Haymarket Ventures is looking to invest in early-stage businesses prior to Series A funding rounds, and is interested in start-ups across the broad technology and media sectors, where it holds in-house expertise including martech, adtech, fintech and greentech among others.
Haymarket Ventures has already made its first investment in London-based startup GEEIQ, a marketing, data and analytics platform and consultancy. GEEIQ helps brands optimise their strategies across the entire gaming and esports industry, from insights and counsel, to navigating the future Metaverse. Customers include Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger and L'Oreal Group, and games it’s helped its clients partner or integrate with include Pokémon Go and Roblox. Haymarket’s Media Group chair, Rupert Heseltine, sits on the advisory board of GEEIQ and has worked with the business since 2020.
Kevin Costello, chief executive at Haymarket said: “Haymarket Ventures is an exciting new chapter for the Group, working with talented, mission-driven entrepreneurs and diversifying Haymarket’s offering further.”
“It was clear from the outset that GEEIQ was a great fit as our first investment. Co-founders Charles, James and Andrew are expertly absorbed in the gaming space and the success in their mission-driven, innovative approach is clearly reflected in the success seen already after just three years and look forward to everything that’s still yet to come.”
Charles Hambro, co-founder and CEO at GEEIQ added: “It was important that we found investors who are excited by our vision, believed in our platform and aligned with our operational and financial needs. We can happily say we’ve found that with Haymarket Ventures.
“It’s been brilliant to have Rupert’s involvement and guidance since the early days of GEEIQ and getting Haymarket Ventures as a shareholder made perfect sense to help us grow and expand. Once considered geeky and niche, the gaming industry is now immersed in mainstream culture and this funding will help us keep ahead of the fast-paced digital ecosystem we’re in.”
Costello concludes: “I would urge any UK business looking for, or thinking about, early-stage funding to get in touch with us and discover how we can help take your company to the next level.”
