Following the insightful exploration of the UK's top female venture capitalists in Part 1, this second installment delves even deeper into the stories and achievements of more remarkable women shaping the investment landscape. These leaders not only bring transformative capital to the UK’s most promising startups but also redefine industry standards through their dedication to diversity, impact, and strategic growth. Here’s a closer look at the trailblazing women driving change in the UK's venture capital scene.

Emma Steele - Partner at Ascension

Emma Steele is a Partner at Ascension, where she leads the firm’s impact funds, focusing on sectors and business models that deliver both commercial and impactful returns. She manages fundraising, deployment, and portfolio management for Ascension's flagship Fund III, a £50 million initiative aimed at supporting talented founders who are using technology to address challenges like the cost of living crisis. Before joining Ascension in January 2018, Emma worked in the charity sector at Eastside Primetimers to enhance charity revenue sustainability and held roles at Santander UK in corporate banking, specializing in large corporations and healthcare finance; she holds an MSc in Development Economics and a BSc in Philosophy, Politics & Economics.

Emmanuelle (Febvay) Brizay - Founder and Partner at AC8 Invest

Emmanuelle (Febvay) Brizay is the Founder and Partner at AC8 Invest, with over two decades of experience in private equity and investments. She has taken on investor roles in various companies, including Spore.Bio and Ephemera Group, spanning biotech to consumer services. Additionally, she has co-founded Panoply City, led Petite Mendigote, and served as a board member in multiple organizations.

Esha Vatsa - Partner at Mercuri VC

Esha Vatsa is a Partner at Mercuri VC, where she started as a Venture Partner in March 2024 and was promoted to Partner by July 2024. She has a broad investment background with a focus on PropTech, social commerce, and fintech, having worked at Forward Partners, Vision Funding, and Pi Labs. Esha holds an MBA from London Business School and a Bachelor of Commerce from Shri Ram College of Commerce, and is also a Chartered Accountant.

Esther Reynal de St Michel Richardot - Founding Partner at THENA Capital

Esther Reynal de St Michel Richardot is the Founding Partner of THENA Capital and an expert in the MedTech industry. With over 15 years of experience in early-stage venture capital, she has advised top pharma and MedTech corporates across the UK, EU, and US. She holds an MBA from the University of Oxford and is also a mentor with TechStars, committed to helping companies grow and improve patient outcomes.

Evgenia Plotnikov - General Partner at Dawn Capital

Evgenia Plotnikov is a General Partner at Dawn Capital, where she leads SaaS investments from early-stage through to pre-IPO, cultivating relationships with founders, VCs, and investors throughout Europe and Israel. With a strong focus on data, automation, and cloud infrastructure, she has directed investments in companies such as BRYTER, Dataiku, Harbr, Granulate, Soldo, and Firebolt. Prior to her role at Dawn, Evgenia was a VC at Atomico, where she drove the firm's expansion into France, and she also worked as an investor at TPG Capital after starting her career at JP Morgan; she holds a master's degree in finance from SciencesPo Paris and studied at the Wharton School, where her passion for startups began.

Evie Mulberry - Managing Partner at Astia Fund

Evie Mulberry is the managing partner at Astia Fund, where she co-led an early-stage venture fund focused on investing in women-led companies. In addition to her role at Astia, she is a Venture Partner at Conduit Connect, which aims to scale innovative impact technologies addressing critical global issues. With a background that includes significant experience in both venture capital and the charity sector, she has also held various roles at Astia since 2008 and worked as a solicitor in banking and finance prior to her transition into venture capital.

Fiona Pathiraja-Møller - Owner and Head of Investing at Crista Galli Ventures

Dr. Fiona Pathiraja is a healthtech specialist with extensive experience as a medical director, advisor, and board member for various healthtech startups. A strong advocate for female empowerment, she is one of Europe’s most active angel investors supporting female founders and serves on the boards of trustees for both the Royal College of Physicians and Cheltenham Ladies College. With dual UK board certifications in clinical radiology and public health, Fiona holds a medical degree from UCL, a master’s in public health from the University of London, and an MBA from London Business School, along with experience in developing health policy within the UK government and working as a consultant radiologist in the NHS.

