Future Planet funds businesses profitably solving problems in the areas of Climate, Education, Health, Security and Sustainable Growth
500K€ to 3m€
At the global level: Growth stage At the national level: Pre-Seed to Series A stage
Future Planet Capital is a London-based, impact-led venture capital firm founded in 2015. The firm specialises in investing in growth companies emerging from the world’s top universities and research ecosystems. With a global outlook, Future Planet Capital backs innovative start-ups and scale-ups that address major global challenges such as climate change, health, education, sustainable growth, and security. The team combines deep investment expertise with strong connections to leading academic institutions, supporting science-based and technology-driven businesses that deliver both commercial success and positive societal impact.
Future Planet Capital’s mission is to invest in high growth companies that address the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change, health, education, security, and sustainable growth. The firm aims to create value for people and the planet by backing innovative businesses that combine commercial success with measurable positive impact.
Future Planet Capital is committed to responsible investment practices, integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into every stage of its investment process. As a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, the firm incorporates ESG factors into analysis, decision making, and ownership, and seeks appropriate disclosure and transparency from portfolio companies.
Core values include:
Future Planet Capital was founded in London in 2015 by Douglas Hansen-Luke, a former asset manager with experience across the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa. After more than a year of research into university spinouts and academic innovation, Douglas launched the firm to bridge the gap between large institutional investors and world-leading university research and enterprise.
He was inspired by the global impact of university-originated ventures such as Facebook and Google and saw an opportunity to channel capital into similar high-potential companies at scale. Future Planet Capital was established to connect prominent investors with innovation emerging from top universities, with the aim of backing commercial ventures that can also address pressing global challenges.
Future Planet Capital was created to support deep tech and impact-driven companies by improving access to long-term investment. Its goal has remained consistent: to unite world-class innovation with global capital and accelerate solutions that contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future.
Explore the founders’ professional journey: Douglas Hansen-Luke Linkedin.
Geographic Scope:
Future Planet Capital invests in companies worldwide, with a particular focus on growth stage ventures emerging from the world’s leading universities and research ecosystems. The firm manages global funds and mandates, supports national strategies across the United Kingdom from preseed to Series A, and invests regionally in high growth businesses, especially in the West Midlands.
Sectors of Interest:
Future Planet Capital concentrates on transformative technologies and business models that address major global challenges. Core areas of interest include:
The firm seeks innovations that deliver measurable environmental and societal benefits, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and addressing the world’s greatest challenges.
Future Planet Capital backs high growth companies with strong links to leading universities and research centres. The firm focuses on ventures with scalable business models, innovative science or technology, and the potential for significant positive impact. Every investment is expected to create lasting value for both society and investors, with a clear pathway to commercial success.
Future Planet Capital follows a rigorous, data driven, multi stage assessment process:
This structured process ensures that every investment by Future Planet Capital is selected for its potential to deliver measurable real world impact and strong commercial value.
Future Planet Capital has invested in a diverse range of innovative companies emerging from top universities and research ecosystems, focused on solving global challenges through science-based and technology-driven solutions. Some of the most notable portfolio companies include:
IFAST
IFAST is a financial technology company providing investment platforms and services. Future Planet Capital led a $6.5 million Seed funding round to help expand its technology and market reach. Visit website: IFAST.
23andMe
23andMe is a pioneering consumer genetics and research company, providing direct-to-consumer DNA testing and health insights. Future Planet Capital invested in the company as part of its strategy to back high-impact, science-led ventures. Visit website: 23andMe.
Ikarovec
Ikarovec is focused on advanced engineering solutions. Future Planet Capital participated in an $8.8 million Seed VC round, backing its growth and commercialisation efforts. Visit website: Ikarovec.
Discover more successful investments: Future Planet Capital Portfolio.
Future Planet Capital is backed by a diverse group of funding partners, including public and private investors, sovereign wealth funds, local government pension funds, institutional investors, and family offices. The firm manages over $400 million in assets and has deployed a further $200 million through co-investment initiatives. Its investor base is aligned around a shared objective: achieving both strong financial returns and measurable positive impact, particularly in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Future Planet Capital raises capital through a range of venture funds and mandates, often managing funds on behalf of the UK government, the British Business Bank, and other public bodies such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and regional development agencies. The firm also partners with large corporate investors, royal family offices, and private wealth platforms. Recent initiatives include the launch of the British Co-Investment Fund, a £150 million programme that enables pension scheme managers to allocate capital to high-growth UK businesses with support from both public and private sector clients.
This collaborative approach enables Future Planet Capital to provide growth capital and strategic support to founders developing breakthrough technologies for global challenges. The firm’s capital is typically raised through private investment vehicles and co-investment platforms, ensuring a targeted and mission driven approach to venture funding.
