London-based VC firm Onstage has launched a £10 million early-stage fund to back European founders at the pre-seed and seed stages. The fund also welcomes Peter Simon, President of US investment firm Simon Sports, as Partner and investor.
- Onstage, founded in 2020 by Hector Mason and Taos Edmondson and operationally led by Issie James, is a European early-stage venture platform and fund.
- The firm combines a venture fund with a Demo Day platform, providing deal flow and founder–investor connections. Demo Day finalists have collectively raised more than £500 million, including companies such as Scan.com (£60 million) and Lawhive (£44 million).
- The new Onstage fund plans to invest in around 80 pre-seed and seed-stage European startups over three years, using its Demo Day platform and network to source deals and facilitate introductions to investors and partners.
"A fund is the clear next step for Onstage and will enjoy a symbiotic relationship with our demo days. It further strengthens our proposition for founders and deepens our relationship with the top VCs in Europe. We can't wait to support Europe’s next wave of founders, who are ready to compete and win on a global stage," explains Joel Hambly, Partner at Onstage.
- The fund was supported by Peter Simon, Alex Chesterman, and GPs from Concept Ventures, Creator Ventures, Chapter One, and Episode 1, with additional backing from The Fund Incubator, Blears, and Bunch Capital.