Georgia Stevenson - Partner at Index Ventures

Georgia Stevenson is a Partner at Index Ventures, where she has been since September 2019, focusing on investments from Series A to Series B in various companies, including Empathy and Motorway. Prior to her role at Index Ventures, she worked as an Associate at Northzone and held positions at Deliveroo and VentureFounders, gaining extensive experience in business development and analysis. Georgia graduated with a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Cambridge and has also studied Management at Cambridge Judge Business School.

Gina King - Partner at Supernode Capital

Gina King is a Partner at Supernode Capital, serving since May 2019, and an active angel investor and board member for various startups like Passionfroot, ViralMoment, and Personal AI. She has over a decade of experience in marketing and finance from her time at Jefferies and has a diverse educational background with a BA from UC Berkeley and studies at Stanford GSB.

Hanadi Jabado DL - Managing Partner at Sana Capital

Hanadi Jabado is the Managing Partner at Sana Capital, an investment fund focused on driving innovation in science and technology to create positive global change. With a wealth of experience, she has held various leadership roles, including Director of Enterprise at Cambridge Judge Business School and Executive Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre, where she nurtured early-stage ventures. Additionally, Hanadi serves as Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, promoting civic and charitable initiatives, and is an active board member and advisor for multiple organizations in the health tech and biotech sectors.

Hanel Baveja - Partner at CREANDUM

Hanel Baveja, a Partner at Creandum, is passionate about investing in technology that creates new categories. With a background in creative writing and economics from Harvard, she began her venture career at Insight Partners, followed by three years at Union Square Ventures, where she developed a love for early-stage investing. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, Hanel now works in London, bringing her experience from the U.S. startup scene to the European market while embracing her passion for learning and collaborating with ambitious founders.

Hannah Seal - Partner at Index Ventures

Hannah Seal is a Partner at Index Ventures, a multi-stage international venture capital firm, where she has been since July 2016. She has served on the boards of several companies, including DataSnipper, Remote, and Fonoa, and previously held senior roles at eBay and Ocado Group, focusing on strategy and marketplace development. Hannah holds a BA in Economics from the University of Cambridge, where she studied from 2006 to 2009.

Helen Clark - Partner at Piton Capital

Helen Clark has been a Partner at Piton Capital since April 2008, bringing over 16 years of experience to the firm. Before joining Piton, she worked as an Office Manager at Keyhaven Capital Partners for a year. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Sociology from Kingston University.

Helen Lin - Partner at At One Ventures

Helen Lin, a Partner at At One Ventures, has over 20 years of corporate finance experience spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America. She has worked on mergers and investments at firms like Baird and Houlihan Lokey, led digital transformation initiatives for multinational banks, and developed products for underserved communities at FINCA Impact Finance. Known for her problem-solving skills, she enjoys tackling complex challenges with creative solutions.

Hillary Ball - Partner at Atomico

Hillary Ball is a Partner at Atomico, where she specializes in growth-stage investing, particularly in software as a service (SaaS), consumer internet, and marketplace sectors. With experience at Goldman Sachs and Atomico, she has worked closely with founders from Series A to IPO, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and learning from diverse perspectives. A graduate in politics from Cambridge University, Hillary, who hails from Canada, enjoys stand-up comedy and believes that constraints can foster creativity in business.

Irena Spazzapan - Managing Partner at SystemIQ

Irena Spazzapan is the Managing General Partner at Systemiq Capital, a climate tech venture capital firm focused on driving system change in clean energy, materials, and land use. With a background in energy, she has over 12 years of experience at Goldman Sachs, where she led Gas and Power Origination in Europe, and has held advisory roles with several organizations committed to sustainability. Irena, a CFA charterholder, holds degrees from the University of Trieste and SOAS, and she began her career at UNRWA in Syria.

