In conversation with Europe's top venture investors & innovators

Co-founded and led Onfido from zero to $100m ARR, sold in 2024 as the UK's largest-ever AI exit. Now founder of ollo, an agent-building platform for non-technical teams.

Founded Interline, an operator-led venture platform backing the next generation of consumer brands across beauty, wellness and lifestyle. A consumer operator and active investor with 15+ years across retail, brand building and finance, Nasreen also advises a select number of portfolio brands directly.

Backed 130+ startups and 30 VC funds as an angel investor, primarily supporting women-led ventures across the UK, US, Europe, India and Africa. Also a partner at Denham Capital, focused on the energy transition.

Founded Boxfresh in 1989, growing it from a market stall into an international streetwear brand before selling to Pentland Brands in 2005. Went on to create Boxpark Shoreditch, the world's first shipping-container pop-up mall, expanding it to Croydon and Wembley before selling a majority stake in 2021. Now Chairman of Boxfund, his private family office, and BoxKitchen, with 30+ years across consumer brands and retail.

Director at JP Jenkins, the UK's oldest platform for dealing in unlisted securities, with deep experience in secondary markets for private companies. Also serves as Commercial Director at InfinitX and a consultant to a North American blockchain and crypto investment company. Background spans investor relations across biotech, corporate finance and real estate, plus a decade as a property developer in North West England.

Invested over £200m in portfolio companies as Principal at Fink Family Office and Senior Partner at Empirical Ventures, investing across life sciences, deeptech and fintech.

Built Channel 4 Ventures from scratch into one of Europe's most active consumer venture investors — 75+ investments, a £100m+ portfolio, and £1.6bn of third-party capital invested alongside, all at zero cash cost to Channel 4. Portfolio includes Pinterest, Carwow, Raylo and Chip, plus 50+ personal angel investments through MMC, Parkwalk and JamJar. Named a top consumer investor in the Sifted 100 (2026).

Angel investor behind Monzo, GoCardless, Attio and Marshmallow. Leads London venture investing at Maven Capital (600+ companies backed, £1bn+ deployed), following leadership roles at HSBC Innovation Banking and fintech Uncapped ($330m raised).

Co-Founder and CEO of Universal Quantum, a UK headquartered company building transformational quantum computers that will help humanity solve some of its biggest challenges. A professor of Quantum Computing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Sussex, Sebastian authored the world's first blueprint for constructing a large-scale trapped-ion quantum computer, unlocking world changing applications.

Co-founder of Startupbootcamp, the largest early-stage investor outside the US, having helped build and scale 1,800+ companies globally. Now Managing Partner at Founder Factor, investing in top YC startups pre-demo day, and a Partner at Rainmaking, which has built 40 startups of its own. 25 years across strategy consulting, private equity and venture building, including 15 acquisitions, refinancings and exits.

Closed 22+ deals worth over $4bn since starting her career at KKR. Now works on AI Finance at Anthropic and runs Ajmera Advisory, bringing hands-on AI expertise to private equity, venture capital and hedge fund clients. Recognised by Business Today as a Global Leader of Tomorrow.

Founder of South East Angels, the most active angel group in the region, named Game-Changing Investor of the Year (Startups Magazine '26), her community invests £2.5M yearly into early-stage startups. Herself investing in various startups throughout her journey and passionate about professionalising angel investing, Kristina founded the Angel Investor Summit and runs Future Angels, a programme helping more women become investors.

Heads Secondaries at Isomer Capital, focused on VC secondary investments. Previously launched a VC secondaries fund in the Middle East and executed global secondaries deals at Coller Capital. Began her career in banking at Citi and Mizuho, and has also built her own marketplace startups. Holds an MSc in Finance from LSE.

Founded SFC Capital in 2012 and has been its CEO ever since, the group have been widely recognised as the UK's most active early-stage and seed-stage investor. Stephen trained as an accountant before turning to entrepreneurship, building his own software companies to 300+ people through to exit. Founding member of the Company of Entrepreneurs, and the recipient of numerous awards to SFC's name.

Co-founded Cadro, a technology-driven wealth and investment management firm named 'Gamechanger of the Year' at the 2025 Citywealth Magic Circle Awards, where she now serves as CEO. Three decades in UK financial services, with senior roles across investment banking and wealth management along the way. Also sits on the Investment Committee of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and the Advisory Board of Bookmark Reading Charity.

