London-Based BNVT Capital Launches $150M Fund To Back AI And Tech Companies Tackling Global Challenges

Rory Mounsey-Heysham, managing partner at BNVT Capital said: "LPs and entrepreneurs are crying out for investors who see the world’s biggest challenges not as a moral quandary, but as vast untapped markets. A big problem is simply a big market waiting to be served."

BNVT Capital is a global venture capital firm founded by Rory Mounsey-Heysham (formerly Gates Foundation) and Chris Corbishley (formerly Hedosophia). With offices in London, New York, and Riyadh, the firm follows the principle of Benevolent Disruption leveraging proprietary returns data to show that solving major global challenges is also sound business.

Their approach is built on the study, "Benevolent Disruption: The Fortune in Solving the World’s Biggest Problems", co-authored with Professor Josh Lerner of Harvard Business School and VenCap International PLC (a large VC allocator) and academics at MIT and Oxford University.

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Analysing proprietary data from over 500 VC funds and 14,000 companies spanning 40 years, the study revealed a significant untapped source of investment value: only 30% of venture-backed companies address major global problems, yet these firms have historically generated 51% higher returns than their peers.

Chris Corbishley, managing partner at BNVT Capital said: "Investors have missed a striking pattern in their own data. For too long, investors have been backing fads, not needs – distracted by incremental technologies making life marginally faster, cheaper, or easier. Venture capital is about swinging for the fences – backing solutions that can reshape society for the better. That is what Benevolent Disruption is about."

The fund has already invested in 11 companies across Europe and the U.S., including Swap Commerce (UK), Cloover (Germany), and Dawnguard (Netherlands), often co-investing with global firms like TPG, Iconiq, Lowercarbon, and QED.

The idea began when Mounsey-Heysham noticed Bill Gates’ success investing in solutions to global problems, a pattern Corbishley later saw in his Hedosophia portfolio.

BNVT Capital says the fund comes at a time of debate over business’s role in society, positioning its approach as a "third way" between ESG criticism and unchecked capitalism.

Barry Sternlicht, CEO of Starwood Capital, added: "The greatest economic value comes from investing in mission-driven brands that don’t just follow the market – they redefine it."

The fund’s approach has drawn backing from prominent entrepreneurs and investors, including leaders from Shopify, Google, Octopus Energy, and Remitly, as well as institutional support from Starwood Capital, Investcorp, TPG, and others.

BNVT portfolio Founder Sam Atkinson, Founder of Swap Commerce, said: "BNVT has been pivotal in rapidly scaling Swap through strategic capital and deep expertise. Their global industry insights have directly shaped our growth strategy and product evolution."

While Jodok Betschart, Founder of Cloover, said: "BNVT has been a fundamental partner in accelerating Cloover’s growth, unlocking over $100 million in funding capacity and connecting us with world-class climate investors. Their deep expertise in climate tech has been instrumental."

BNVT Capital aims to grow its portfolio to 25–30 companies worldwide over the next two years, demonstrating that addressing the world’s biggest challenges offers some of the most profitable opportunities in venture investing.

About BNVT Capital

Founded in 2023 BNVT Capital is a global venture capital firm with offices in London, New York and Riyadh. Launched by former Gates Foundation, Hedosophia, and Goldman Sachs investors, the firm follows the principle of Benevolent Disruption showing that solving major global problems can generate significant business returns.