Investment Stage:
Future Planet Capital invests across a broad range of stages, with a focus on growth companies emerging from the world’s top universities and research ecosystems. The firm manages funds that support businesses from pre-seed and seed through to Series A and later stages, and it has a specific mandate for growth stage and scale-up investments.
Equity:
The firm typically makes equity investments, acquiring shares in the companies it supports. It also uses convertible instruments and co-investment structures, offering adaptable and founder-friendly funding solutions.
Funding:
Funding is sourced from a mix of public and private investors, including sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, institutional investors, and family offices. Future Planet Capital manages both dedicated funds and co-investment vehicles, and it regularly leads or co-leads funding rounds in partnership with other major investors.
Recent Developments:
Future Planet Capital is currently in an active investment phase, expanding its portfolio of companies that address pressing global issues such as climate change, public health, education, national security, and sustainable economic growth. Notable developments include:
This approach ensures Future Planet Capital can continue to identify, invest in, and scale high-potential companies around the world, delivering long-term value while driving measurable environmental and social impact.
Future Planet Capital invests in innovative, high-growth companies that address urgent global challenges such as climate change, health, education, security, and sustainable growth. The firm’s portfolio targets solutions with measurable environmental and societal impact, including decarbonisation, resource efficiency, and the integration of clean technologies across sectors and geographies.
Each investment is selected through a rigorous, data-driven process that assesses both commercial potential and real-world impact. Future Planet Capital uses proprietary tools such as the Impact Value Gap and a comprehensive impact framework, developed in collaboration with PwC, to evaluate the scale and significance of each company’s positive contribution to people and the planet. For example, portfolio company Oxford Flow produces advanced pressure regulators that help reduce methane emissions and enable renewable energy integration, while Synova addresses landfill waste and pollution with innovative waste-to-syngas technology.
Future Planet Capital actively supports its portfolio companies with strategic insight, tailored impact measurement tools, and connections to a global network of investors, researchers, and sector experts. The firm works closely with founders to develop robust impact metrics and performance indicators, and prioritises exit strategies that safeguard and scale positive outcomes for people and the planet.
Future Planet Capital is an active member of the impact investment community, aligning its strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and collaborating with academic, public, and private sector partners to advance a more sustainable and equitable future.
Future Planet Capital supports its portfolio companies with much more than financial investment, offering founders strategic guidance, operational expertise, and access to a global network of industry experts, leading universities, and innovation partners. This hands-on approach helps early and growth-stage companies address key challenges around scaling, from product development to market entry and international expansion.
The firm is deeply engaged with the wider innovation and investment ecosystem. Future Planet Capital collaborates with academic institutions such as the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, public bodies including UKRI and the British Business Bank, and industry groups such as the British Venture Capital Association (BVCA). These partnerships enable the firm to share insights, foster cross-sector collaboration, and promote best practices in sustainability, innovation, and governance.
Through these networks, the firm connects its portfolio companies with the latest sector developments, policy initiatives, research, and partnership opportunities. It also helps founders adopt leading impact measurement tools, such as its proprietary impact framework developed with PwC, ensuring that companies benefit from both commercial and societal advancements.
This broader engagement enhances the outcomes of Future Planet Capital’s investments, reinforcing its mission to back ventures that deliver strong financial returns alongside meaningful progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Future Planet Capital is led by an experienced team with deep expertise in venture capital, science, innovation, and business development. United by a shared commitment to investing in companies that address global challenges, the team combines backgrounds in investment, technical innovation, and operational management to support founders with strategic guidance and access to a broad industry network.
Leadership and Key Team Members:
Douglas Hansen-Luke, Executive Chairman
Founder and driving force behind Future Planet Capital, Douglas has over two decades of experience in asset management and impact investing, with a focus on connecting global capital to world-leading innovation.
Andrew Muir, Investment Director and Fund Principal
Andrew leads investment for the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund, bringing extensive experience in deep tech venture capital, life sciences, and fund management.
Surjit Kooner, Director (Joint MEIF Fund Principal)
Surjit is a chartered accountant with over 18 years of fund management and additional experience in corporate finance, supporting high-growth businesses in the Midlands.
Jessica Hill, Head of Investor Relations
Jessica manages relationships with investors, leveraging her background in finance and stakeholder engagement.
Julie Davies, Fund Accountant
Julie is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Advisor, responsible for fund reporting, valuations, and financial operations.
Malika Arshad, Business Development Manager
Malika supports business development and investor outreach, with previous experience at Credit Suisse and a background in international development.
Sara Banares, Marketing Associate
Sara manages marketing and communications, with a background in international business and experience with The Conservative Party and The Commonwealth Games.
Additional team members
The team also includes investment professionals, portfolio managers, accountants, and sector specialists with backgrounds in science, technology, finance, and operations.
Learn more about the team on the Future Planet Capital team page.
Are you building innovative solutions for global challenges and seeking early stage or growth funding? Discover how Future Planet Capital can accelerate your journey by visiting the Future Planet Capital website.
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