Participated · Seed · Aug 2020

Ethical Angel offers a scalable, personalised experiential learning technology that matches employees with the needs of global charities, NGOs, social enterprises and other non-profit causes. The platform packages causes' needs and combines elements of e-learning, volunteering, profiling, matching, e-commerce and reporting to drive high user uptake and demonstrate ROI to people, planet and profit. It operates a B2B SaaS subscription model, charging contracted organisations based on the number of employees engaged. Launched in Q3 2018 and headquartered in London, the company has built a contracted client base including Barclays, BP and Frontiers, counts 30+ B2B contracted organisations and a community of 15k+ causes with beneficiaries in 23 countries. Ethical Angel is a certified B Corp. Management says COVID-19 and widespread remote working have accelerated demand for its platform and the company raised growth capital to enhance employee engagement and scale its offering.

Participated · Equity · Apr 2020

Thrift+ operates a nationwide home collection service that makes it easy for individuals and businesses to donate quality second‑hand clothes to a chosen UK charity. Donated items are sorted, photographed, uploaded and sold online, with sales split equally between Thrift+, the donor, and the chosen charity. The company says demand surged during the Covid‑19 crisis as people stayed home and used its collection service, and estimates over 50,000 bags of clothing are donated every day in London alone. Thrift+ has developed logistics, operations, and technology supported by automation and computer vision to minimise costs and handle rapid growth. Currently operating out of a partner 3PL warehouse in Northampton, the business plans to move into its own 30,000 sqft facility to scale operations. The team includes founders Joe Metcalfe (CEO) and Poppy Beer (CTO), supported by three head office staff and six warehouse staff who upload up to 10,000 items each month. In the past 12 months Thrift+ says it has raised over £150,000 for charity and diverted tens of thousands of items from landfill.

Participated · Equity · Aug 2014

Commonplace is a London-based provider of a digital citizen engagement platform that helps place and infrastructure developers, local government, architects and consultancies collect data from residents, businesses and other stakeholders. Led by CEO Mike Saunders, the platform is used for urban regeneration, high streets, housing developments, pedestrian and cycling schemes and major infrastructure projects. The company says the platform enables customers to understand local aspirations and concerns and create places that respond better to those needs. Commonplace has powered more than 3,000 projects for 200 councils and real estate developers and has engaged more than 6.5 million people across the UK. Its user-friendly, insights-based online platform is used by the cities of London, Leeds and Liverpool and developers including Lendlease, Landsec and Barratt Homes. The company has also deployed the platform internationally across North America, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and Australasia and intends to use the new funds to accelerate its continued expansion. Commonplace operates an app and website that allows residents to comment on their local environment, rate areas, respond to comments and be consulted on planning and building works. The platform is designed to help housing associations and local authorities include residents in community regeneration and local developments. By logging in, users can provide feedback that commissioners—local authorities, developers, community groups, transport operators and housing associations—can use in decision-making. Led by founder and CEO Mike Saunders, Commonplace is being used in twenty communities. The company received external funding to support its growth and deployments in civic and development projects.