Ufi Ventures Bulletin:March 2024
The latest insights in EdTech for adult skills for work
As Spring begins to set in, we're bringing you the latest news from our portfolio companies and useful content from across the EdTech sector. We're delighted to share our latest report in collaboration with Tyton Partners The Jobs Frontier 2024, exploring the investment landscape for vocational technology. Updates in this bulletin also include: Portfolio news – Three Ufi Ventures portfolio companies make EdTech top 50 list; Ufi Ventures and CAPSLOCK at BVCA Investment Forum; Portfolio company Slinger feature in Barclays' and Beauhurst report. Useful content - Insightful read on the lack of readily investable 'Green Skills' startups; Ufi Ventures speaking at Learning Technologies 2024; opportunities to test and develop your venture idea.
We hope you have a great start to the Easter holidays and enjoy reading! The Ufi Ventures Team Before we jump in, please be sure to follow us @ufiventures on LinkedIn and Twitter for regular updates on what we're up to.
The Jobs Frontier 2024: Catalysing the future of workforce developmentIn our latest report in collaboration with Tyton Partners, we explore the investment landscape for vocational technology including: - Trends that are shaping work, employment and
vocational education, including the impact of artificial intelligences.
- Perspectives on the key political moments coming in 2024.
- A review of the investment and funding landscape.
- A detailed assessment of the UK’s progress towards a future in which vocational skills are celebrated and valued as the engine upon which the UK economy is built.
"The need to accelerate the just transition has never been more pressing. We believe that all stakeholders, including those investing
private capital, have a crucial role to play. Our ongoing analysis of the VocTech and Future of Work ecosystem gives us cause for hope, particularly where we see thoughtful combinations of cutting-edge technologies and human intelligence."
We hope our 2024 report provides some inspiration to investors, innovators, and other stakeholders in the UK and beyond.
Three Ufi Ventures portfolio companies make EdTech top 50 list Ufi Ventures portfolio companies have made BusinessCloud's EdTech 50 ranking for 2024, celebrating the UK's most innovative education tech creators. Ufi Ventures portfolio companies AutonoMe, Metaverse Learning and FlashAcademy all made the EdTech list. Follow the link below to find out how each organisation is innovating in the EdTech sector and helping to get more adults learning.
Ufi Ventures and CAPSLOCK at BVCA Investment ForumHelen Gironi, Director of Ufi Ventures, joined the panel with Dr Andrea Cullen, CEO and Co-Founder of CAPSLOCK, to discuss the portfolio company's success and how investors can continue to build the UK as a centre of excellence for impact investing. CAPSLOCK removes barriers to reskilling in high demand sectors, such as cybersecurity, enabling those looking to retrain to access
quality work. Last year, CAPSLOCK won the Excellence in Impact 2023 award in the Portfolio Company (Social Impact) category at the BVCA summit. Follow the link below to find out how CAPSLOCK impressed the judges.
Portfolio company Slinger feature in Barclays' and Beauhurst reportWe're delighted to have featured in a report from Barclays Eagle Labs and Beauhurst, alongside our portfolio company Slinger. The report on impact, environmental and social signals in startups and scaleups, provides insights into impact driven companies across the UK. On page 14, Theo-Lee Houston, CEO and Founder of Slinger, shares his thoughts on the investor landscape. He said: “The landscape of investor interests is evolving. Many investors who previously prioritised growth are now shifting towards a more sector-specific focus. It's challenging operating in the social space as investors need investments to make good returns so they can't just be focused on impact."
News: GoodTech Ventures announce first cohortTwelve new ventures have been announced as the first cohort of the GoodTech Ventures Accelerator, supporting impact-led
tech start-ups to deploy digital technologies into social and public service delivery. Delivered by Catch22 in partnership with Social Tech Trust and Unity Ventures with support from Ufi, Microsoft and the UK government, the accelerator supports the founders to scale their ventures and navigate the complexities of social innovation. Helen Gironi, Director of Ufi Ventures, said: "At Ufi we champion the development and use of vocational technology to help adults gain skills for work. We are particularly pleased that this first cohort includes a strong set of ventures innovating in this space.”
Don't miss: Apply for next round of GoodTech Ventures AcceleratorIf you're interested in joining the next GoodTech Ventures cohort, there's still some time left
to apply before the deadline on 2 April 2024. The GoodTech Ventures Community and Accelerator is making it easier for early-stage impact-led tech ventures to design, build and deploy game-changing digital technologies into social and public service delivery. As part of the cohort, you will receive one to one personalised guidance and opportunities to test and refine your solutions through Catch22's supply chain and network partners.
Insight: Green investment dream, not what it seemsEllasaid Woodhouse, Investment Associate at Ufi Ventures,
wrote a thought provoking article on why there is a lack of 'Green Skills' startups that are readily investable in the UK. Ellasaid explores one particular part of the market and unpicks why it doesn't appear ready yet for significant growth. She said: "I predicted (the perhaps obvious point) that the most mature parts of the climate tech market would be where ‘green skills’ start-ups are created... However, despite this prediction coming true and companies being created, in this seemingly mature market segment, why haven’t Ufi Ventures made an
investment?"
Don't miss: Ufi Ventures speaking at Learning Technologies 2024Helen Gironi, Director at Ufi Ventures, will be speaking at this year's Learning Technologies conference on 18th April 2024. Helen will be joined by Nic Newman, Partner at Emerge Education, to share insights into why certain innovators in EdTech are getting funding and the investment landscape in the UK and US. They will be discussing topics including: - EdTech macro trends
- investor strategies in learning tech
- US & EU investment insights
- Balancing
innovation and risk
- Forecasting EdTech's next leap
Find Helen and Nic at Conference Theatre 5 at 15:50 on Thursday 18 April for the panel 'T5S6 - EdTech funding'.
Apply now: No Wrong Door Innovation ChallengeDo you have an idea for how to enhance collaboration across the jobs and skills ecosystem in London? Our strategic partners at Resolution Foundation have partnered with Allia and the Greater London Authority to deliver the No Wrong Door Innovation Challenge. The challenge aims to ensure Londoners can find timely and appropriate support to help them find good work, no matter where they started from. The challenge is looking for new ideas that enhance collaboration among
various job and skills training entities to assist Londoners in securing quality employment. 15 innovators will be supported to develop and test new solutions in the market. Apply to the challenge before submissions close on 18th April 2024.
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