{{Short description|UK venture capital fund}} {{Infobox website | name = SyndicateRoom | logo = | location_city = Cambridge | location_country = United Kingdom | CEO = Graham Schwikkard | industry = Venture capital | employees = 17 | url = {{URL|https://syndicateroom.com}} | commercial = Yes | type = Venture capital fund | language = English | founder = Gonçalo de Vasconcelos, Tom Britton | launch_date = 21 September 2013 }} '''Syndicate Room Ltd''',<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-08 |title=Syndicate Room Ltd overview - Find and update company information - Gov.uk |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07697935 |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=Companies House |language=en}}</ref> trading as '''SyndicateRoom''', is a UK venture capital fund, headquartered in Cambridge, founded by Gonçalo de Vasconcelos and Tom Britton in September 2013.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Startup of the year 2014: SyndicateRoom|url=https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2015/apr/14/startup-of-the-year-2014-syndicateroom|date=2015-04-14|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Crowdfunding: gimmick or revolution?|url=https://life.spectator.co.uk/articles/crowdfunding-gimmick-or-revolution/|date=2015-10-03|website=Spectator Life|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref> The company is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://register.fca.org.uk/ShPo_FirmDetailsPage?id=001b000000NMhvGAAT|title=Financial Conduct Authority|website=register.fca.org.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-05-14}}</ref>
SyndicateRoom initially launched as an equity crowdfunding platform for high-net-worth individuals and angel investors.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Crowdfunding in search of the next Apple or Facebook|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f8942cae-35e0-11e9-bd3a-8b2a211d90d5|last=Asgari|first=Nikou|date=2019-03-01|website=Financial Times|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=SyndicateRoom stands out from the crowd with its investor-led approach|url=https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/126167/syndicateroom-stands-out-from-the-crowd-with-its-investor-led-approach-126167.html|date=2016-05-19|website=Proactiveinvestors UK|language=en|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In October 2019, the company announced that it would adopt a venture capital fund investment model, and would no longer offer individual crowdfunding investment opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SyndicateRoom Email Indicates Shift to 'Fund First Approach' to Investing|url=https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2019/10/153553-syndicateroom-email-indicates-shift-to-fund-first-approach-to-investing/|last=Alois|first=J. D.|date=2019-10-31|website=Crowdfund Insider|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
==History== SyndicateRoom was founded by Gonçalo de Vasconcelos and Tom Britton on 21 September 2013.<ref name=":0" /> The pair met while studying at the Cambridge Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Crowdfunding Startups Thrive in the U.K., Where Anyone Can Play Angel Investor|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-05-27/crowdfunding-startups-thrive-in-the-u-dot-k-dot-where-anyone-can-play-angel-investor|last=|first=|date=2014-04-27|website=Bloomberg|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In April 2014, SyndicateRoom was named Startup of the Year by The Guardian Small Business Showcase.<ref name=":0" />
In June 2014, SyndicateRoom investors committed £700,000 to Radio Physics Solutions, a startup which builds technology to detect 3D printed guns.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Radio Physics Solutions Raises £700K To Detect 3D Printed Guns|url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/06/03/you-talking-to-me/|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In May 2015, SyndicateRoom raised £1.2m in seed funding on its own crowdfunding platform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Syndicate Room raises £1.2m in 33 hours {{!}} Business Weekly {{!}} Technology News {{!}} Business news {{!}} Cambridge and the East of England|url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/financial/syndicate-room-raises-%C2%A312m-33-hours|website=www.businessweekly.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In March 2016, SyndicateRoom was the first crowdfunding platform to offer public market investment opportunities after being accepted as a member company of the London Stock Exchange,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=SyndicateRoom raises $4.5M Series A to push for growth in equity capital markets – TechCrunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/23/syndicateroom-raises-4-5m-series-a/|website=techcrunch.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-14}}</ref> although it has since closed down the public markets area of its platform.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Fedor|first=Lauren|date=2016-03-14|title=A crowdfunding platform has joined the public markets|language=en|url=http://www.cityam.com/236683/crowdfunding-platform-syndicateroom-teams-up-with-london-stock-exchange-to-allow-individual-investors-to-participate-in-ipos|access-date=2018-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title='Crowdfunding is growing up': SyndicateRoom just partnered with the London Stock Exchange|work=Business Insider|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/syndicateroom-get-intermediary-status-with-london-stock-exchange-2016-3|access-date=2018-05-14}}</ref>
In May 2016, SyndicateRoom raised £3.1m funding in series A round led by Abcam founder Jonathan Milner.<ref name=":1" />
In June 2016, SyndicateRoom launched FundTwenty8, the first passive Enterprise Investment Scheme fund.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Product Review: SyndicateRoom Fund Twenty8|url=https://www.ftadviser.com/2016/06/24/pensions/product-review-syndicateroom-fund-twenty-t1Xl1zttj1rC8cfM2IUL6K/article.html|last=Rickman|first=Craig|date=2016-06-24|website=Financial Times Adviser|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=From car refinancing to data tools: Five new alternative finance products making life easier for the retail investor|url=https://www.cityam.com/car-refinancing-data-tools-five-new-alternative-finance/|date=2016-07-28|website=CityAM|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In July 2019, Gonçalo de Vasconcelos stepped down as CEO and was replaced by Graham Schwikkard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.altfi.com/article/5573_syndicateroom-ceo-goncalo-de-vasconcelos-steps-down-crowdfunding-pioneer|title=Crowdfunding pioneer Goncalo de Vasconcelos steps down as SyndicateRoom CEO - AltFi News|website=AltFi|language=en|access-date=2019-07-24}}</ref>
In September 2019, SyndicateRoom launched Access EIS, the first data-driven Enterprise Investment Scheme fund.<ref>{{Cite web|title=SyndicateRoom Transitions to Pre-funded Offerings with EIS Fund. Crowdfunding No More|url=https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2020/02/156615-syndicateroom-transitions-to-pre-funded-offerings-with-eis-fund-crowdfunding-no-more/|last=Alois|first=J. D.|date=2020-02-29|website=Crowdfund Insider|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
In October 2019, the company announced that it would adopt a new fund-first investment model, and would no longer offer individual equity crowdfunding investment opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2019/10/153553-syndicateroom-email-indicates-shift-to-fund-first-approach-to-investing/|title=SyndicateRoom Email Indicates Shift to 'Fund First Approach' to Investing|last=Alois|first=J. D.|date=2019-10-31|website=Crowdfund Insider|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-14}}</ref>
In April 2020, SyndicateRoom invested in Oxford-based laundry startup Oxwash, alongside Twitter co-founder Biz Stone.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Oxwash bags $1.7M for a cleaner spin on laundry|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/04/oxwash-bags-1-7m-for-a-cleaner-spin-on-laundry/|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Cook|first=James|date=2020-05-04|title=Twitter co-founder invests in laundry start-up's £1.4m funding round|language=en-GB|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/05/04/twitter-co-founder-leads-14m-funding-round-laundry-start-up/|access-date=2020-05-18|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
In March 2022, SyndicateRoom invested in London-based startup Slip.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Patricia |date=2022-03-25 |title=London-based startup Slip raises €897k to revolutionise the retail experience |url=https://www.eu-startups.com/2022/03/london-based-startup-slip-raises-e897k-to-revolutionise-the-retail-experience/ |access-date=2022-06-07 |website=EU-Startups |language=en-US}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.syndicateroom.com/ Official website]
Category:Venture capital firms of the United Kingdom Category:Financial services companies established in 2013 Category:2013 establishments in England