Fundraising Fox

Federico Pirzio-Biroli

InvestorFounder

Founding Partner & Chairman at Playfair Capital · Founder at Playfair

Nairobi County, Kenya

FoundedPlayfair

Kauffman Fellow · Class 19

Find your path to Federico

2,963 people in our graph share verified history with Federico — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Dave BlivinunlockedFederico: together at Techstars (2023)
×10Federico: together at Techstars
Federico: together at University of St Andrews

About

Federico Pirzio-Biroli is an angel investor who has backed over one hundred early-stage companies since 2011, both independently and through Playfair Capital, a venture capital firm he founded in 2013. As chairman and LP of Playfair Capital, he oversees a portfolio of more than 80 investments across multiple sectors, with the firm currently deploying its third fund. Based in Kenya since 2017, Pirzio-Biroli focuses on digital technology and community-building ventures with a global investment perspective.

Founder at Playfair

Intro paths

→

In turn, Federico can intro founders to Playfair's investors below.

Playfair's investors · 3

OnstageLondonPlayfair CapitalLondon · $130K – $1.9M checksTrueSight VenturesEsher · since 2026

Experience

  1. Ravelin TechnologyAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  2. SplittableAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  3. KNYTTAN LtdAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  4. ProntoAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  5. LystableAngel Investorcurrent2015 — present
  6. ChewAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  7. OradianAngel Investorcurrent2015 — present
  8. Kovert DesignsAngel Investorcurrent2015 — present
  9. AndelaAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLagos, Nigeria
  10. CRE Venture CapitalLimited Partnercurrent2015 — presentJohannesburg Area, South Africa
  11. DojoAppAngel Investorcurrent2015 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  12. GluruAngel Investorcurrent2014 — present
  13. AddyAngel Investorcurrent2014 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  14. 3SourcingAngel Investorcurrent2014 — presentLondon, United Kingdom
  15. StreetHubAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentLondon
  16. Appear HereAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentLondon
  17. Clarify, IncAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentAustin, Texas Area
  18. Good.CoAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  19. F6SAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentLondon
  20. TechStarsAngel Investorcurrent2013 — presentLondon, United Kingdom

Skills & more

Start-ups93Angel Investing71Business Strategy32Venture Capital40Entrepreneurship65Strategy21Strategic Partnerships9Digital Marketing11New Business Development6Competitive Analysis2Private Equity8Marketing Strategy4
+8 moreE-commerceOnline MarketingProduct ManagementInvestmentsProduct DevelopmentCorporate DevelopmentB2BMobile Devices

Languages English · French · German · Italian · Spanish

From Federico's professional profile.

Colleagues at Playfair Capital

Alex Jundi
Visiting Analyst at Playfair Capital
Andrew Sheffield
Principal at Playfair Capital
Anouska Moss
Executive Assistant at Playfair Capital
Chris Smith
Managing Partner at Playfair Capital
Deanne Saunders
Receptionist & Office Manager at Playfair Capital
Felix Neubeck
Associate at Playfair Capital
Henrik Wetter Sanchez
General Partner at Playfair Capital
Lucia Polverino
Associate at Playfair Capital

Network3

Albert WengerScout
Union Square Ventures partner, technology investor, and author of The World After Capital
Iyinoluwa AboyejiScout
Partner at Future Africa
Peter ReadScout
Investor at BlueYard Capital

Investors connected to Federico in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Federico Pirzio-Biroli?
Federico Pirzio-Biroli is an angel investor who has backed over one hundred early-stage companies since 2011, both independently and through Playfair Capital, a venture capital firm he founded in 2013. As chairman and LP of Playfair Capital, he oversees a portfolio of more than 80 investments across multiple sectors, with the firm currently deploying its third fund. Based in Kenya since 2017, Pirzio-Biroli focuses on digital technology and community-building ventures with a global investment perspective.
Where does Federico Pirzio-Biroli work?
Federico Pirzio-Biroli is Founder of Playfair and Founding Partner & Chairman at Playfair Capital.
What companies did Federico Pirzio-Biroli found?
Federico Pirzio-Biroli founded Playfair.
Where did Federico Pirzio-Biroli go to school?
Federico Pirzio-Biroli studied at University of St Andrews (MA, Philosophy and Psychology); Malvern.

Founder mafias

Techstars mafia2,005

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Brad FeldCo-founderFounded TechstarsGleb ChuvpiloTechstars Boston Accelerator 2014Founded Thor Directed Energy +6David CummingsTechstars Boulder Accelerator 2012Founded Undaunted +6Jagmeet LambaEntrepreneurshipFounded Certa +3Ben LammMentor & InvestorFounded Breaking +3T.J. ParkerTechstars Boston Accelerator 2013Founded Tjparker +2

+ 1,998 more

University of St Andrews mafia45

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Nigel EcclesBSc (First Class)Founded Vault Laboratories, Inc. +2Aimone Ripa di MeanaFirst Class MA HonoursFounded Lazada +1Jimmy JacobsonMathematics and Computer ScienceFounded Stake Network +1Tony HaileMA HonsFounded Chartbeat +1Marcus GerhardtMaster's degreeFounded Blackrock Microsystems +1Andrew BirchBSc (hons)Founded Sungevity +1

+ 38 more

CRE Venture Capital mafia4

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Catalin VossVenture PartnerFounded Ello +1Pardon MakumbeManaging PartnerFounded CRE Venture CapitalGwanygha’a GanaAssociateFounded Rima AI (formerly Garage)

Playfair Capital mafia3

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Matt SchmidtVisiting AnalystFounded PeoplelogicIshaan MahliEntrepreneur in ResidenceFounded Trussle

Dojo App mafia2

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Nicholas DartCTO & FounderFounded Kyra

Same school

Also attended University of St Andrews171

Madison LenormandInvestor at DaphniOliver MarquesPartner, Capital Formation at March Capital PartnersAndreas WeiskamPartner and Co-Founder of Sapphire Ventures, focused on European investmentsMarshall PorterGeneral Partner at AlleyCorpNate WangVP of Investments at Plum Alley InvestmentsFreddie LuchterhandSpecialist Advisor, Brand Impact at Openspace Ventures

+ 165 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Lystable1

Jackie VullinghsPartner at AirTree Ventures

Also worked at Oradian4

Božidar PavlovićPartner at AYMO VenturesMoaffak AhmedVenture Partner & co-founder at Sisu Game VenturesNicolas SchweitzerCEO at La VieAntonio SeparovicFounder at Oradian

Also worked at Addy7

Ben PouladianPartner at AiSprouts VCLaurent DrionPartner at E-MergeCorey ReeseAngel investorKhaled NaimFounder at Onfleet logisticsAditya ViswanathanFounder at CrowderyRob HowardFounder at Kindred Motorworks

+ 1 more

Also worked at StreetHub4

Itxaso del PalacioGeneral Partner at Notion CapitalBoris BakechCo-Founder & Managing Partner at C4 VenturesMandeep SinghScout at Andreessen HorowitzAlex LoizouFounder at Clove