At a time when investors are increasingly seeking both financial returns and measurable societal impact, Eka Ventures has reached a major milestone. The London based firm has announced the final close of its second fund at $107 million, establishing itself as the largest early stage impact venture capital investor in the UK focused on health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
Scaling Impact Investing in the UK
Founded in 2018, Eka has built its strategy around the belief that impact and returns are not mutually exclusive. Instead, the firm argues that some of the most significant commercial opportunities of the coming decade will arise from companies reshaping essential systems such as healthcare, consumption, mobility, and energy use.
With the close of its second fund, Eka’s total assets under management now stand at approximately $200 million. The new capital will allow the firm to deepen its support for early stage startups while maintaining its focus on pre seed and seed stage investments.
Three Structural Shifts Driving Strategy
Eka’s investment approach is guided by three major structural shifts that it sees as defining future markets.
The first is the transition from reactive to preventative healthcare. Despite the UK’s substantial healthcare spending, only a small proportion is allocated to prevention. Eka sees strong potential in startups focused on early detection, behaviour change, and digital health solutions that improve access and outcomes.
The second shift centres on the decarbonisation of consumer driven emissions. As consumer activity now accounts for a significant share of emissions, the firm is targeting businesses that influence how people eat, travel, and consume energy, as well as those reshaping supply chains and infrastructure.
The third area focuses on expanding access to the social determinants of health. Eka highlights opportunities in sectors such as insurance, housing, education, and community services, where technology can improve access for underserved populations while delivering scalable commercial returns.
Together, these themes intersect with some of the largest consumer markets, creating opportunities for founders to build impactful and high growth businesses.
Strong Performance from Fund I
Eka’s first fund has delivered strong results, ranking in the top five per cent for key performance metrics within its 2021 vintage. The portfolio includes companies such as Runna, which was later acquired by Strava, as well as Urban Jungle, Hived, and Jude.
The firm has also developed an AI driven sourcing platform that has played a key role in identifying investment opportunities. Since 2021, nearly half of Fund I investments have originated from this system, which is designed to discover founders operating outside traditional venture networks.
Expanding Support with Fund II
With its second fund, Eka plans to invest in up to 30 UK based startups, maintaining an average initial investment of around $2 million. The firm will continue to lead or co lead the majority of its deals while reserving capital for follow on funding.
Beyond capital, Eka aims to provide increased support to founders as they scale, leveraging its expertise and network to help companies navigate growth and maximise impact.
Backed by Leading Institutions
Eka’s investor base includes a range of prominent institutions such as British Business Bank, Better Society Capital, The Health Foundation, and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, among others.
These partners share a common belief that financial performance and positive societal outcomes can reinforce each other, helping to drive the growth of impact investing at scale.
Looking Ahead
As global challenges such as climate change, healthcare access, and social inequality continue to intensify, the demand for solutions that combine innovation with impact is growing rapidly.
Eka’s latest fund positions it to play a central role in supporting the next generation of startups tackling these issues. By aligning commercial success with meaningful change, the firm is helping redefine the relationship between profit and purpose in venture capital.