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Key people at Kennet Ventures.
Kennet Ventures is a technology growth equity investor based in London, United Kingdom, providing expansion capital to established, fast-growing B2B SaaS companies. The firm specializes in funding the first external rounds for founder-owned, bootstrapped businesses in North America and Europe, typically deploying $10-50 million tickets to accelerate sales, marketing, and international growth. With over $700 million in assets under management and approximately $1 billion in cumulative assets managed, Kennet focuses on sectors including Fintech, Security, and HRTech. Its portfolio includes companies such as Eloomi, Codility, Nuxeo, and Rimilia, and it maintains a partnership with Edmond de Rothschild Private Equity. Kennet successfully raised $250 million for its Kennet V fund in 2020, exceeding its target with investors from Europe and Asia, and has already deployed capital into four B2B SaaS investments. The organization was founded in 1997.
Kennet Ventures, also known as Kennet Partners, is a transatlantic growth equity firm founded in 1997 that partners with founders of capital-efficient SaaS and tech-enabled services companies to fuel expansion and build global market leaders.[1][2][4][5] Its mission centers on providing expansion capital—typically $8M to $30M, or up to $50M with syndicates—for specific growth opportunities like scaling sales or entering new markets, while emphasizing minimal founder dilution and hands-on strategic support.[1][2] The firm targets sectors including enterprise software, digital media, e-commerce, consumer internet, telecoms software, semiconductors, IT services, and health tech, with a portfolio featuring high-profile exits and companies like Spotify, Deliveroo, Babylon Health, Nuxeo, and Receipt Bank.[1][2] Kennet significantly impacts the startup ecosystem by backing over 150 technology and media disruptors across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, helping them achieve high-value exits through operational expertise and global networks.[1][2][6]
Kennet Partners was established in 1997 as a venture capital firm focused on early- and growth-stage technology and media companies with disruptive potential.[1][2] Initially active in financing, structuring, and advising startups worldwide, it evolved into a leading growth equity specialist, opening offices in London, Silicon Valley, and Frankfurt to support transatlantic expansion.[2][4] Key figures include Managing Directors Michael Elias and Hillel Zidel in London, Javier Rojas and Eric Filipek in Silicon Valley, alongside directors like Alex Taylor-Harris and Cillian Hilliard, who bring expertise from consulting, corporate development, and prior VC roles.[2][4] This evolution reflects a sharpened focus on bootstrapped, capital-efficient businesses ready for accelerated scaling, building on a track record of global market leaders.[4][5]
Kennet rides the wave of capital-efficient SaaS and tech-enabled services, where bootstrapped models demand targeted growth capital amid rising interest rates and investor scrutiny on profitability over hype.[5] Its timing aligns with a shift from early-stage frenzy to growth equity for proven, scalable businesses, capitalizing on market forces like digital transformation in enterprise software, e-commerce, and health tech across transatlantic markets.[1][2][6] By influencing the ecosystem through high-profile exits and operational scaling, Kennet helps build resilient global leaders, bridging European efficiency with US expansion in a fragmented tech landscape.[1][4]
Kennet is poised to thrive by doubling down on profitable SaaS scalers amid AI-driven enterprise demands and cross-border M&A resurgence. Trends like efficient tech services and syndicate-led larger deals will shape its path, potentially expanding its portfolio toward AI-enhanced software and health tech. Its influence may evolve into a go-to partner for founder-led firms seeking sustainable hypergrowth, reinforcing its role in crafting the next wave of market dominators from its 1997 roots in disruptive tech.[2][4][5]
Key people at Kennet Ventures.