Irina Haivas - Partner at Atomico

Irina Haivas is a Partner at Atomico, specializing in investments in AI, enterprise software, and health and bio sectors, where she seeks bold, mission-driven founders with a clear vision for tackling significant challenges. With a background in mathematics and medicine—having been a surgical fellow at Harvard Medical School—Irina brings a unique blend of analytical rigor and empathy to her investment approach, focusing on transformative technologies and category-creating opportunities. Previously, she worked as a late-stage investor at GHO Capital Partners and was part of the senior team at Bain & Co., where she advised over 30 companies on innovation and product strategy, while also cultivating deep, trust-based relationships with founders.

Irina Hemmers - Partner at Thoma Bravo

Irina Hemmers is a Partner at Thoma Bravo, leading the firm's London office and expanding its European presence since 2023. Prior to this, she was a Partner and Head of Technology at Inflexion Private Equity and also served on the TMT team at Apax Partners. Irina began her career with McKinsey & Company and holds an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School and an MA in International Economics and Business Studies from Leopold Franzens University.

Itxaso del Palacio - General Partner at Notion Capital

Itxaso del Palacio is a General Partner at Notion Capital, bringing a unique background that combines a decade of classical ballet, experience on an assembly line at DaimlerChrysler, and advanced academic credentials including a PhD in Entrepreneurship. Her journey began in Silicon Valley, where she worked as a Visiting Researcher at UC Berkeley, fueling her passion for technology and innovation, which ultimately led her to London in 2010 to become an entrepreneur, investor, and educator. Since joining Notion in 2018 after launching the UK office for M12 (formerly Microsoft Ventures), Itxaso has invested in numerous startups while teaching entrepreneurship to over 2,000 students, all while fostering a strong commitment to building a premier enterprise technology portfolio in Europe.

Iulia Tudor - Partner at Ascension

Iulia Tudor is a Partner at Ascension, where she leads initiatives to enhance value for the portfolio and stakeholders, focusing on fundraising strategies for portfolio companies, impact and ESG efforts, and investor relations. With nearly a decade of experience in the tech sector, including roles at Startup Institute and TechHub, Iulia honed her skills in operations, community building, and business development while navigating the challenges of expansion and executing go-to-market plans. At Digital Catapult, she strengthened her connections with the investor community and supported startups in their fundraising efforts.

Jan Rutherford - Partner at Scottish Equity Partners

Jan Rutherford is a Partner at Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) and a member of the firm's Investment Committee, bringing over 20 years of investment experience with a focus on healthcare and life sciences software. She co-founded SEP’s Women in Tech Leadership network to promote female representation in technology boardrooms and has been instrumental in investments like Dotmatics and ExcoInTouch, contributing to successful exits in the life sciences sector. Prior to her investment career, Jan held operational and commercial roles at Merck, Novartis, and IQVIA, and she holds a degree in pharmacy and an MBA, in addition to being a Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Jane Elizabeth Reddin - Partner at AlbionVC

Jane Elizabeth Reddin is a Partner at AlbionVC, leading Talent and Platform, where she helps invest in top founders and supports them in scaling their organizations. With over 500 senior hires and 150 startups assisted in building leadership teams, she brings a wealth of experience from her time at EQT Ventures, Balderton Capital, and her own consultancy, The Talent Stack. Jane holds a BA in French and German from Durham University and is passionate about mentoring female entrepreneurs.

Jenny Wang - Partner at Owl Ventures

Jenny Wang, a Partner at Owl Ventures, is deeply committed to improving education accessibility and quality, drawing from her own experience as a first-generation immigrant from a low-income family. Before joining Owl Ventures, she worked at Soros Fund Management, evaluating growth equity and buyout opportunities, and at Barclays as an investment banker specializing in cross-border M&A. Jenny holds an MBA from Stanford, an MA in Education from Stanford Graduate School of Education, and a Bachelor of Commerce from Queen's University, where she was also a varsity athlete.

Julia Andre - Partner at Index Ventures

Julia Andre is a Partner at Index Ventures, having joined the firm in 2019 to focus on B2B SaaS and fintech investments across Europe, with a keen interest in businesses that enhance transaction efficiency and facilitate the digital transformation of retail and commerce. Before Index, she worked at Palantir, where she oversaw commercial deployments and analytics for enterprise clients in various sectors, including banking, oil and gas, financial services, and supply chain management. Julia holds two master's degrees in engineering—one from Stanford University, where she conducted research in anomaly detection, and another from École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.

