Social Tech Trust

The Trust is led by a board of trustees, appointed from the social enterprise and impact investment sectors. Investment decisions are made by the board, advised by a small internal team, with external advisors for sector-specific deals (per the firm's 2023 annual report, published on its website).

The Trust sources opportunities through its network of UK social enterprise incubators, universities, and corporate partners. It also runs the Social Tech Accelerator program, which surfaces early-stage ventures. Open applications are managed via its website (per the firm's recruitment page, 2023).

The Trust uses a dual-mandate approach: grant-making for unrestricted charitable support, and program-related investments (PRIs) — equity, debt, or convertible notes — that expect below-market returns, recycled into future grants (per the firm's impact report, 2022).

It typically invests at seed to Series A stage, deploying between £50,000 and £500,000 in grants or equity. The Trust may co-invest with other impact-aligned funds, but does not lead larger rounds (per Pioneers Post, 2024).

The Trust explicitly avoids investments in weapons, fossil fuels, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, and any technology that could be used for surveillance or censorship (per its 2022 ethical investment policy, published on its website).

The Trust emerged from a 2014 rebranding of the Technology for Social Enterprise charity, itself rooted in a 1990s initiative by the UK Department of Trade and Industry. It is legally separate from any government body, but frequently partners with UK Research and Innovation and the National Lottery Community Fund (per the firm's history page, public record).

The Trust actively co-invests with foundations and impact funds such as Big Society Capital and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. It typically participates as a smaller, catalytic investor alongside larger lead investors (per the firm's portfolio page, public record).