Seed VC, London
Episode 1 Ventures
Venture capital firm · London · Founded 2013
Quick read
Episode 1 Ventures is a seed-stage VC firm founded in 2013, headquartered in London. It backs B2B software startups at Pre-Seed and Seed with cheques of £250k–£3m, targeting companies with a clear path to Series A. Fund III closed at £76m; a Fund IV is in motion with a £35m British Business Bank commitment.
Key facts
- Founded
- 2013
- Employees
- 8
- Sectors
- generalist, saas, ai
- Website
- www.episode1.com
Investment thesis
Episode 1 backs B2B software startups at Pre-Seed and Seed with £250k–£3m cheques, taking 10–20% ownership and leading rounds. The firm focuses on deep tech, AI, and software infrastructure disrupting established industries, with an explicit goal of getting portfolio companies to a strong Series A.
Recent activity
- Jun 2026investmentEpisode 1's latest investment was made on 10 June 2026 in Record OS, a company in the accounting, audit and tax services sector. pitchbook.com
- Jul 2025fundraiseEpisode 1 opened Fund IV in July 2025, its fourth fund vehicle targeting pre-seed and seed B2B software startups. startupintros.com
- 2025fundraiseThe British Business Bank committed up to £35mn to Episode 1 Fund IV, extending a relationship that spans its 2014, 2018 and 2022 vintages. The Bank cited Episode 1's track record in AI, software infrastructure, deep tech and tech bio as the rationale. minutehack.com
- Feb 2024fundraiseEpisode 1 closed Fund III at £76m ($95m). LPs include the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (a British Business Bank and UK government joint initiative), British Patient Capital, and Molten Ventures. The firm flagged in-house data-driven deal sourcing tools as part of its strategy. techcrunch.com
- Jan 2024fundraiseEpisode 1 Fund III finalised its capital commitments in January 2024. startupintros.com
- Feb 2024pressGeneral Partner Hector Mason spoke to VCWire about Fund III's strategy, confirming focus on AI, TechBio, open-source, software infrastructure, healthtech and marketplaces. Media coverage for the close included TechCrunch, Sifted, City AM, Sky News and Bloomberg. vcwire.tech
- 2025investmentEpisode 1 Ventures led a $4M round for an AI forecasting company (specific company name not disclosed in results). linkedin.com
- 2025fundraiseEpisode 1 announced its £76m third fund — its largest to date — targeting B2B startups at Pre-Seed and Seed with ticket sizes of £250k to £3m, plus follow-on allocation. 21 of the LPs are Episode 1 portfolio founders. uk.linkedin.com
- 2025leadershipMegha joined Episode 1 as a new team member, bringing seven years at Goldman Sachs and seven years as a B2B founder, plus recent VC experience. uk.linkedin.com
- Feb 2026investmentTracxn recorded Episode 1 as having made 5 new investments in the prior 12 months, with the most recent being a Seed round participation in Refute. tracxn.com
- 2026pressEpisode 1 was cited as actively investing at pre-seed and seed in AI, cybersecurity, fintech, and commerce sectors in a roundup of 50 active early-stage investors. linkedin.com
- 2024fundraiseEpisode 1 closed its £76m third fund, its largest to date. The fund targets B2B software startups at Pre-Seed and Seed, writing cheques of £250k–£3m with capital reserved for follow-ons. 21 of the fund's LPs are Episode 1 portfolio founders. linkedin.com
Notable investments
- Record OSUnknownJun 2026pitchbook.com
- Robin AISeries A2023linkedin.com
- RefuteSeedFeb 2026tracxn.com
- AI forecasting company (name undisclosed)Seed2025linkedin.com
- Jack & Jill AISeed2024pitchbook.com
- Sable BiotechnologySeed2024pitchbook.com
- Bubble RoboticsPre-Seed2024linkedin.com
- Sable BioPre-SeedFeb 2026pitchbook.com
- PhasecraftSeries A (follow-on)2025uk.linkedin.com
- LawhiveSeed2024leadiq.com
- CarwowSeedepisode1.com
- HubooSeedepisode1.com
Key people
Named individuals at the firm. We don't expose direct email or phone — use their LinkedIn for outreach.
- Simon Murdoch · Partner
- Hector Mason · General Partner
- Adrian Lloyd · Partner
- Paul McNabb · Partner
- Megha Prakash · Partner
- Millan Suri · Principal
- Stephanie Orde · CFO
- Damien Lane · Partner
Sources
- Episode 1 Ventures – Official Website
- Episode 1 Ventures | LinkedIn
- Episode 1 Ventures – PitchBook
- Episode 1 Ventures – CB Insights
- Episode 1 Ventures – Dealroom
- Episode 1 Ventures – Tracxn
- British Business Bank – Fund IV Commitment
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/hector-mason-5364b985/
- https://uk.linkedin.com/company/episode-1-ventures
- https://hellocrest.com/work/episode-1-ventures/
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/episode-1-ventures_were-pleased-to-share-that-episode-1-ventures-activity-7366450081429929984-ykIF
- https://www.linkedin.com/posts/stephmui_heres-a-list-of-50-vcs-angels-that-are-activity-7292974079580536832-LtX1
- https://startupintros.com/orgs/episode-1-ventures
- https://minutehack.com/news/british-business-bank-backs-episode-1-with-35mn-commitment-to-fourth-fund
- https://techcrunch.com/2024/02/05/episode-1-fund-3/
- https://vcwire.tech/2024/02/08/episode-1-ventures-interview-with-general-partner-hector-mason/
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Frequently asked
What is Episode 1 Ventures?+
Episode 1 Ventures is a seed-stage VC firm founded in 2013, headquartered in London. It backs B2B software startups at Pre-Seed and Seed with cheques of £250k–£3m, targeting companies with a clear path to Series A.
Where is Episode 1 Ventures headquartered?+
Episode 1 Ventures is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
When was Episode 1 Ventures founded?+
Episode 1 Ventures was founded in 2013.
What sectors does Episode 1 Ventures invest in?+
Episode 1 Ventures focuses on generalist, saas, ai. They primarily invest in these sectors.
How do I prepare for a meeting with Episode 1 Ventures?+
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