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Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP
Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP is the investment arm of Entrepreneur First, the global talent investor backing technical founders pre-idea.
Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP
Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP is the vehicle through which Entrepreneur First makes equity investments in the individuals and teams it selects for its cohort-based programs. Founded in 2011 by Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck, Entrepreneur First started in London and expanded into Singapore, Paris, Berlin, and Toronto. The investment manager handles the structured capital deployment for these pre-seed and seed-stage commitments. The strategy centers on backing exceptional technical talent before a company is formed. Cohorts run twice per year; each participant receives a stipend and, upon co-founder matching and company formation, an initial investment typically between $80,000 and $200,000. Subsequent rounds may follow from the firm's co-investment syndicate, which includes institutional investors such as Founders Fund, Greylock, and others. The portfolio has produced companies like Tractable (AI for insurance), Opteran (autonomous robotics), and Tributary (data infrastructure). Total assets under management are not publicly disclosed, and headcount for the investment manager specifically is unclear. Entrepreneur First as a whole employs roughly 100 people across its global offices. The investment manager is registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. A notable recent event: in 2024, Entrepreneur Fifth, a $95 million co-investment fund, was launched to support graduates of the program (per TechCrunch, 2024). What distinguishes EF Investment Manager is its talent-first model: rather than sourcing startups, it sources and assembles founding teams from scratch. This gives it a unique pipeline of companies that might not otherwise form, and a governance structure that ties investment to personal development grants.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
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AUM
Undisclosed
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Corporate office
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Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP?
The investment decisions are led by the firm's managing partners, including co-founders Matt Clifford and Alice Bentinck. The investment manager is registered as a UK LLP and operates under the oversight of a formal investment committee (per the firm's FCA registration and public filings).
How does Entrepreneur First source proprietary deal flow?
The firm selects individuals through a competitive application process, not by sourcing companies. Candidates apply as solo technical founders; during a cohort, they meet potential co-founders and form teams. The investment manager then invests in the resulting company, creating deal flow that is structurally unavailable to traditional seed funds.
Is Entrepreneur First Investment Manager LLP structured as a single family office or a venture firm?
It is not a family office. It is an asset manager registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority, acting as the investment vehicle for Entrepreneur First's talent-first venture model. Its institutional LPs include major venture capital firms and university endowments.
Does Entrepreneur First participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The investment manager makes direct equity investments into portfolio companies. It also raises dedicated co-investment funds, such as Entrepreneur Fifth, which invest alongside external GPs into companies formed through the program.
What investment stages does Entrepreneur First typically target?
It targets pre-seed and seed-stage investments, typically the first institutional money into a company. The initial check is usually between $80,000 and $200,000, with follow-on capital available through later funds.
Which sectors does Entrepreneur First explicitly focus on?
Deep technology sectors including artificial intelligence, machine learning, developer tools, robotics, infrastructure, and other frontier tech. The firm does not invest in non-tech or consumer lifestyle businesses.
Where does the underlying wealth come from that funds Entrepreneur First Investment Manager?
The capital comes from institutional investors — primarily venture capital firms (e.g., Founders Fund, Greylock) and other asset managers — not from a single wealthy family. Revenue also comes from program fees paid by participants in some markets.
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