Key stats
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Total capital committed by Big Society Capital
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Number of startups our capital has supported
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Number of people those startups have reached
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The challenge
Technology startups have the potential to catalyse change and social impact by delivering products and services that meet people’s needs better. Their business models can allow them to scale rapidly and reach more people more effectively. It can be transformative in the right context, with the right intent, and with a business model aligned to impact.
However, the financing available to tech startups could do more to support or encourage them to focus on positive social impact. -
The approach
We have invested in venture capital fund managers who bring the right values and skills to find and back a diverse set of impact startups. We complement these investments through a range of support, including building networks and impact know-how in the venture sector. Together, we want to build:
- A diverse, numerous, and effective group of impact startups contributing to solutions across a broad range of issues
- A group of high-calibre fund managers with a range of approaches by investment stage and strategy
- A broad range of investors with increasing amounts of impact-driven capital
- Rigorous and proportionate impact practices that drive value right across the system
Impactful startups in our portfolio
Across our investments, there are approximately 125 live startups. These cover a range of business models and sectors, with a concentration in health, education/training and financial inclusion.
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Learn moreUrban Jungle
Tech-enabled insurance provider on a mission to transform the UK home insurance market.
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Learn moreDrDoctor
DrDoctor is a digital platform that helps hospitals communicate more effectively with their patients.
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Learn moreHometouch
Hometouch provides transformative live-in care for elderly people and those living with dementia.
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Learn moreSecond Nature
Second Nature tackles chronic health conditions by helping people lose weight and live healthier lives.
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Learn moreCredit Kudos
Credit Kudos is a credit referencing agency helping people access responsible finance they can afford, when they need it.
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Learn moreTogetherall
Togetherall is a digital service for people with a variety of mental health and wellbeing issues - from anxiety, depression, stress and trauma, to relationship problems and lifestyle challenges.
Funds in venture
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1 | 2
The team at Big Society Capital are extremely thoughtful in their approach to impact and their depth of knowledge and collaborative outlook has been instrumental as we have launched Eka over the last two years.
Jon Coker
Founding Partner, Eka Ventures -
2 | 2
From the fund’s inception, the Big Society Capital team struck the perfect balance between holding us accountable to our impact framework and being a fantastic fund champion. They have been particularly supportive in helping us think about fundraising strategies, whilst building a sound impact thesis.
Emma Steele
Investment Director, Ascension Ventures
Building impact know-how
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Learn moreImpact best practice in venture from the Fair by Design Fund
With more and more VCs looking to establish impact best practices, we share what we think good looks like using one of our managers, Ascension Ventures who run the Fair by Design Fund (FBD), as an example.
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Learn more
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Learn moreBringing impact intent to venture investing
Purpose-led startups are tackling hard problems and improving lives. But what do we mean by purpose-led startups, do they make strong financial returns, and how can we capitalise on this momentum to tackle social issues?
Follow us on Medium
To keep updated with our latest news and insights on our work in venture, follow us on Medium.
The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA)
We are a member of the BVCA and our Senior Director, Evita Zanuso, is on the Impact Investment Advisory Group. The BVCA represents over 750 influential firms, including more than 325 private equity and venture capital houses with a total of over £500 billion funds under management, alongside institutional investors, professional advisers, banks and other institutions and businesses operating in the industry.
Learn more
Get in touch
Whether you’re an established VC with an interest in impact or an impact-dedicated VC pioneering innovative models, we want to hear from you.
