A UK government department needed to engage investors active in the early-stage technology startup ecosystem to understand how funding decisions were being made and what was shaping investor appetite for deep tech and innovation-led businesses.

What we did

We identified and recruited investors with active portfolios in UK technology startups, covering a range of fund sizes and investment stages to reflect the breadth of the early-stage ecosystem. Participants were screened to confirm current investment activity and genuine decision-making authority, ensuring the research captured live market dynamics rather than historical perspectives.

What it enabled

The policy team received direct insight from the investors whose decisions were shaping the early-stage funding landscape, providing a grounded view of where capital was flowing, what was driving allocation decisions, and where systemic barriers were limiting investment activity. The findings informed the department's approach to supporting the startup ecosystem.