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Big Issue Invest

Impact investor

London · Seed · 2 people tracked

Also known as Biginvest Company Limited · Shelfco (No.2857) Limited

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Investment thesis

As part of Big Issue Group, Big Issue Invest focuses on dismantling poverty in the UK through five impact pillars: learning and employment, housing, health and wellbeing, environment and community, and financial and digital inclusion. The organization aims to create opportunities for people affected by poverty to work, earn, learn, and thrive, leveraging group knowledge and expertise to improve lives for the millions in the UK experiencing deep poverty.

Source: firm website, verified Oct 25, 2026.

Stage
Seed
Check
$20K – $4M
HQ
London, GB
Instruments
Equity · Debt · Grants
Founded
2005
Last 12 months
1 investment
Net assets
$2.2M
Tracked investments
4

Team · 2 people

from the firm's website & curated
Holger Westphely· Managing Director

Managing director of Big Issue Invest, cited discussing how social businesses can drive systemic change.

Tim Farazmand· Chair Investment Committeein

Tim Farazmand is co-founder of PCB Partners. He has experience as a non-executive director in private equity, with expertise in negotiation, business planning, and impact investing. He holds a BA in Economics from Cambridge University.

What they invest in

from 3 of 4 portfolio companies

Fintech ×2Impact & Social Good ×2AI & Machine Learning ×1Consumer ×1Data & Infrastructure ×1Enterprise Software ×1GovTech ×1SaaS ×1

HQs:United Kingdom×2Chile×1

Investments · 4 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path
Lightning Social Ventureslightningreach.orgin✓ verified

Lightning Reach operates a platform that helps individuals in financial hardship access unclaimed benefits, grants, and support in the UK, while enabling support organizations to deliver assistance more efficiently.

FintechGovTechImpact & Social GoodLondon, GB

Co-investorsTechstarsAngel Invest

Rukaruka.aiin𝕏May 2026 · $4.5M

Ruka provides AI agents that connect to a business's existing systems — such as Chile's SII tax platform, ERP, POS, and banks — to automate manual operational work like recording, reconciling, and updating purchase, cost, and supplier data across those systems.

AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureEnterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS

Camilo SilvainLorenzo Verdugo VaroliinCamilo Silva Caviedes(Founder)inBenjamin Vega Ruiz(Founder)in

Co-investors500 Global

Sociabilitysociability.appin

Sociability is a UK-based app that provides accessibility information for public places, helping disabled people identify venues that meet their accessibility needs.

ConsumerImpact & Social GoodSocialUnited Kingdom, GB

Matt Pierri(Founder)in

Co-investorsRemarkableRemarkable Australia+ Accelerator

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

Leicester Riders Foundation

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Principals & officers · per Companies House

what is this? ⓘ
Fay Gina Brooks

Director · British · since 2025

Lawrence Arthur Gosling

Director · British · since 2023

Jennifer Katherine Knott

Director · British · since 2026

Robert John Mcdougall Gilligan

Director · British · since 2024

John-Paul Preston

Director · British · since 2026

Sara Leigh Redford

Director · British · since 2020

Yuliia Uhorska

Director · Ukrainian · since 2026

Shaheen Verjee

Director · British · since 2022

Ownership & control

Big Issue Group Limited — 75–100% of shares, 75–100% of voting rights, 75–100% of voting rights, right to appoint and remove directors as firm, significant influence or control as firm

Frequently asked questions

What stage does Big Issue Invest invest at?
Big Issue Invest invests at the Seed stage.
What is Big Issue Invest's typical check size?
Big Issue Invest typically writes checks of $20K – $4M.
What sectors does Big Issue Invest focus on?
Big Issue Invest focuses on Impact & Social Good.
Where is Big Issue Invest located?
Big Issue Invest is headquartered in London, GB.

Images

Big Issue Invest photoBig Issue Invest photoBig Issue Invest photoBig Issue Invest photo

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