Global venture capital firm Antler has invested £960,000 in eight UK tech start-ups.
Shared exclusively with UKTNeight start-ups working in industries including fintech, e-commerce and data analytics will each receive £120,000.
Talking to UKTN, Ollie Perdue, partner at Antler, said: “In each Antler cohort, we work with exceptional founders who have the grit and drive to build world-class technology startups.
“We chose to invest in these eight startups at the end of the process because they either solve major social and economic problems or work in sectors that are experiencing dramatic growth.”
The full list of the eight tech companies:
– Calcareous: An enterprise software startup that allows developers to control cloud services. It follows from him 1.5 million pounds before sowing funding round from Sequoia Capital in July.
– Brooke: a debt settlement platform aimed at helping Africans pay off debt to boost their credit score.
– Diesta: A FinTech platform that automates insurance payments.
– Luka: An athlete mental health support app co-founded by Northampton Saints rugby player Nick Greenhalgh.
– Noki: Data analysis software that provides analysis of user interviews such as phone calls.
– SunshineText: a service that offers things to do with friends in London.
– SuperFi: Fintech for credit card debt management.
– Spinning: An e-commerce service that allows websites to create video content such as product demonstrations, reviews, unboxings and Instagram Reels.
Jed Rose, partner at Antler, said: “Despite the uncertainty and economic turbulence, now is a great time to start a tech startup and become a founder.
“The global tech downturn is hitting bigger, more established companies, and we’re seeing a sharp drop in later-stage funding rounds for established, higher-valued startups.”
Rose added that this has led to an influx of high-profile tech talent looking to start their own businesses, and investors shifting their focus to early-stage and seed companies. He believes that this “unique combination” can be used by founders who want to launch their startups.
Antler is based in London with an additional 24 offices in cities across Asia Pacific, Europe, the US, Canada, Brazil, the Middle East and Africa.
Eight new additions to the Antler portfolio were found through residencies at the start of the year, bringing the total number of UK investments to 56 since launching in the country in 2020. Antler’s UK portfolio is valued at more than $200m (£172.5m).
SuperFi will use the funding to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals and begin testing its application before a public launch. There are also plans for a bigger increase next year.
Antler has previously invested in UK digital sex therapy Blueheart, healthcare payment system Brightpay, hydrogen startup Hydrologiq and healthcare marketplace Vamstar.
