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Mercuri

Europe, England, United Kingdom, London

Description

Mercuri VC is a London-based venture capital firm established in 2021, specializing in early-stage investments within the dynamic media and entertainment technology sectors. The firm primarily targets pre-seed and seed-stage companies located in the United Kingdom. Mercuri distinguishes itself by actively leading funding rounds, providing crucial early capital and strategic guidance to nascent ventures. Their investment thesis centers on the convergence of creative industries and technological innovation, seeking out companies that are poised to reshape how content is created, distributed, and consumed.

Mercuri's investment strategy is highly focused, with a clear mandate to support founders building disruptive technologies in areas such as the Creator Economy, Gaming, Music, Digital Media, Immersive Tech, Web3, and Artificial Intelligence. The firm typically writes initial cheques ranging from £250,000 to £750,000, demonstrating their commitment to providing substantial early-stage capital. While their initial investment range is specific, they also indicate a capacity to lead larger overall rounds, up to £1 million, and provide follow-on capital up to £1.5 million, supporting portfolio companies through subsequent growth phases.

Mercuri launched with a £10 million Fund I, enabling them to make a significant impact in their niche. As of early 2024, Crunchbase indicates they have made 12 investments, leading 10 of those rounds, underscoring their active role as a primary investor. The firm is led by experienced professionals like Managing Partner Daniel Heaf and Partner Ben Smith, who bring a blend of industry expertise and investment acumen. This focused approach, combined with a dedicated fund and experienced leadership, positions Mercuri as a key player in the UK's burgeoning media and entertainment tech ecosystem, aiming to back the next generation of innovative companies in this space.

Investor Profile

Mercuri has backed more than 39 startups, with 2 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 19 rounds, about 49% of its total and boasts 0 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Pre Seed, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United Kingdom, United States, The Netherlands.
  • Strong thematic focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning, Software.
  • Led 2 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $312.5K – $937.5K.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (28%)
  • Pre Seed (26%)
  • Series Unknown (15%)
  • Series A (13%)
  • Series B (8%)
  • Undisclosed (5%)
  • Series D (3%)
  • Series C (3%)

Country Focus

  • United Kingdom (62%)
  • United States (33%)
  • The Netherlands (3%)
  • Canada (3%)

Industry Focus

  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
  • Machine Learning
  • Software
  • Media And Entertainment
  • Video
  • Advertising
  • Internet
  • Audio
  • Social Media
  • Business Intelligence
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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 Mercuri frequently co-invest with?

Delin Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 3
MMC Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 4
Guardian Media Group
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
Ascension
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 3
Hearst Ventures
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 4
Force Over Mass Capital
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 3
BDMI
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 3
Entrepreneur First
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
LocalGlobe
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 6
Betaworks Ventures
North America, New York, United States, New York
Co-Investments: 5

Which angels does Mercuri often collaborate with?

JC
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
AB
North America, United States
Shared Deals: 1
DT
Europe, Dublin, Ireland, Dublin
Shared Deals: 1
RF
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by Mercuri?

Literal Labs

Newcastle Upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Developers of logic-based AI model training tools whose algorithms utilise propositional logic, Tsetlin Machine, and data binsarisation.

Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC)Artificial Intelligence (AI)Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)Machine Learning
Pre SeedJun 2, 2025
Amount Raised: $6,211,147
Unbox

London, England, United Kingdom

Unbox builds AI-powered infrastructure to turn social commerce into a sustainable revenue engine.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)B2BGenerative AI
Pre SeedApr 7, 2025
Ittybit

Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

Ittybit is a API that enables users to handle rich media in applications.

Software
SeedJun 5, 2024
Amount Raised: $1,916,639
Human Native AI

London, England, United Kingdom

Human Native AI operates as an AI data marketplace.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Software
SeedJun 3, 2024
Amount Raised: $3,586,787
Made With Intent

Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

Made With Intent is a segmentation tool that enables data-driven merchants to understand and target customer intent.

E-CommerceFinancial ServicesWeb Development
SeedMay 2, 2024
Amount Raised: $1,880,965
Papercup

London, England, United Kingdom

Papercup translates videos using AI by generating voices that sound like the original speaker

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Digital MediaMedia and EntertainmentMusicVideo
Series AJun 9, 2022
Amount Raised: $20,000,000
Chatterbox

London, England, United Kingdom

Chatterbox is a smart online language learning for professionals, powered by refugees.

B2BB2CCorporate TrainingE-LearningEducationEnterpriseSocial EntrepreneurshipSocial Impact
Pre SeedMar 15, 2022
Amount Raised: $1,956,646
Signal AI

London, England, United Kingdom

Transforming decision making for business leaders through augmented AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Business IntelligenceEnterprise SoftwareMachine Learning
Series DDec 15, 2021
Amount Raised: $50,000,000
Authoritive

New York, New York, United States

Authoritive builds customized learning experiences over messaging technology for experts and creators.

E-Learning
SeedDec 9, 2021
Amount Raised: $5,000,000
Vidsy

London, England, United Kingdom

Vidsy is the creative technology engine powering mobile video ad creation for brands.

AdvertisingDigital MarketingInternetMobileMobile AdvertisingSocial MediaVideoVideo Advertising
Series BOct 11, 2021
Amount Raised: $16,308,425