Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United Kingdom based Partner operating in the Funding Platform space. If you think a Partner is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Robert Walsh
Managing Partner of QVentures
Robert Walsh is an investor in over 75 early-stage companies from the Pre-Seed, Seed, Mega Seed, and Series A stage. Over 10 years ago, Robert left investment banking to join the start-up world and has never looked back. As the Managing Partner of QVentures, Robert leads a team in investing and supporting the UK start-up community, proudly boasting a portfolio that is 40% located in the UK regions. Robert is a firm believer in syndicate investing and is a trusted voice among fellow investors, Family Offices, and emerging entrepreneurs. Serving on the boards of seven companies in his portfolio, Robert is passionate about supporting and growing the UK start-up ecosystem and actively hosts educational events to engage the investor community, as well as being a valued speaker and panellist at industry events.
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About QVentures: QVentures is a Venture Capital firm providing direct investment opportunities and fund management.
Brian Hatton
Partner of QVentures
Brian is a Partner at QVentures responsible for the distribution process. In addition to connecting high value members of the network to fantastic investment opportunities, his responsibilities include business development and member engagement.
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About Flywheel Fund, QVentures: QVentures is a Venture Capital firm providing direct investment opportunities and fund management.
Bill Nixon
Managing Partner & Founder of Maven Capital Partners
Bill is based in the Glasgow and London offices, and is the principal fund manager for all Maven VCTs. He has responsibility for all aspects of the Maven business, including strategy, new investment activity, client management and business development. At Aberdeen Asset Management Bill was Head of Growth Capital, responsible for the UK investment team. In the mid 1990s he was Head of the Private Equity team at National Australia Bank and with more than 30 years of experience in banking, corporate finance and fund management, is one of the most experienced smaller company private equity practitioners in the UK. Bill is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, and has an MBA from Strathclyde University.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Ewan MacKinnon
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Ewan is responsible for new Private Equity investments across Scotland. He joined Maven in 2009 having previously worked for Johnston Carmichael in Aberdeen where he spent 3 years in the Corporate Finance team. Previously Ewan worked in industry, latterly as Managing Director of a multi-store retail chain, before leading the disposal to a FTSE listed business. Ewan graduated with a First Class Degree in Business Studies from The Robert Gordon University in 1998, and is a Chartered Accountant (FCCA).
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
David Milroy
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Based in our Edinburgh office, David is responsible for new Private Equity investments in Scotland and also supports a number of companies in the Maven portfolio. He started his career as a scientist with GlaxoSmithKline and then as a clinical pharmacist at Guy’s/St Thomas’ hospitals, London. After completing his PhD, he moved to international consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie (and then parent Deutsche Bank) where he supported the healthcare banking team, advising clients on their corporate and licensing strategies and performing due diligence projects on companies, products and technologies. Most recently at ITI Life Sciences, a unique state-supported innovation fund, David was responsible for identifying funding opportunities and crafting these into significant collaborative R&D programmes. David joined Aberdeen Asset Management in September 2007, as Fund Manager for the White Rose Technology Seedcorn Fund, an early stage seed fund investing in new technology emerging from the universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. David has a First Class Honours degree in Pharmacy, a PhD (Molecular Biology/Gene Delivery) from the University of Bath and a MBA with distinction from Edinburgh University.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Bill Kennedy
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Bill is Head of Finance at Maven, and has responsibility for the fund administration, accounting and company secretariat functions. Bill is also responsible for ensuring that Maven meets its compliance and authorisation obligations. He joined Aberdeen Asset Management in 2004 from State Street Bank & Trust Company, where as Head of Collective Fund Services he provided outsourced fund administration, tax and accounting services to a range of clients and funds. Prior to this, he was responsible for fund administration and accounting for Murray Johnstone. Bill has a BA in Accountancy, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant whilst with Arram Berlyn Gardner in London.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Stella Panu
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Stella is based in London and is responsible for new private equity investments as well as Maven’s AiM portfolio. She joined Aberdeen Asset Management in 2005, following three years as a corporate finance executive at Seymour Pierce, where she advised companies listing on AiM and managed a VCT. She has also worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, The World Bank and Raifessen Investment Fund. Stella has a degree in Economics and an MA in Applied Economics.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Andrew Whiteley
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Andrew joined in 2013 as an Investment Director to help spearhead the growth of Maven’s property investment business. Andrew started his career at Credit Suisse Asset Management in 1995 before moving to Jupiter Asset Management and then New Star Asset Management in 2002 where he helped run its £2 billion flagship UK commercial property fund. After leaving New Star in 2009, Andrew joined Hotbed where he was co-head of Property, responsible for sourcing, structuring and executing property transactions on behalf of high net worth investors as well as asset managing the existing property portfolio.
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About Maven Capital Partners, Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Andrew Craig
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Andrew is responsible for new Private Equity investments across Scotland and is a member of the Maven Investment Committee. He joined Aberdeen Asset Management in 2004 having previously been with Bank of Scotland Corporate Banking in Edinburgh where he was an Associate Director of Integrated Finance working primarily on UK mid-market buyouts. Prior to joining Bank of Scotland in 1999 he worked in Business and Corporate Banking at Clydesdale Bank for 10 years. Andrew is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland and the Institute of Directors.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Colin Anderson
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Colin joined Maven in June 2014 as Investment Director and has responsibility for growing Maven’s property investment business. He spent over 10 years with The Royal Bank of Scotland plc in various roles within Corporate Banking. Having established and led the Corporate Development & Property Finance team for Aberdeen & North of Scotland region his latest role was leading distressed debt workouts and business turnarounds with the Real Estate Restructuring team in Edinburgh & London. Prior to RBS he worked for 6 years with Ernst & Young (EY) in both Glasgow and New Zealand in Audit, Transaction Services and Corporate Recovery. Colin is a CA being a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. He graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BSc Honours degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Accountancy.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Andrew Ferguson
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Andrew is responsible for new investments in the Midlands and Southern England. He joined Aberdeen Asset Management in 2003, having previously had co-responsibility for the European operations of Freedom International Inc, a Canadian investment company. Prior to that, Andrew worked for CIBC in their Investment Bank, structuring debt and derivative packages to fund their European investment portfolio. For his MBA (2002), Andrew focused on corporate recovery strategies.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Andrew Ferguson
Partner of Maven Capital Partners
Andrew is responsible for new investments in the Midlands and Southern England. He joined Aberdeen Asset Management in 2003, having previously had co-responsibility for the European operations of Freedom International Inc, a Canadian investment company. Prior to that, Andrew worked for CIBC in their Investment Bank, structuring debt and derivative packages to fund their European investment portfolio. For his MBA (2002), Andrew focused on corporate recovery strategies.
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About Maven Capital Partners: Maven Capital Partners is a private equity firm that provides a range of funding options to SMEs and investment opportunities.
Edward Stephens
Global Head of Partnerships and Brokerage of Angel Investment Network
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About Angel Investment Network: Angel Investment Network angel investment platform, funding platform, startup investment, entrepreneurs, angel investors,
Tom McCann
Managing Partner of equityfor
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About equityfor: Re inventing Venture Capital Investment. Providing investment access for institutional and accredited investors.
Jason Nunn
Managing Partner of equityfor
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About equityfor: Re inventing Venture Capital Investment. Providing investment access for institutional and accredited investors.
Jason Nunn
Managing Partner of equityfor
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About equityfor: Re inventing Venture Capital Investment. Providing investment access for institutional and accredited investors.