Julia Choi - Partner at Molbé Capital

Julia Choi is a Partner at Molbé Capital, where she focuses on investments in healthcare (medtech and medical devices), agritech, insurtech, and sports tech. In addition to her role at Molbé, she serves as Head of Business Strategy at Healthcare Business Consulting, providing consulting, fundraising, and mentoring for startups. Julia has extensive experience as a business angel and VC investor, having invested in tech startups since 2016 and previously worked as a VC analyst for CleanTech at SAIF Partners in Hong Kong.

Julia Hawkins - General Partner at LocalGlobe

Julia Hawkins is a General Partner at LocalGlobe, specializing in health and deep tech investments, with a mission to support ambitious and diverse founders who aim to revolutionize healthcare accessibility and improve treatment delivery through technology. Her personal experience navigating health systems for her daughter's rare condition has fueled her passion for enhancing healthcare through better digital tools and innovative therapies. Julia's career began at Goldman Sachs, followed by roles at Last.fm, BBC Worldwide, and Universal Music UK, where she contributed to launching a corporate venture arm, solidifying her commitment to supporting transformative startups in the healthcare sector.

Julia Prakapovich - Founding Partner at Interface Fund

Julia Prakapovich is the Founding Partner of Interface Fund, a pre-seed and seed deep tech fund that has invested in companies like CacheDNA, Motif Neurotech, and Thornhill Therapeutics since its launch in February 2024. She also serves as a mentor for organizations such as Techstars and Nucleate, and is a partner at 256 Network, an exclusive network for decision-makers in private markets. Prior to her current roles, Julia was a partner at Mindrock Capital, where she invested in prominent companies including SpaceX, Udemy, and Discord.

Karen McCormick - Chief Investment Officer at Beringea

Karen McCormick serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Beringea, where she oversees new investments and guides portfolio companies through to their exit strategies. Her investment portfolio includes notable companies such as Fnatic, Watchfinder, and Thread, reflecting her extensive experience in the field. Prior to her role at Beringea, Karen worked at the Boston Consulting Group and led the Watch division of Swiss Army/Wenger, and she has also founded and advised startups; she holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BSBA from Boston University.

Kart Siilats - Founding Partner at Mojo Capital

Kart Siilats, Founding Partner at Mojo Capital, has extensive experience in global financial markets, starting her career at Citigroup’s Global Markets division, where she managed public sector lending and liquidity management. After earning her MBA from INSEAD, she led private equity and venture capital fund investments at Barclays Wealth and contributed to the €100m Baltic Innovation Fund at the European Investment Fund. Kart, a former NCAA champion in high jump and CFA charterholder, also serves as an advisor at Harvard’s Innovation Labs and has mentored at Seedcamp.

Kate Bingham - Managing Partner at SV Health Investors

Kate Bingham, Managing Partner at SV Health Investors, has 30 years of experience in biotech investing, leading the launch of eight drugs for inflammatory, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. She co-leads SV’s biotech franchise, known for creating high-value companies that develop transformative medicines across the UK, EU, and US. In 2021, Kate was awarded a DBE for her role as Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, and she currently serves on the boards of the Francis Crick Institute and ARIA, while enjoying outdoor activities in Wales on weekends.

Katie Marrache - Partner at JamJar Investments

Katie Marrache is a Partner at JamJar Investments, where she has been investing in category-defining consumer brands like Deliveroo, Tails.com, and Tony’s Chocolonely for over 11 years. In addition to her role at JamJar, Katie is an active investor in several other companies, including Flash Pack, Bluecode, Béa Fertility, and Skin + Me. She holds a degree in Human Sciences from the University of Oxford and has also completed an additional business course at Saïd Business School.

The influence of these remarkable female VC partners extends well beyond their investments. They are trailblazers who not only support innovative ventures but also champion diversity, impact, and long-term growth within the UK and global markets. As leaders in their fields, they continue to foster an inclusive, forward-thinking venture capital environment, setting new standards for what is possible in the entrepreneurial world. Stay tuned for the upcoming third part of this series, where we will continue to highlight more of the UK's top female venture capital leaders.