Love Ventures Research
Investment Thesis
Love Ventures is a London-based EIS (Enterprise Investment Scheme) venture fund manager that backs "the founders propelling UK productivity." The firm argues the UK faces a productivity crisis and a window of opportunity: emerging technologies such as AI, automation and real-time data let smaller teams do more with less, and government incentives like EIS can accelerate that shift. It invests in productivity-enhancing tools that help people and businesses work smarter, operate leaner and grow faster.
Sector Focus
The firm concentrates on three areas:
- Fintech: SME lending, embedded payments, AI-driven personal finance, wealthtech, insurtech, regtech and savings, with emphasis on modernising financial infrastructure and access to capital.
- Future of Work: AI co-pilots, workflow automation, verticalised AI, async collaboration, and tools for creators, consultants and knowledge workers.
- Consumertech: healthtech, foodtech, retailtech, housing, mobility and commerce platforms that raise the standard of everyday life.
Stage Focus
Love Ventures invests from pre-Seed to Series A, with most activity at the earliest institutional stages. Because it deploys EIS capital, its portfolio companies are UK-based early-stage businesses that qualify for EIS relief. A Co-Investment Service launched alongside the 2024/25 Cohort EIS Fund helps founders raise follow-on capital beyond the EIS stage.
Check Size
The website does not state a check size. Fund structure (a cohort EIS fund backed by a community of 260+ investors) points to small early-stage cheques; no figure is asserted here.
Lead Tendency
Unknown. The firm describes active support, including Series A preparation and warm introductions, and has a partner taking a Chairman role at Unbox, but it does not state whether it leads rounds. The Co-Investment Service suggests it often syndicates with other investors.
Recent Activity
Love Ventures was founded in March 2020 by brothers Marcus and Adrian Love, who had angel invested together in companies such as Chip, Crowdcube and Revolut. The first fund launched in 2021. By 2023 the firm had launched two more funds, grown past 20 portfolio companies and moved to a central London HQ at 213 Oxford Street. In its fourth year it launched the 2024/25 Cohort EIS Fund. To date it has backed 39 startups and built a community of over 210 to 260 investors. It hosts regular community events, including a London Live event featuring cyclist Geraint Thomas.
Portfolio Highlights
The portfolio page lists 29 companies, including:
- Tembo: digital family lending and mortgages.
- Fifth Dimension: AI operating system for document-heavy industries, starting with real estate.
- Unbox: social commerce toolkit founded by former TikTok executives; Dan Cobley is Chairman.
- Mintago, Konfir, Round, Verna, WholeSum, Metris Energy, Connect Earth, My Emissions, Residently, Grubby and HomeCooks across fintech, work and consumer categories.
Team
- Adrian Love: co-founder; background at The Instant Group and Dorrington PLC, where he managed a GBP 200m asset portfolio.
- Marcus Love: co-founder; nearly 10 years in Paris consulting and sales, 14 years selling equity research in the City, angel investor since 2015.
- Annabel Stanford: formerly Chief of Staff at Mast and Portfolio Specialist at Morgan Stanley.
- Bill Corfield: formerly at Barclays Ventures and Strategic Opportunities.
- Olly Norman: formerly Investment Operations at Octopus Ventures and investor relations at Oxford Capital.
- Advisors: Dan Cobley (ex-Google UK, co-founder of ClearScore and Salary Finance), among others from Maven, Bridges, UiPath, PayPal and The Instant Group.
Decision Process
Not disclosed. The firm operates as a partnership with an investment team and an advisor network.
Founder Preferences
The team states that 86% of its members have built or operated in startups. It values founder-market fit, early traction and customer validation, and offers hands-on support across product strategy, go-to-market, fundraising and introductions to senior decision-makers. Its stated values are Longevity, Obsession, Vocal Conviction and Expertise (LOVE).
Geographic Focus
UK only. All portfolio companies and the investment thesis are UK-centred, with the firm based in London.