Venture.Community Launches Co-Fund to Support Early-Stage Founders

The co-fund was announced at the opening of its new Investor Hub at the Advanced Manufacturing Park and will support Pre-Seed and Seed-stage startups in its accelerator program.

“We can expect our international partners to commit between $10 million to 30 million into South Yorkshire startups within the next three-to-five years,” Venture.Community Founder, Peter Hopton, said during the launch.

Founded in 2024, Venture.Community has pledged to unlock €115 million in VC funding over five years. Its co-fund follows a decentralised, community-first model, giving founders not just capital, but also access to mentorship, guidance, and commercial networks.

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Built on fairness and open collaboration, the co-operative aims to create equal ground for startups and investors, moving away from traditional VC dominance in negotiations. This approach improves market access and builds stronger alignment between founders and funders.

Its accelerator is already showing promise, with six startups—AddParts, Future Greens, Gold Standard Phantoms, Tickets for Good, and TUBR—actively participating across manufacturing, HealthTech, and social impact sectors.

Hopton noted the strong early performance: “Venture.Community’s first cohort since FCA registration has begun and there are six excellent companies that are already making great progress with strategy and commercial traction.”

He added that the regional impact goes beyond the cohort: “For 2024, over £12 million in investment can be traced back to our demo days and open entrepreneurial education events. There’s also strong interest elsewhere in both new co-funds and new ‘Venture.Communities’ in other regions.”

Venture.Community says they are responding to an identified need in South Yorkshire: a region with a deep talent pool in engineering and technology but historically lacking in early-stage capital and startup education.

The Investor Hub, now open at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, will host events year-round and connect Founders with mentors-in-residence. It aims to bridge this gap by offering direct access to funding and experienced guidance.

Hopton explained the broader ecosystem benefits: “This is also critical in South Yorkshire, where we have great engineers and technology but insufficient access to entrepreneurial education and early-stage investment. Our membership includes experienced entrepreneurs that co-operate to help Founders build promising companies as well as enable access to networks for finance and customers..”

The Investor Hub launch on 08 July 2025 brought together founders, investors, and public leaders. Speakers from South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), Mercia Asset Management, Medici Ventures, and the UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA) highlighted the growing support and momentum behind the region’s startup ecosystem.

About Venture.Community

Venture.Community supports founders from MVP to Series A with free education, mentoring, and fundraising help. Using its ValRes® index, it invites startups into a supportive network led by experienced founders. It also helps exited founders explore new ventures, while promoting accountability, faster growth, and regional high-tech job creation.