The Artists Collective has officially launched as the United Kingdom’s first artist-led investment platform, introducing a new model for how cultural figures engage with the startup ecosystem. After quietly backing 20 early-stage technology companies during a low-profile beta period, the Collective is now stepping into the spotlight with the aim of pairing capital and creative expertise to accelerate innovation.
Bringing together high-profile figures such as Maya Jama, Daniel Kaluuya, Jack Whitehall, Roman Kemp and Tom Grennan, the platform creates a bridge between the worlds of entertainment and venture capital. The goal is to give founders access to funding and the professional networks, audiences and commercial opportunities that artists can open up.
The initiative was founded by brothers Fergus and Ruari Bell, known for creating The Players Fund, the UK’s first athlete-led venture firm. With the Artists Collective, the Bells are expanding their model beyond sport to the wider creative industries enabling longer-term collaboration between artists and founders and moving beyond short-term promotional partnerships.
“Artists want a trusted home to invest together, learn together and support founders where it actually counts,” said Ruari Bell, Managing Partner of The Artists Collective. He emphasised that the focus is on quiet execution with tangible results, rather than publicity-driven activity. The Collective sits within The Players Fund ecosystem and often co-invests alongside its athlete network.
Investing with Influence
Unlike traditional celebrity investment approaches, which tend to rely on brief endorsements or social media posts, the Artists Collective is structured to encourage hands-on, long-term engagement. Investments are made directly through the personal portfolios of participating artists, while The Players Fund team oversees fund management, due diligence and portfolio support.
The Collective invests between £50,000 and £300,000, primarily in Seed and Series A rounds, with a sector focus that includes:
- Artificial intelligence and B2B software
- Cybersecurity and fintech
- Healthtech and media
- Emerging creative technologies
While the majority of activity will centre on the UK and Europe, the Collective has already co-invested alongside international venture firms and is positioning itself as a long-term contributor to both domestic and global startup pipelines.
Participating artists support portfolio companies by facilitating introductions, opening commercial doors and enabling brand partnerships, helping startups scale faster by connecting them to audiences and opportunities not typically accessible through standard venture channels.
A New Blueprint for Cultural Capital
The launch of the Artists Collective consolidates a number of smaller, informal artist investor groups into a single unified platform. This structure is designed to:
- Increase access for founders to creative sector networks
- Build a community for artists to learn investment skills
- Expand who participates in early-stage innovation
- Encourage responsible, well-supported deployment of cultural capital
This model reflects a broader shift in the venture landscape, as non-traditional investors, including athletes, entertainers and public figures, take more active roles in supporting innovation. Rather than serving as passive capital, these investors are increasingly engaging as strategic partners.
For founders, this offers a potential competitive edge: brand reach, storytelling support, cultural insights and quicker access to customers and markets.
Looking Ahead
By officially launching, the Artists Collective signals growing confidence in the value of blending creative and commercial intelligence. With high-profile backers, a pipeline of early investments and an emphasis on practical support, the platform is positioning itself as a new kind of venture partner, one that sits at the intersection of culture and technology.
As the UK and European startup ecosystems continue to mature, the Collective’s approach could pave the way for broader artist participation in tech, expanding who gets to shape the industries and innovations of the future.