Entrepreneur First

Entrepreneur First (EF) is a global talent investor founded in 2011 by Alice Bentinck and Matt Clifford. EF's unique approach focuses on helping individuals build technology companies from scratch, often before they have a team or specific idea. This model emphasizes selecting ambitious individuals based on their potential and providing them with the resources to find co-founders and develop their startups. Operating in major cities such as London, Singapore, Berlin, Paris, Bangalore, and Toronto, EF has successfully created over 500 companies with a combined valuation exceeding $10 billion. Some of their most notable investments include Tractable, a computer vision company valued at $1 billion; Magic Pony Technology, which was acquired by Twitter for $150 million; and Omnipresent, a remote HR platform. EF typically invests around £80,000 in each startup in Europe, C$100,000 in Canada, and SG$75,000 in Asia, in exchange for a 10% equity share. Their portfolio boasts significant exits like Deliveroo, PassFort Limited, and Trussle, showcasing their effectiveness in nurturing early-stage startups. EF's investment philosophy prioritizes talent over pre-existing ideas, enabling them to partner with ambitious individuals early in their entrepreneurial journey. The firm has received backing from prominent figures and institutions, including Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, and John and Patrick Collison, co-founders of Stripe. This strong support system, coupled with EF's robust program, helps founders develop their ideas, find co-founders, and secure further investment from top-tier venture capital firms.