Partner at Dream Ventures, a VC firm spun out of a US family office. Dream follows a founder-focused thesis, backing elite founders from Late Seed to Series B.

Managing Director of the UK Business Angels Association, the trade body for angel and early-stage investing, representing 200+ organisations and 18,000 investors deploying £1bn+ annually. Over 15 years managing, founding and growing angel groups and investment platforms that have collectively deployed £100m+ across 500+ startups and scaleups. Started his career at Beer & Partners, one of the UK's first major angel groups.

Leads NVIDIA's enterprise business across the UK & Ireland, helping boards, CTOs and founders move from AI pilots to production platforms. Co-leads the UK Sovereign AI Industry Forum, shaping national strategy on sovereign compute, skills and adoption. Previously held senior leadership roles at Virgin Media and BT, giving him a practitioner's view of Britain's major tech shifts — from copper to fibre, 3G to 5G, on-prem to cloud.

General Partner at Future Tech VC, a UK pre-seed fund focused on deep tech - defence & security, future compute, advanced engineering. Also CEO and Co-Founder of Cambridge Future Tech, spinning out top UK research into commercial ventures. Previously a Royal Air Force fighter pilot for over a decade, then General Manager for Advanced Technologies at BAE Systems.

Director General of the EIS Association since 2022, championing the tax-incentivised investment schemes that fuel UK early-stage funding. Spent over a decade in Westminster, including ten years at the Institute of Economic Affairs, and founded EPICENTER, a Brussels-based network of leading European think tanks. Named on the 2025 Women in Trade Associations powerlist.

Senior Manager in Primary Markets at the London Stock Exchange, helping growth businesses access public markets to scale. A committed advocate for female-founded businesses and greater representation in investment. Previously led Group Campaigns & Events at LSEG, including launching the Market Open experience for companies.

Syndicate Lead at South East Angels, the most active angel group in the South East, personally evaluating 1,000+ businesses a year and arranging £6m+ into early-stage startups. Leads dealflow from vetting through to close for the group's investor members. Previously in strategy consulting and startup growth roles, and founded a business providing on-demand tech talent.

Partner in the IT & Engineering team at Mathys & Squire, one of Europe's most highly regarded IP law firms with over 115 years protecting innovation. Drafts and prosecutes UK and European patent applications spanning software and physical engineering inventions, and manages international patent portfolios. Also advises on infringement, validity, licensing and IP matters within commercial contracts.

Principal in the Early Stage team at Amadeus Capital Partners — which has backed 200+ companies and raised over $1.3bn since 1997 — focused on AI, robotics, cyber, defence and space. Sits on the boards of Refute and Kontomatik, with recent investments including Refute and Periphery Security. A chartered accountant by background, having spent four years at Deloitte guiding high-growth tech and biotech through M&A and IPO. Also founded a premium tequila brand in 2017, where he remains a non-executive director.

Founded and built Rethink Events, a B2B events business connecting startups with VCs and corporate partners around sustainability in food, agriculture and water, successfully exiting in 2024. A South East Angels member since January 2025, she's already made her 10th angel investment. Now advises small businesses on scale-up and commercialisation strategy, and is an NED for mid-strength wine brand 6Percent.

Co-founded the London Co-Investment Fund in 2014, launched as the UK's most active investor in early-stage tech companies. Now General Partner at Twin Path Ventures, backing AI and AI-enabled startups at seed stage. Also co-founded AI Seed, a pre-seed fund that backed 42 AI startups including first-cheque investments in 9fin, Causalens and Limbic, with five exits to date.

Community Manager for leading angel group, South East Angels, a network of some of the South East's most successful entrepreneurs and executives. She trained as a solicitor, moved into philanthropy advising HNWs, and most recently led relationships at New Zealand's ethical fund Pathfinder.

Investment Director at Foresight Group, backing space tech, defence, AI x healthcare and energy after 13 years across venture capital, product development and scaling businesses in India, Australia, North America and Europe. Previously a Principal at Octopus Ventures, where she co-managed the deeptech fund and launched the Springboard accelerator, and led the net zero innovation division at British Gas. Board member of POWERful Women and winner of Innovator of the Year 2022.