What investment strategy does Big Issue Invest focus on?

Big Issue Invest focuses on Growth strategies in the private equity space.

How many portfolio companies does Big Issue Invest have?

Big Issue Invest has 15 active portfolio companies and 1 fund tracked on GP Intel.

Where is Big Issue Invest headquartered?

Big Issue Invest is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

What is Big Issue Invest's assets under management?

Big Issue Invest manages approximately €117M in assets under management.

When was Big Issue Invest founded?

Big Issue Invest was founded in 2005.

What sectors does Big Issue Invest invest in?

Big Issue Invest invests across Business Services, Healthcare, Consumer.

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Big Issue Invest

London, United Kingdom·Founded 2005·

Growth Equity

·bigissueinvest.com

Big Issue Invest is the social-impact investment arm of The Big Issue Group, providing loans and equity to UK social enterprises and charities tackling poverty and inequality since 2005. The regulated manager, Big Issue Invest Fund Management Ltd, is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority under firm reference number 610618 as a full-scope alternative investment fund manager. It has deployed over GBP 100 million through funds including the Social Enterprise Investment Funds I and II, the Growth Impact Fund and the Social Impact Debt Fund.

AUM

€117M

Funds

vintages 2022

Portfolio

Exits

Big Issue Invest is a London growth equity firm with €117M AUM and 15 active companies.

SectorsBusiness Services Healthcare Consumer

Sector breakdown

15 companies

Consumer

4 · 27%

Education

3 · 20%

HR Tech

2 · 13%

Mobility

1 · 7%

Business Services

1 · 7%

EdTech

1 · 7%

HealthTech

1 · 7%

Fintech

1 · 7%

Key facts

HQLondon, United Kingdom

Founded2005

Websitebigissueinvest.com

Recent exits

No exits recorded yet.

Coverage notes

1 fund tracked, 15 portfolio companies (15 active · 0 realized). Verified weekly from public filings and deal announcements.

Funds & portfolio

Every fund Big Issue Invest has raised, with its portfolio companies. Hand-checked from public filings.

1 fund

Fund

Strategy

Vintage

Size

Assets

Exits

Growth Impact Fund

Impact2022€29M15 assets

Impact

2022 · 4yr

€29M

–

Unrealized

15 held

Company	Entry
Blike Mobility · UK	2026
Doing What Really Matters Education · UK	2023
Generation Success Education · UK	2023
Genius Within Business Services · UK	2024
Harry Specters Consumer · UK	2023
Inclusion Labs EdTech · UK	2023
Kalda HealthTech · UK	2024
Lightning Reach Fintech · UK	2023
Living in Fitness Consumer · UK	2024
Neuropool HR Tech · UK	2023
Patchwork Hub HR Tech · UK	2024
Ruka Consumer · UK	2025
Sociability Software · UK	2025
The Black Farmer Consumer · UK	2025
Ultra Education Education · UK	2024

About Big Issue Invest

Big Issue Invest is a UK social impact investor with more than £100 million deployed since 2005 (£9.4 million deployed in 2024/25, more than tripling year-on-year in its 20th year), headquartered in London. The firm was founded in 2005 by Big Issue Group entrepreneurs John Bird and Nigel Kershaw and operates as a social enterprise (a company limited by guarantee) part of the Big Issue Group, B Corp certified.

Investment thesis

Big Issue Invest deploys capital through multiple funds including the Growth Impact Fund and the Outcomes Investment Fund, targeting social impact investing via social impact loans (£20,000-£4 million), equity and quasi-equity and blended finance with grant support to social enterprises and charities. Sector focus spans affordable and precarious housing and homelessness, employment support, health and wellbeing, learning disability and neurodiversity support and social business. Geographic deployment is the United Kingdom, focused on the most deprived communities. The mission-locked investor targets capital at the UK's most deprived areas with each deal structured around social outcomes.

Recent activity

As a social impact lender, realisations are primarily loan repayments rather than equity exits and are not individually disclosed. Recent investments include an accessibility-tech social enterprise (Sociability) and a homelessness-focused hospitality and employment venture (2024-2025), plus an ex-Standard Bank CEO appointed Chair in January 2026. The platform continues active deployment across the UK social impact mandate.

Frequently asked questions

What investment strategy does Big Issue Invest focus on?: Big Issue Invest focuses on Growth strategies in the private equity space.
How many portfolio companies does Big Issue Invest have?: Big Issue Invest has 15 active portfolio companies and 1 fund tracked on GP Intel.
Where is Big Issue Invest headquartered?: Big Issue Invest is headquartered in London, United Kingdom.
What is Big Issue Invest's assets under management?: Big Issue Invest manages approximately €117M in assets under management.
When was Big Issue Invest founded?: Big Issue Invest was founded in 2005.
What sectors does Big Issue Invest invest in?: Big Issue Invest invests across Business Services, Healthcare, Consumer.