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Sheba Ventures

For founders

We back founders before the obvious data arrives.

If you're raising pre-seed to Series A and building something ambitious, here's how we can help and how to get our attention.

Apply for funding See our portfolio

What we look for

Signals that get us excited

01

Founder–market fit

You have lived the problem, sold to the customer or built in the market. Your insight is earned, not researched.

02

Speed and resourcefulness

You ship quickly, learn from customers and do a lot with a little. Momentum matters more than polish.

03

A big, specific wedge

A focused starting point in a market large enough to build a category-defining company.

04

Early proof

Usage, revenue, pilots or letters of intent: evidence that customers want what you are building.

What you get

More than a cheque

We keep our portfolio concentrated so every founder gets real partner time.

  • £250k–£1.5M first cheque, with reserves to follow on
  • A partner who answers the phone, usually the same day
  • Warm introductions to customers, hires and co-investors
  • Help preparing for your next round, from narrative to data room
  • Peer community of founders building across our markets
  • Standard, founder-friendly documents and fast closing

The process

Application to term sheet

Every application is read by our team. Here's what happens next.

Start your application
  1. 1

    Application

    Day 0

    Apply online with your deck and key metrics. Every application is read by a member of the investment team.

  2. 2

    Screening call

    Within 2 weeks

    A 30-minute conversation about you, the problem and the market. We'll tell you honestly whether we're likely to proceed.

  3. 3

    Partner meeting

    Weeks 2–3

    A deeper session with two partners on product, go-to-market and your plan for the round.

  4. 4

    Due diligence

    Weeks 3–5

    Customer calls, financial model review and references: focused, proportionate and run in parallel to save you time.

  5. 5

    Investment committee

    Week 5

    You'll meet the full partnership. We aim to give you a decision within 48 hours.

  6. 6

    Term sheet

    Week 6

    Clear, founder-friendly terms using standard documents. We work with your counsel to close quickly.

FAQ

Questions founders ask us

Can't find your answer? Email hello@sheba.ventures.

What stage do you invest in?
Pre-seed, seed and Series A. Our first cheques range from £250k to £1.5M, and we reserve capital to follow on in later rounds.
Do you lead rounds?
Yes. We prefer to lead or co-lead, and we're happy to help you assemble the rest of the round with trusted co-investors.
Which geographies do you cover?
We invest in companies building in or for African markets, and in diaspora-founded companies building from the UK and Europe.
Do I need a warm introduction?
No. We read every application submitted through our online form, and many of our portfolio companies applied cold.
How long does the process take?
Typically about six weeks from application to term sheet. We'll always be clear about timing, and if we can't move forward we'll tell you quickly.
What do you need from me to apply?
A short description of the company, your team, traction, the round you're raising and a pitch deck link. A good application takes about 20 minutes.
Will you sign an NDA?
Like most venture firms we don't sign NDAs at the application stage, but we treat everything you share as confidential and never share it outside the firm without permission.
Can I track my application?
Yes. Once you apply you can sign in to the founder portal to see your application's status and message our team.

Ready when you are.

We read every application and reply to every founder. If you're raising pre-seed to Series A, we'd love to hear from you.

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