Investment group Guinness Ventures has announced the launch of Guinness Founders SEIS, a new service designed to invest in early-stage UK companies.
Launched under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), Guinness Ventures is targeting a raise of £3m, with plans to build a portfolio of up to 20 companies to receive investments between £100,000 and £250,000.
The investment vehicle will look at early-stage companies in areas such as business services and healthcare, with a particular focus on pre-revenue firms.
“We’ve spent over a decade building the relationships, expertise, and infrastructure needed to identify and support Britain’s most promising growth companies,” said Shane Gallwey, chief executive of Guinness Ventures.
“The Guinness Founders SEIS is a natural extension of that work – giving investors access to the very earliest stage of the journey, where the right combination of capital and hands-on support can make the biggest difference.”
As a SEIS venture, the scheme will allow significant tax relief for investors. Guinness Ventures is targeting full deployment in the 2026/27 tax year.