Sapphire & Sustainable Ventures: Investing in Sustainability
Fund Type EIS Venture Capital Funds Challenge Given the complexities of UK venture fund management and the obligation for an FCA‑authorised firm to oversee investments, Sustainable Ventures Investment Management Limited required a regulated investment manager. Partnering with Sapphire in t...
"Working with Sapphire has shown us how valuable it is to have a trusted UK venture fund manager. They helped us launch the SEIS and EIS funds simultaneously and handled everything with regulatory knowledge and clear communication. It’s been a pleasure working with Sapphire, and we’re excited to keep building this partnership in the future."
Stuart Ferguson, Investment Partner @ Sustainable Ventures
"Over the past year, Sapphire has shown time and again that we made the right choice. Their expertise with SEIS and EIS schemes stands out, and they always deliver work to a high professional standard. We feel confident that our regulatory and compliance needs are in good hands."
Julia Groves, Investment Partner @ Sustainable Ventures
About Sustainable Ventures
Sustainable Ventures is a UK climate-tech company that has focused on developing commercial solutions to address key sustainability challenges for more than ten years.
Sustainable Ventures works with over 1,000 startups and more than 54 portfolio companies, offering investment, workspaces, programmes, and business services. By focusing on these entrepreneurs, they learn about the climate-tech sector and its main areas.
the challenge
In 2024, Sustainable Ventures embarked on launching two investment funds. Acknowledging the complexity of the UK venture capital regulatory environment, the team recognised the need for a proven, FCA-authorised investment manager. They needed a partner capable of navigating the SEIS/EIS fund management framework while providing the depth of regulatory and operational expertise required.
the solution
In 2025, Sustainable Ventures became an Appointed Representative (AR) of Sapphire, enabling it to operate under Sapphire's regulatory oversight. Sapphire assumed responsibility for managing the regulatory and compliance obligations, allowing Sustainable Ventures to focus on deal sourcing. This structure supported the successful dual launch of two investment vehicles, the Sustainable Ventures SEIS Impact Fund and the Sustainable Ventures EIS Impact Fund.
The decisive factor in selecting Sapphire as a partner was our extensive investment management experience and our specialist expertise in structuring SEIS/EIS funds. Our combination of FCA-authorised status, dedicated SEIS/EIS focus, and a proven fund management track record of more than 15 years made Sapphire the natural choice for Sustainable Ventures.
The dual launch of both Sustainable Ventures funds not only highlighted our capability to manage multiple complex fund launches in parallel but also evidenced our proficiency in implementing SEIS and EIS structures jointly.
“They enabled the simultaneous launch of both our SEIS and EIS funds and managed the entire process with regulatory expertise, clarity, and ease."
Stuart Ferguson, Sustainable Ventures Investment Partner.
the results
The partnership and ongoing collaboration between Sapphire and Sustainable Ventures have led to the launch of both the Sustainable Ventures SEIS Impact Fund and the Sustainable Ventures EIS Impact Fund. These funds aim to support new companies developing commercial solutions to global sustainability challenges, with a sector focus on clean energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and more. Sectors that are crucial to addressing key sustainability and decarbonisation goals.
This collaboration demonstrates that, with dedicated teams and the right professional and industry experience, launching SEIS/EIS funds can be a highly efficient and well-managed process.
next steps
If you would like advice on how to set up an investment fund, such as a GP/LP fund or an EIS fund, or if you need an FCA authorised operator and manager to manage the fund, or need pricing and options, contact us, and we will be in touch right away.
Disclaimer:
Sapphire Capital Partners LLP ("Sapphire") is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 565716). The case study above is illustrative only and does not represent investment performance or future outcomes and the content on this webpage is intended solely to explain Sapphire’s fund-management and advisory services. It is not a financial promotion for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and does not constitute investment advice, an offer, or an inducement to engage in any regulated investment activity. Nothing on this page should be interpreted as a recommendation regarding any investment, fund, scheme or structure. Any person considering an investment should obtain independent financial, legal and tax advice. Investments in start-ups, early-stage businesses and venture capital funds involve high risks, including the risk of losing all capital invested, illiquidity, and dilution. Tax treatments, including SEIS/EIS reliefs, depend on personal circumstances and may change. Communications with Sapphire’s staff are for general information only and should not be relied upon to make investment decisions.
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