MR

Mark Ransford

Europe, England, United Kingdom, London

Description

Mark Ransford is a distinguished angel investor based in London, United Kingdom, known for his strategic early-stage investments in promising UK technology startups. Leveraging a robust background as a former CEO in the media and communications sector, including leadership roles at The Social Partnership and The Social Communications Group, Ransford brings significant operational expertise to his portfolio companies. His investment philosophy typically targets pre-seed and seed-stage ventures, where he can provide not just capital but also invaluable mentorship and strategic guidance to founders navigating the initial growth phases.

Ransford's investment portfolio showcases a keen eye for disruptive technologies and scalable business models across various sectors. Notable investments include Onfido, a leading identity verification platform that was later acquired by Entrust, and Paddle, a comprehensive SaaS commerce platform. He has also backed innovative companies such as Farewill, an online will writing and funeral services provider, and MyTutor, an online tutoring marketplace. His focus often gravitates towards B2B SaaS, fintech, and consumer internet companies that demonstrate strong market potential and a clear path to growth.

With a track record spanning over a decade, Mark Ransford has accumulated a diverse portfolio of more than 10 investments, demonstrating his sustained commitment to the UK startup ecosystem. His success is further underscored by at least two significant exits, including Onfido's acquisition and MyTutor's acquisition by Inspired Education, which validate his ability to identify and support ventures with high growth potential. As an angel investor, he is recognized for his hands-on approach, often advising on strategy, market positioning, and scaling operations, making him a valuable partner for nascent companies.

Investor Profile

Mark Ransford has backed more than 28 startups, with 6 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 1 rounds, about 4% of its total and boasts 2 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Pre Seed, Seed, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United Kingdom, France, Hungary.
  • Strong thematic focus on Financial Services, FinTech, Payments.
  • Typical check size: $50K – $250K.

Stage Focus

  • Pre Seed (46%)
  • Seed (36%)
  • Series A (14%)
  • Undisclosed (4%)

Country Focus

  • United Kingdom (54%)
  • France (18%)
  • Hungary (7%)
  • Italy (4%)
  • Spain (4%)
  • Czech Republic (4%)
  • Germany (4%)
  • Poland (4%)

Industry Focus

  • Financial Services
  • Fintech
  • Payments
  • Finance
  • Software
  • Saas
  • B2b
  • Information Technology
  • Credit
  • Lending
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does Mark Ransford frequently co-invest with?

Seedcamp
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Aglaé Ventures
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Co-Investments: 2
Semantic Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Bossa Invest
South America, Sao Paulo, Brazil, São Paulo
Co-Investments: 2
Earlybird Venture Capital
Europe, Berlin, Germany, Berlin
Co-Investments: 3
FEBE Ventures
Asia, Central Region, Singapore, Singapore
Co-Investments: 2
Exor Ventures
Europe, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands, Amsterdam
Co-Investments: 2
Plug and Play
North America, California, United States, Sunnyvale
Co-Investments: 2
Eurazeo
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Co-Investments: 2
Octopus Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 3

Which angels does Mark Ransford often collaborate with?

DV
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Shared Deals: 3
MP
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 3
FK
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
WN
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 7
AB
Europe, Ile-de-France, France, Paris
Shared Deals: 2
PB
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 5
LA
Europe, Lazio, Italy, Rome
Shared Deals: 2
SC
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
GR
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 2
SG
Europe, Bulgaria
Shared Deals: 2

What are some of recent deals done by Mark Ransford?

Zango

London, England, United Kingdom

Zango is an AI-fueled compliance platform for financial services, automating regulatory scanning, and gap analysis,

Artificial Intelligence (AI)ComplianceSoftware
SeedJul 1, 2025
Amount Raised: $4,800,000
Damisa

London, England, United Kingdom

Damisa is moving money across borders is slow, expensive, and riddled with hidden fees and outdated banking processes.

Financial Services
Pre SeedApr 10, 2025
Amount Raised: $2,923,878
Little John

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Little John creates a platform using generative AI to empower insurance brokers.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Insurance
Pre SeedDec 18, 2024
Amount Raised: $1,138,511

Briefcase is an AI-powered tool for bookkeeping and month-end automation.

AccountingFinanceInformation Technology
SeedDec 4, 2024
Amount Raised: $3,000,000
Desia

London, England, United Kingdom

Desia provides advanced AI applications for productivity, automation and analytics for financial services.

Web Development
Pre SeedSep 24, 2024
Amount Raised: $3,245,420
PastPay

Budapest, Budapest, Hungary

PastPay is a FinTech startup that provides B2B payment solutions.

B2BFinancial ServicesFinTechPayments
Series ASep 10, 2024
Amount Raised: $13,224,394
Juo

Wroclaw, Dolnoslaskie, Poland

Juo builds the future of subscription technology.

Information ServicesMachine LearningSoftware
SeedAug 31, 2024
Swaive

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Swaive operates a financial firm that invests in risk-free instruments. The organization allows you to park your money without risk.

FinanceFinancial Services
Pre SeedJul 11, 2024
Amount Raised: $2,392,300
Incredible

London, England, United Kingdom

Incredible is a credit repayment solution that tracks and automates credit card repayments

CreditFinancial ServicesFinTechLendingPayments
Pre SeedMay 14, 2024
Amount Raised: $1,000,000
Flowpay

Prague, Hlavni mesto Praha, Czech Republic

Embedded Financial Services for SME Platforms

Embedded SoftwareFinancial ServicesFinTechLending
SeedMar 20, 2024
Amount Raised: $2,296,887