Catapult Ventures
Catapult Ventures is a UK-regulated venture capital fund manager operating multiple discrete VC funds totalling c. £130m, investing growth equity of £50k-£2m into life-sciences and technology companies for institutional and public-sector limited partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersEnderby, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Catapult Ventures does
Catapult Ventures is an independent UK venture capital fund manager (legal entity: Catapult Venture Managers Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Pinchbeck, Spalding, with an additional office in Birmingham. The firm manages approximately £130m of capital across multiple discrete VC funds on behalf of public and private sector investors, including the GM&C Life Sciences Fund (£45m+ targeting life-sciences companies in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington), the £30m Catapult Growth Fund, the East Midlands Regional Venture Capital Fund (EMRVCF), and the Advantage Enterprise & Innovation Fund (AEIF), which provides equity tickets of up to £2m. Catapult has built a portfolio of more than 100 companies across life sciences, biotech, medtech, digital health, renewable energy, and technology, with disclosed exits delivering cash returns of 3.3x to 9.0x.
The business model is professional fund management: Catapult charges management fees and earns carried interest on successful exits. Its two customer segments are (i) institutional and public-sector LPs who commit capital to its funds, and (ii) entrepreneurs and business owners seeking growth equity. Catapult differentiates through deep regional and sector specialisation — particularly in life sciences — supported by an executive team and venture partners with 30+ years of private equity experience and prior operating roles at NatWest, AstraZeneca, and FTSE/AIM-listed boards. GTM is sales-led and network-driven, sourcing deals via industry relationships, university spin-outs (e.g., Keele University), and regional development mandates. Catapult has no proprietary technology product; its core deliverable is fund management expertise, deal selection, and portfolio company support.
Catapult Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Catapult Ventures
- Legal name
- Catapult Venture Managers Ltd
- Website
- https://catapult-ventures.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Catapult Ventures is a UK-regulated venture capital fund manager operating multiple discrete VC funds totalling c. £130m, investing growth equity of £50k-£2m into life-sciences and technology companies for institutional and public-sector limited partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Catapult Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Venture Capital Fund Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds / Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Catapult Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Enderby
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Catapult Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management Fees: Catapult Ventures generates revenue through managing venture capital funds on behalf of public and private sector investors. They operate multiple discrete VC funds totaling approximately £130m, charging management fees and potentially performance fees (carried interest) on successful exits.
- Investment Returns: Returns from portfolio company exits including the sale of stakes in companies such as Panthera Biopartners (3.3x return), Yospace (6.7x return), Monica Healthcare (3.5x return), Silver Lining Solutions, Accutronics (9x cash return), and Oxford Cryosystems (5.2x cash return).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Catapult Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Catapult Ventures is an independent fund manager that operates multiple discrete venture capital funds on behalf of public and private sector investors, totalling approximately £130m. The firm sources, invests in, and supports portfolio companies, primarily in life sciences and technology sectors, with equity tickets typically between £50,000 and £2m. Revenue is generated through fund management fees and returns from successful portfolio company exits.
Product overview
Catapult Ventures is an independent Fund Manager operating multiple discrete venture capital funds on behalf of public and private sector investors, totalling approximately £130m. The company offers four distinct fund products: the GM&C Life Sciences Fund (focused on life sciences investments in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington), the Catapult Growth Fund (£30m fund for small/mid-market transactions), the East Midlands Regional Venture Capital Fund, and the Advantage Enterprise & Innovation Fund (for businesses seeking up to £2m equity funding).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GM&C Life Sciences Fund: A life sciences venture capital fund managed by Catapult Ventures, focused on investments in the Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington region.
- Catapult Growth Fund
- East Midlands Regional Venture Capital Fund (EMRVCF)
- Advantage Enterprise & Innovation Fund (AEIF)
Products and services
- GM&C Life Sciences Fund A life sciences venture capital fund focused on investing in innovative companies in the Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Warrington region, managed by Catapult Ventures on behalf of public and private sector investors.
- Catapult Growth Fund
Companies that use Catapult Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Catapult Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Catapult Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Catapult Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mercia Fund Management: UK regional fund manager operating multiple discrete equity funds across the Midlands and North of England, with comparable focus on early-growth and life sciences/tech investments via regional and sector vehicles.
- Maven Capital Partners: UK fund manager running a multi-fund regional VC and private equity programme for SMEs, with similarly small-to-mid ticket sizes and a focus on regional economic development alongside commercial returns.
- Praetura Ventures: Manchester-based early-growth VC manager operating multiple funds investing across the North West of England; highly comparable geography, ticket size and sector mix (including life sciences and tech).
- Deepbridge Capital: UK life sciences and technology-focused fund manager running multiple sector-specialised EIS/SEIS and growth funds, directly comparable to Catapult's GM&C Life Sciences Fund and Advantage Enterprise & Innovation Fund.
- Midven (Midlands Engine Investment Fund): West Midlands-based fund manager delivering equity and debt finance to SMEs via multiple regional and sector funds, overlapping with Catapult's regional VC mandate and ticket sizes.
Broad incumbents
- Foresight Group: Larger UK-listed fund manager operating regional and sector VCT/EIS funds, including life sciences exposure; broader portfolio and scale but overlapping fund-of-funds-like multi-vehicle structure.
- Octopus Ventures: One of the UK's largest VCs, with multiple sector and regional funds and significant life sciences exposure via the Octopus Future Generations and specialist vehicles; competes for the same UK growth-stage companies.
- Albion Capital Group: Long-established UK fund manager running multiple VCT and growth funds, including life sciences exposure, with comparable multi-fund platform structure to Catapult.
Emerging players
- Northern Gritstone: Manchester-anchored growth and IP-led investment firm focused on university spinouts across the North of England; competes for similar regional life sciences and deep-tech opportunities as Catapult's GM&C Life Sciences Fund.
Regional players
- Whiterose Finance: South Yorkshire-based fund management business delivering equity and debt finance to SMEs via regional and sector funds; comparable regional VC mandate and ticket size to Catapult's funds.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Catapult Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceCatapult Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Catapult Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Catapult Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Catapult Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments103 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Catapult Ventures
What does Catapult Ventures do?
Catapult Ventures is an independent fund manager that operates multiple discrete venture capital funds on behalf of public and private sector investors, totalling approximately £130m. The firm sources, invests in, and supports portfolio companies, primarily in life sciences and technology sectors, with equity tickets typically between £50,000 and £2m. Revenue is generated through fund management fees and returns from successful portfolio company exits.
Is Catapult Ventures a public or private company?
Catapult Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Catapult Ventures founded?
Catapult Ventures was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Catapult Ventures based?
Catapult Ventures is headquartered in Enderby, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Catapult Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fund Management Fees are the primary driver. The others are investment Returns.
Who are Catapult Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mercia Fund Management, Maven Capital Partners, Praetura Ventures, Deepbridge Capital and Midven (Midlands Engine Investment Fund). Broad incumbents are Foresight Group, Octopus Ventures and Albion Capital Group. Northern Gritstone is listed as an emerging player. Whiterose Finance is listed as a regional player.
Does Catapult Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Catapult Ventures.
What industry is Catapult Ventures in?
Catapult Ventures's product category is Venture Capital Fund Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAJ, Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds / Multi-Manager Platforms. Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.