SIS Ventures

SIS Ventures is an Edinburgh-based impact venture capital investor founded in 2018 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SIS Group (Social Investment Scotland). Authorised and regulated by the FCA and Scotland's first signatory to the Operating Principles for Impact Management, SIS Ventures provides equity or debt financing to purpose-driven Scottish companies with global ambitions, targeting investments that generate conventional financial returns alongside measurable social or environmental outcomes aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The firm's leadership includes Chair David Ovens, Social Investment Scotland CEO Alastair Davis, Head of SIS Ventures Jill Arnold, and Executive Director Arran Dewar. SIS Ventures manages two main vehicles: the Impact First Fund (launched 2019, approximately GBP 5.6 million deployed over five years into 14 businesses that subsequently unlocked around GBP 65 million in follow-on funding) and Impact Fund II (targeting up to GBP 5 million in additional capital). Although broadly sector-agnostic, the firm concentrates on IP-rich companies in life sciences, climate tech, cleantech, circular economy, and agribiotech. Check sizes are typically GBP 100,000 to GBP 500,000 with lead-round capability. The firm leads rounds and has invested in 16 companies, including MiAlgae — the microalgae-based sustainable omega-3 producer where SIS led an $18.5 million Series A alongside Scottish Enterprise, having first backed the company with GBP 350,000 in 2022 — and a disclosed exit to Darktrace. Two new investments were made in the 12 months to early 2025. SIS Ventures operates at the frontier of Scotland's deep-tech and sustainability ecosystem, providing patient impact capital to founders who might otherwise struggle to access early-stage equity in a market where most VC activity concentrates in London and the South East.