I remember starting out when launching our first business and how confusing it was with the many VC names that were thrown around. Well, here’s a short cut for anyone else looking to raise money. If you’re new to the UK start-up scene, here’s an entrepreneur’s perspective on who you should know in VC land and a good list of UK VCs that you should talk to if you’re looking to raise money.

I should emphasise that the categorisation here is not based on going through the numbers of deals or any sort of rigorous analysis. This simply represents my perspective after two years of conversations with fellow entrepreneurs.

If you’re out their raising money right now, I hope this is helpful and good luck!

Top Three brands (the ones that everyone wants associated with their companies):
Accel Partners
Balderton Capital
Index

Top flight VCs (by historic reputation):
Advent Ventures
Amadeaus Capital
Atlas Venture
Delta Partners
DFJ Espirit Capital
Fidelity Ventures
Scottish Equity Partners

Up and coming VCs who are active and doing deals:
Dawn Capital
Doughty Hanson
Eden Ventures
Mangrove
Pentech
Spark Ventures (Rumoured to be pulling out of the UK in July 09)
Wellington Partners

Founded by very successful European Entrepreneurs:
( Also see my post on angel financing)
Atomico
European Founders Fund
Howzat Media
Profounders Capital
The Accelerator Group (TAG) (which is founded by successful angel investors)

US funds (but worth approaching):
ePlanet Ventures (offices in London and India)
Greylock
Highland Capital (offices in Geneva)
NEA

Others that are talked about less in the London Internet entrepreneur scene (but that you should still talk to!):
AGF Private Equity
Ambient Sound Investment
Bannexi Partners
Battery Park Ventures
Beringea
Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments
Bessemer Ventures
Burda Digtial Ventures/ Acton Capital
BV Capital
Close Ventures
DN Capital
Earlybird Ventures
Greycroft Partners
Hamilton Bradshaw
Holtzbrinck Ventures
Innovacom (FT)
Insight Venture Partners
Kennet Partners
Lightspeed Ventures
Matrix Venture
Nordic Venture Partners
Northzone Ventures
Partech
Polaris Ventures
Pond
Reed Elsevier Ventures
Steamboat Ventures (Disney)
T-Ventures (DT)
TCV
Time Warner Investments
Truffle Ventures
Van den Ende & Deitmars VC

If you’ve got any VCs you’d like to add, please add them in the comments below. Or if you disagree with my classification, please similarly let me know by adding a comment.

Alternatively, if you’re after angel funding instead of VC funding, try this list of where to find UK angels.

Or, if you want to know how to raise VC money, I strongly recommend this book.

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