Old College Capital

Old College Capital (OCC) is the University of Edinburgh’s in-house venture investment fund. We aim to support the University’s research, staff and students by investing in high-growth, early-stage businesses associated with the University.

The University has limited funds available to invest in high growth companies associated with the University. The primary vehicle for investing on this basis is Old College Capital (OCC).

When funding permits, the University can sometimes invest outside of the remit of Old College Capital. When opportunities for such funding are open we will highlight them on this page.

Benefits of working with OCC

  • We invest on behalf of the University of Edinburgh, a globally recognised brand.
  • We invest for the long term with any returns used to sustain OCC's activities supporting early-stage companies associated with the University.
  • We have strong working relationships with a wide range of investors, including angel syndicates, venture capital and corporate venture capital firms.
  • We have a reputation as a supportive, fair and responsible investor and are used to working collaboratively with investment partners and management.
  • We do not charge arrangement, research or ongoing monitoring fees on invested funds.
  • We are run by a supportive team of investment experts, with an external investment committee made up of sector and early-stage experts.
  • We are able to leverage the expertise and networks of University alumni, portfolio companies, co-investment partners and our ecosystem.

OCC follows a co-investment model, partnering with experienced private sector investors to leverage the greatest support for companies within the University of Edinburgh ecosystem. We recognise the breadth of talent in this ecosystem and invest in early-stage companies from any field.

Key statistics

  • Committed funds under management: £14m
  • £50m+ of partner co-investment
  • Average first investment £150,000
  • 26 companies in portfolio

Header image: The University's Old College Quad, © http://www.nealesmith.com