Old College Capital

Old College Capital is the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fund, managing early-stage investments and university-derived shareholdings. It supports innovative ideas and technologies from university research, staff, and students via a co-investment model. The fund backs high-growth startups and spinouts from pre-seed to Series A, deploying long-term capital to commercialize academic breakthroughs.

Established in 2011 by the University of Edinburgh, Old College Capital addressed the need for capital to transition academic talent and research into commercial ventures. As part of Edinburgh Innovations, its founding insight was to systematically foster promising university-based enterprises, ensuring intellectual property achieved societal impact. This initiative bridges the gap between discovery and market application.

Old College Capital primarily invests in University of Edinburgh-associated spinout and startup companies. Its vision accelerates these ventures, enabling them to build businesses delivering positive societal and environmental impact through disruptive innovation. By reinvesting returns, the fund sustains a support cycle for future university-affiliated enterprises, driving continuous growth.