital has backed more than 161 startups, with 13 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 51 rounds, about 32% of its total and boasts 17 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, The Netherlands.
- Strong thematic focus on Software, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning.
- Led 4 rounds in the past year.
- Typical check size: $1.3M – $12.5M.
Stage Focus
- Seed (37%)
- Series A (22%)
- Series Unknown (20%)
- Series B (11%)
- Series C (4%)
- Pre Seed (3%)
- Corporate Round (1%)
- Private Equity (1%)
- Convertible Note (1%)
- Grant (1%)
Country Focus
- United Kingdom (91%)
- United States (5%)
- The Netherlands (1%)
- Germany (1%)
- Canada (1%)
- Sweden (1%)
- Denmark (1%)
Industry Focus
- Software
- Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
- Machine Learning
- Information Technology
- Financial Services
- Fintech
- Saas
- Analytics
- Biotechnology
- Cyber Security
Frequently Asked Questions
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