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Players Fund
We are the UK’s first athlete led VC firm. Founded by athletes, for athletes, we invest in the next generation of tech enabled startups.
Players Fund
We are the UK’s first athlete led VC firm. Founded by athletes, for athletes, we invest in the next generation of tech enabled startups.
General information
Firm type
Venture Capital
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
United Kingdom
City
London
Corporate office
London, United Kingdom
Principals
Ruari Bell
Co Founder & Managing Partner
Fergus Bell
Co Founder & Managing Partner
George Burrough
Co Founder
Phil Green
GP & IC Member
Kelvin Au
IC Member
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at The Players Fund?
Co-founders Ruari Bell and Fergus Bell serve as Managing Partners. The investment committee includes Phil Green, former CFO of Amazon EMEA and Deliveroo, and Kelvin Au, formerly a Principal at Draper Esprit and head of investments at Founders Factory. This blends athlete-network access with institutional fund-management experience.
How does The Players Fund source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources primarily through the personal networks of its 850-strong athlete community, co-investing alongside market-leading VCs who bring the deals. It also operates dedicated corporate venture programmes with clubs like Juventus and Como 1907, creating structured pipelines tied to sports-rights holders.
Is The Players Fund structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It operates as a traditional venture capital firm, not a family office. It raises external capital, co-invests alongside institutional VCs, and is led by a full-time investment team with an FCA-authorised compliance function.
Does The Players Fund lead rounds or just participate?
The firm explicitly states it is not a lead investor. It co-invests alongside established VCs, writing cheques of £50,000 to £300,000 into Seed and Series A rounds. The strategy is to follow tier-one investors and add value through athlete-driven commercial support.
What investment stages does The Players Fund typically target?
Pre-Seed to Series A, with a stated focus on Seed and Series A rounds. The portfolio includes pre-seed bets like Unravel (which later closed a $7M Series A) as well as later-stage co-investments into companies like Prosper.
Which sectors does The Players Fund explicitly avoid?
The firm states it does not invest in early-stage sports technology businesses. This is a deliberate positioning: rather than backing sports-tech startups, it leverages athlete influence to support generalist tech companies across fintech, enterprise software, AI, and digital health.
Does The Players Fund maintain philanthropic structures, and how are they separated?
The firm does not disclose any dedicated philanthropic vehicle. Its impact is framed commercially — providing portfolio companies with athlete-driven marketing, B2B introductions, and audience access, rather than through a separate foundation structure.
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