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Passion Capital

Finance and Risk Capital

Impact for scaleups

38

UK companies backed

40%

follow on investments

11 %

outside London

17

growth stage investments

Passion Capital is a venture capital firm based in London, specialising in digital media, software, and e-commerce. Since 2011, it has aimed to support ambitious entrepreneurs, particularly those in early-stage technology ventures with a global outlook. With 75% of its investments occurring in the UK, the firm is committed to fostering an ecosystem of technology and executional excellence across Europe.

Founded by Eileen Burbidge and Robert Dighero, with early involvement from Stefan Glaenzer, Passion Capital has been instrumental in the growth of major UK scaleups, including GoCardless, Adzuna, and Monzo. Their hands-on approach combines financial backing with mentoring, guiding businesses from seed stage through rapid growth.Their portfolio boasts 18 exits, including notable scaleups such as Pusher, Zesty, and Limejump.

In the period between 2018 to June 2025, Passion Capital participated in 63 fundraising rounds in 38 UK companies. The average turnover of those companies was £182m and their average number of employees was 238.

Passion Capital has continued to invest in scaleups including in 2025 Xelix, a firm that develops AI software for accounting, and in 2024 the challenger bank Monzo.

Beyond financial investment, Passion Capital plays an active role in mentoring scaleups, helping them navigate challenges, build strong operational foundations, and prepare for further growth. Their involvement extends to guiding scaleups through acquisitions and preparing them for exits, such as mergers or IPOs.

Passion Capital had an eventful 2025, marked by a new fund close, strategic exits, and continued focus on AI and Fintech. The firm announced the first close of its fourth fund, Passion Capital IV, in February 2025, which is an Article 8 SFDR-aligned fund committed to backing 30-35 groundbreaking pre-seed and seed-stage companies across the European tech ecosystem. The fund is explicitly targeting founders tackling complex, high-impact problems, with a strong focus on AI and Fintech/RiskTech, seeking AI startups that can be built lean and scale fast.

Passion Capital website