Investment & equity — Capital that arrives with the experience behind it.
Early-stage investment and equity partnerships for start-ups, scale-ups and established businesses — structured around what the company actually needs to hit its goals, not around a template.
- Founder-led capital
- Decisions made in days
- Operating experience included
- South West focus, UK-wide
How we back businesses
Three structures, and a genuine willingness to combine them. What matters is that the deal fits the business rather than the other way round.
Early-stage investment
Backing companies at the point where capital and experience change the trajectory most — usually earlier than an institution would look, and with a good deal less process. We invest our own money, which means the decision is ours to make and we can make it quickly.
Equity partnerships
Deals shaped around the business and the stage it is at, rather than a fixed template applied to every company that walks in. A profitable agency, a pre-revenue product and an established business raising to accelerate all need different structures, and pretending otherwise mostly serves the investor.
Advisory for equity
Operating, technical and product leadership put into the business in place of cash, or alongside it. For founders who need the seat filled more than they need the bank balance, and would rather give equity to someone working in the business than to a passive cheque.
From first note to working together
Send us a note
No warm introduction needed and no deck necessary to begin. What the business does, where it is, and what the money is for will do.
A first conversation
A proper conversation rather than a pitch — as much about whether we would be useful to you as whether the numbers work. You will get a straight answer either way.
Diligence, in proportion
Enough to understand the business and no more. Because we invest our own money, the process is ours to run: weeks rather than quarters, and no committee to satisfy.
After the deal
An agreed rhythm, set at the start. Some founders want a monthly call, others want us in the business every week. Both are fine — what does not work is finding out afterwards which one you expected.
This is probably you if
- You are raising for the first time and want an investor who has actually run a business.
- You have revenue and need capital to reach the next stage, rather than to survive this one.
- You would rather give equity to someone working in the business than to a passive cheque.
- You run an agency or product business that needs a partner through the next stage.
- You are outside London and tired of being told that is where the money is.
Investment and equity partnerships — common questions
What stage do you invest at?
Early-stage through to established businesses that are ready to accelerate. We care more about the founder and the business than the label attached to the round. Agencies typically sit under £2m in revenue; elsewhere the stage matters less than whether capital and experience will change the trajectory.
What do you look for?
A founder we would want to work with for years, a business where our operating experience is genuinely useful, and a clear view of what the money is for. We focus on four sectors — health and wellbeing, agencies, SaaS and technology — and we are more interested in what the business does than in how the round is packaged.
How involved do you get after investing?
As involved as the business wants, agreed before the deal closes rather than discovered afterwards. That ranges from a monthly call to taking technical and product leadership on directly. Every business we back has access to the operating experience behind the capital, whether or not it chooses to use it.
Can advisory replace part of the investment?
Yes. Advisory for equity puts operating, technical and product leadership into the business in place of cash, or alongside it. For some businesses that is worth considerably more than the equivalent cheque, and it is a structure we are happy to build a deal around.
Do you only invest in Cornwall and the South West?
No. We are based in Cornwall and have a particular interest in businesses across the South West, but we invest across the UK. Good businesses are not only built within an hour of London.
Tell us what you are building.
What the business does, where it is now, and what the capital is for. That is enough to start — we read everything ourselves and reply to most notes within a couple of working days.
Or email hello@lode.venturesThanks — that's with us.
We read everything ourselves and reply to most notes within a couple of working days.