Blue Lake VC closes in on first fund with British Business Bank backing for immigrant-led startups
UK-based Blue Lake VC has secured a cornerstone commitment from the British Business Bank, the UK's largest institutional investor in venture capital. Ukrainians David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, founding... Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, Blue Lake VC writes the first institutional cheques for early-stage immigrant entrepreneurs building global technology companies.
Key Takeaways
- VC Fund Blue Lake VC closes in on first fund with British Business Bank backing for immigrant-led startups Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, Blue Lake VC writes the first institutional cheques for early-stage immigrant entrepreneurs building global technology companies.
Cate Lawrence 2 hours ago Share Share Send email Copy link UK-based Blue Lake VC has secured a cornerstone commitment from the British Business Bank , the UK's largest institutional investor in venture capital.
- But according to proprietary survey data from Blue Lake of over 1,200 immigrant founders, more than 90 per cent say they can't access the networks or capital they need at the earliest stages.
Gilgur and Guk know this exact problem firsthand as immigrant entrepreneurs and see a gap and an opportunity that Blue Lake VC is addressing.
- It writes the first institutional cheque for early-stage international founders building global products.
- Blue Lake VC was the next thing they built together.
Building community first Gilgur and Guk started by building the community, forming a foundation for the future fund.
- According to Lyubov Guk, co-founder and General Partner, Blue Lake VC: "I have lived experience of coming to the UK with no network and access to capital, building here, and facing the same challenges and gaps as the founders we invest in.
Stats & Key Facts
- #In 2022, they launched International Office Hours - a programme that has since connected over 600 international founders with more than 70 UK investors, putting Blue Lake in the room with talent long before the rest of the market notices it.
- #Later, they opened Oasis: a physical hub in London that has become a 'home away from home' for over 600 immigrant founders and investors, hosting curated events, workshops, international delegations, and AMAs with leading VCs in the market.
- #Over the past four years, they proved their thesis by investing in startups they met through International Office Hours and Oasis via a Blue Lake Angel syndicate, which made 11 investments in early-stage companies founded by immigrants.
Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, Blue Lake VC writes the first institutional cheques for early-stage immigrant entrepreneurs building global technology companies. VC Fund Blue Lake VC closes in on first fund with British Business Bank backing for immigrant-led startups Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneurs David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, Blue Lake VC writes the first institutional cheques for early-stage immigrant entrepreneurs building global technology companies. Cate Lawrence 2 hours ago Share Share Send email Copy link UK-based Blue Lake VC has secured a cornerstone commitment from the British Business Bank , the UK's largest institutional investor in venture capital.
Ukrainians David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk, founding partners of Blue Lake VC, are backing exceptional immigrant founders in the UK. Immigrants are behind more than half of the UK's fastest-growing companies. But according to proprietary survey data from Blue Lake of over 1,200 immigrant founders, more than 90 per cent say they can't access the networks or capital they need at the earliest stages.
Gilgur and Guk know this exact problem firsthand as immigrant entrepreneurs and see a gap and an opportunity that Blue Lake VC is addressing. Over the past six years, David Gilgur and Lyubov Guk have been laying the foundations of Blue Lake VC. What started as angel investing and the Blue Lake Syndicate, with hands-on support for founders, has grown into Oasis, the largest international founder community and hub in London.
For more details please read the original article at Tech.eu.
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