Richard Anson

Venture Partner

2022 - Current

Focussed on deeptech, supporting science and technology ventures. Octopus Ventures helps pioneers change the world. Our investment team is built to specialise in the five areas we believe will change the world for the better: Health, Money, Deep Tech, Consumer & B2B SaaS. With £1.3 billion under management and investing over £100m a year, Octopus Ventures is one of the largest and most active venture investors in Europe.

 Typical investment is from £1 million for Seed to £10 million for Series B with the ability to fund the companies backed right through to IPO. Octopus Ventures has invested in the founding teams of over 120 companies including Zoopla Property Group, Secret Escapes, Graze, Depop and Cazoo
. Octopus Ventures is part of Octopus Group, a group of innovative, entrepreneurial businesses investing in the people, ideas and industries that will help to change the world, with more than £9.1bn under management.

Academic Lead

2019

A first of its kind in the UK, Conception X is a venture builder that creates deep tech startups from PhDs. Turning universities into incubators, we empower PhD students to explore entrepreneurship as a viable and exciting career, connecting them with the resources, mentors and deep tech investors that can help them turn research into real world results.

Senior Teaching Fellow In Entrepreneurship

2017

Director

2014

Advisory practice focussing on new ventures covering business models, value proposition development, market engagement, commercial strategy (pricing and go to market), new product development, strategic partnerships, team shape and fund raising. Clients include: public companies, accelerators and start-ups.

Strategy Director and EiR

2019 - 2022

Entrepreneur in Residence

2014 - 2019

True is an investment and innovation firm that’s reimagining business. True supports and grows businesses through investment, innovation and visionary brand collaborations. Our vision is for a world in which what’s good for people and what’s good for profit leads us to make the same choices: to build business the right way.

Chairman (Formerly Non Executive Director)

2016 - 2020

With nearly 40,000 Influencers (Instagrammers and Youtubers) on the platform, The Blogger Programme is becoming the default platform for Brands and Influencers to connect and collaborate.

Non Executive Director

2014 - 2018

Old street labs' product Vizibl enables enterprises to forge deeper and more valuable relationships with their buyers and suppliers.

Founder (formerly CEO, now Non-Exec)

2005 - 2018

Reevoo is a leading user generated content marketing platform delivering outstanding results for over 300 brands, many of whom are household names.

Lecturer in Strategy, Marketing & Innovation

2014 - 2017

Non Executive Director

2012 - 2013

InvisibleHand is a leading browser extension and web/mobile application that provides consumers with the lowest price on shopping, flights and car hire. Its unique real-time price technology has led to it being used internally by several of the largest retailers & manufacturers in the US & UK for competitive price intelligence.