13books Capital
13books Capital is a London-based specialist venture capital firm that backs founders building B2B financial technology businesses across payments, banking infrastructure, insurtech, digital assets and wealth. It was founded in 2019 as Element Ventures by Steve Gibson and Michael McFadgen, later joined by former HSBC vice-chairman Spencer Lake, and rebranded to 13books Capital in November 2023. The firm invests from seed to Series A with ticket sizes of roughly GBP 1m to 7m. It closed a USD 130m founder-backed first fund in 2021 and a GBP 121m second fund in July 2024, with institutional limited partners including British Patient Capital, KfW Capital, Isomer Capital and IPGL. 13books Capital LLP is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 924067.
Key facts
Recent exits
Coverage notes
2 funds tracked, 26 portfolio companies (25 active · 1 realized). Verified weekly from public filings and deal announcements.
Sector breakdown
26 companiesFunds & portfolio
Every fund 13books Capital has raised, with its portfolio companies. Hand-checked from public filings.
13books Capital Fund IIVC2024 · 2yr€142M15 active
Unrealized
15 held| Company | Sector | Geo | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fintech |  France | 2023 | |
| Fintech | France | 2025 | |
| AI/ML |  Germany | 2026 | |
| ClimateTech | Germany | 2024 | |
| Fintech |  UK | 2024 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2026 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2024 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2025 | |
| Gaming | UK | 2025 | |
| AI/ML | UK | 2026 | |
| Software | France | 2024 | |
| Fintech | France | 2024 | |
| E-commerce |  Spain | 2025 | |
| Fintech |  Ireland | 2026 | |
| Mobility | UK | 2024 |
France· Entry 2023France· Entry 2025Germany· Entry 2026Germany· Entry 2024UK· Entry 2024UK· Entry 2026UK· Entry 2024UK· Entry 2025UK· Entry 2025UK· Entry 2026France· Entry 2024France· Entry 2024Spain· Entry 2025Ireland· Entry 2026UK· Entry 2024Element Ventures Fund IVC2021 · 5yr€120M10 active · 1 realized
Unrealized
10 held| Company | Sector | Geo | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Services | UK | 2022 | |
| Fintech | Germany | 2022 | |
| Fintech |  Sweden | 2021 | |
| Cybersecurity | UK | 2021 | |
| InsurTech | Germany | 2021 | |
| Fintech |  Denmark | 2022 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2022 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2022 | |
| Fintech | UK | 2022 | |
| Fintech | Estonia | 2022 |
UK· Entry 2022Germany· Entry 2022Sweden· Entry 2021UK· Entry 2021Germany· Entry 2021Denmark· Entry 2022UK· Entry 2022UK· Entry 2022UK· Entry 2022Realized
1 exit| Company | Sector | Geo | Entry | Exit | Type | Buyer | MOIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fintech | Sweden | 2021 | 2024 | Trade Sale | – |
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About 13books Capital
13books Capital is a pure-play fintech venture capital firm with Fund II closed July 2024 at £121 million (~€144 million) and two funds raised to date as of December 2024, headquartered in London. The firm was founded in 2019 by Steve Gibson and Michael McFadgen (later joined by former HSBC vice-chair Spencer Lake), with LPs including British Patient Capital, KfW, Isomer Capital and IPGL. 13books has invested in approximately 19 fintech portfolio companies to date.
Investment thesis
13books Capital deploys capital through two funds, targeting seed to Series A venture capital with cheque sizes of approximately £1-7 million as a concentrated fintech specialist. Sector focus spans fintech sub-verticals including embedded finance, payments, insurtech, wealthtech, regtech and compliance and crypto and digital-asset infrastructure. Geographic deployment is the UK and broader Europe. The platform combines career fintech operators with senior banking leadership, backing European founders from seed to Series A.
Recent activity
Recent realised exits include subscription-management fintech (2024) and digital-asset and crypto exchange infrastructure. Recent acquisitions include embedded invoicing and API fintech (Series A) and a digital wealth management platform (Series A). The platform continues active deployment across the European fintech seed-to-Series-A mandate. Detailed buyer names and multiple data available on Pro at €29/month.
Investment team
Senior partners. Hand-checked from public filings and the firm's own site.
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United Kingdom·€184MGet the full picture on 13books Capital.
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