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Consumer investments

Redefining how we live, work and play

Our Consumer portfolio

Depop logo
Depop logo

Backed in

2018

Status

Exited

Founder(s)

Simon Beckerman & Maria Raga

About depop

Customers are more worried about waste than ever, and brands don’t dictate trends anymore.

Depop offers an alternative option to big retailers, giving customers the chance to curate their wardrobes sustainably.

It’s a mobile space driven by inspiration and sustainability, allowing consumers to explore style and the latest trends in a fashion system that’s kinder to people and the planet.

Depop was founded by co-founder of PIG magazine, Simon – originally as a social network where PIG’s readers could buy items featured in the magazine. Simon re-envisioned the app as a global marketplace after realising it needed a selling function.

With more than 26 million users in over 150 countries, it’s keeping millions of items of clothing in rotation.

The company is on a journey to make fashion more inclusive, more diverse and more sustainable.

Depop is becoming a global conduit of connection. Not just in ecommerce, but in culture, design and creative communities worldwide.

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Patch logo
Collectiv Food logo
Olio logo
Olio logo

Backed in

2018

Status

Current

Founder(s)

Saasha Celestial-One & Tessa Clarke
Consumerolioex.com

About Olio

Olio connects neighbours with each other and with local businesses so that surplus food can be shared, rather than thrown away.

Between a third and a half of all food produced globally is never eaten. The value of this wasted food is worth more than $1 trillion. To put that in perspective, in the US, food waste represents 1.3% of the total GDP.

This could be food nearing its sell-by date in local stores, spare home-grown vegetables, bread from your baker, or the groceries in your fridge when you go away.

Thanks to Olio, millions of neighbours all over the world are using the app to share more, care more and waste less.

They’re giving and getting free stuff and borrowing and lending household items – all directly from their areas.

The Olio team believes that small actions can lead to big change. Collectively – one rescued cupcake, carrot or bottle of lotion at a time – the Olio community is building a more sustainable future where our most precious resources are shared, not thrown away.

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Cazoo logo
Zoopla logo
Zoopla logo

Backed in

2009

Status

Exited

Founder(s)

Alex Chesterman & Simon Kain

About Zoopla

Zoopla is a website and app that helps people make informed decisions about the property market. Changing home can be really exciting, but it can also be confusing and stressful. Zoopla’s industry-leading data and powerful software helps to take some of the stress out of the process, putting market knowledge in the hands of the people who need it.

The site lists millions of properties. Prospective buyers and renters can apply helpful filters to find the home that’s just right for them, while those looking to sell or let a property can discover what their place is worth. Zoopla’s house price estimates give a sense of what the market is doing in each area, giving owners a realistic understanding of the value of their homes, and giving buyers and tenants the information they need to avoid paying over the odds.

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Taster logo
HURR logo
HURR logo

Backed in

2021

Status

Current

Founder(s)

Victoria Prew

About Hurr

HURR are changing the behaviours of fashion-lovers everywhere, by making high-quality fashion available to rent rather than buy. People can get their kicks from the latest luxury trends and pieces, without burning a hole in their pocket or the planet.

HURR is a tech-first platform with thousands of renters and lenders building a circular economy for fashion. Their peer to peer marketplace allows fashion designers and buyers to find each other and make transactions. And their movement is gathering momentum- they now partner with retail giants Selfridges and Depop. Named by Forbes as the ‘Air BNB of Fashion’, HURR now ranks as one of the world’s top 50 retail-tech startups.

Their community of like-minded entrepreneurs are sharing more than just their wardrobes. They’re doing good by looking good.

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allplants logo
allplants logo

Backed in

2018

Status

Current

Founder(s)

Jonathan & Alex Petrides

About Allplants

The Allplants team is obsessed with the power of plants and how eating them can help transform our planet. They believe that millions of us trying to change how we eat is better than a handful of people being perfectly sustainable. They also believe that creating happy communities and healthy ecosystems starts on our plate, but doesn’t stop there, which is why they choose to pursue their mission in a way that’s both planet-kind and human-kind.

They achieved B Corp Certification in 2018 to verify these efforts and join a growing movement of B Corporations using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. By 2021, they had a score of Outstanding and are one of only a handful of B Corps to have achieved this.

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Who we’re backing

We’re drawn to the pioneers who use tech to dramatically improve consumers’ lives. They’re obsessed with their customers’ happiness, and dedicated to delivering authentic, unique experiences.

We’re excited by digital, product-led businesses and communities (both physical and digital). We create partnerships with ambitious founders who are able to bring new markets to life and continuously delight their customers – the next generation of Cazoos and Depops.

Why us?

We want to help you meet the demand for flexible, personalised and customer-centric solutions, and we’re here to support you with our unique insight and experience in the consumer space.

We’re proud that our portfolio has included early stars like Zoopla, LoveFilm and Graze, and current household names like Depop, Cazoo and Olio.

The investment process

These are the general steps we follow – note that the process is slightly different at the pre-seed stage of investment.

Step 1

Send us your deck – if we think we’re a fit for your business, we’ll set up a call

Step 2

Meet some of our investors at a discovery meeting

Step 3

We’ll visit you at your office and spend some time with your team

Step 4

Present to our wider team at a partnership meeting

Step 5

We’ll tell you our final decision – if we’re not investing, we’ll say why

Our Consumer portfolio founders

Fashion for the future: Victoria Prew

Consumer
Victoria Prew knows all about the waste involved in fast fashion. The innovative HURR rental platform allows fashion-forward renters and lenders to play a part in a more sustainable approach.

Other sectors we support