About this programme
The London Co-Investment Fund (LCIF) is a public-private venture capital vehicle backed by £25m from the Mayor of London through the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), matched by up to £60m from private co-investment partners. It was launched in 2014 to back pre-seed and seed-stage London companies alongside a panel of venture capital firms, rather than making direct decisions itself.
LCIF does not pick companies on its own. It co-invests alongside a panel of appointed co-investment partners — venture firms and angel syndicates who source, diligence and lead deals — with LCIF putting Mayor of London capital in behind the partner's own investment. Co-investment partners named on the official site include Newable, Playfair VC, Seedcamp, Beacon Capital, Albion Capital, Startup Capital Funds, Venture Founders and Concentric VC.
The fund is operated by 2026 SME Wholesale Finance (London) Limited, trading as Funding London, and is currently accepting applications from SMEs via the F6S platform.
The official portfolio page lists dozens of disclosed investee companies spanning fintech, SaaS, proptech, healthtech and climate tech — including 9fin, Ably, Benivo, Cognism, AI-Build, Beeline, Blue Skies Space, Chaser HQ and ClusterMarket — giving a sense of the kind of London science/tech/digital company the fund and its partners have backed historically.
How it works
LCIF invests only alongside an appointed co-investment partner — a VC firm or syndicate already leading the round — rather than taking applications and deciding independently. The partner sources and diligences the deal and LCIF's Mayor-of-London-backed capital sits alongside the partner's own cheque.
Funding London periodically runs a competitive process to appoint new co-investment partners to the fund; the roster of active partners has changed over the fund's life (partners named on the official site include Newable, Playfair VC, Seedcamp, Beacon Capital, Albion Capital, Startup Capital Funds, Venture Founders and Concentric VC).
Per the official LCIF portfolio page, the fund has deployed £27m (including reinvested exit proceeds) across 155 SMEs, and investee companies have created or safeguarded over 5,627 jobs since the fund's 2014 launch.
How to apply
- LCIF does not run its own open application form — access is via the fund's appointed co-investment partners, who lead and diligence deals themselves.
- The official LCIF portfolio page directs interested founders to register interest via F6S at f6s.com/london-co-investment-fund-lcif ("Tell us about your startup here"), which routes submissions to Funding London / the LCIF team for triage.
- Founders can also contact Funding London directly at hello@fundinglondon.co.uk to ask which of the current co-investment partners is the right fit for their sector and stage.
Frequently asked
Is LCIF a grant?
No. LCIF is an equity co-investment fund — it takes shares in the company alongside a private co-investment partner, it does not give non-dilutive money.
Can I apply to LCIF directly?
There is no standalone LCIF application process that bypasses a co-investment partner. The official route is registering interest through F6S (f6s.com/london-co-investment-fund-lcif) or contacting Funding London, who connect founders to the relevant co-investment partner leading deals in that sector.
Does my company have to be based in London?
LCIF is a Mayor of London / London Economic Action Partnership fund and its stated purpose is backing London companies; the official pages do not publish a precise, current eligibility checklist (sector list, funding-round size, or office-location rule), so confirm current criteria directly with a co-investment partner or Funding London before assuming your company qualifies.
Who actually decides whether LCIF invests in my company?
The co-investment partner does. LCIF only invests alongside a partner that has already chosen to lead or join the round — Funding London does not run its own independent selection process for individual deals.
Is LCIF still investing?
Yes. The official LCIF portfolio page lists Funding London as actively accepting startup applications via F6S alongside its current panel of co-investment partners.
What has LCIF invested in before?
The official LCIF portfolio lists dozens of disclosed companies across fintech, SaaS, proptech, healthtech and climate tech, including 9fin, Ably, Benivo, Cognism, AI-Build, Beeline, Blue Skies Space and ClusterMarket.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.