Organization · Venture Studio
Horseplay Ventures
Horseplay Ventures is a venture studio based in Hoxton, London, focused on supporting early-stage startups by connecting them with a network of angel investors. The organization aims to nurture talent and facilitate significant business exits.
Overview
What Horseplay Ventures does
What Horseplay Ventures is
Horseplay Ventures is a venture studio based in Hoxton, London, focused on supporting early-stage startups by connecting them with a network of angel investors. The organization aims to nurture talent and facilitate significant business exits.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and program host capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Venture Studio
- Founded
- Founded in 2020
- Approximate age
- About 6 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Program host
- Last reviewed
- March 5, 2026
What Venture studio means
A venture studio is an organization that systematically creates new startups by generating or sourcing ideas, validating them, building early products, recruiting founders or operators, providing shared resources, and retaining meaningful equity in the companies it helps create.
Open the glossary entryOfficial channels
Find Horseplay Ventures elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Horseplay Ventures as a funder
Investment thesis
Horseplay Ventures invests in early-stage startups across various sectors, providing support and guidance to founders. The organization emphasizes collaboration with a network of angel investors to facilitate funding and growth.
Focus narrative
Horseplay Ventures invests in early-stage startups across various sectors. They provide support and guidance to founders, helping them navigate their entrepreneurial journeys. The organization emphasizes collaboration with a network of angel investors to facilitate funding and growth for startups.
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Seed+
- Regions
- United Kingdom
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Not published
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 7
- Recorded notable exits
- DesignMyNight, him & hers, Klayvio, Zeus Scooters, Maven, and AppHarvest, plus 1 more
Portfolio context
Horseplay Ventures has a portfolio of notable companies, including: DesignMyNight: Disrupted the bar and restaurant online discovery scene in London, pivoted to a B2B software model, achieving significant growth and a successful exit in November 2017. him & hers: Exited in June 2021. Klayvio: Exited in November 2022. Zeus Scooters: Exited in September 2022. Maven: Exited in 2023. AppHarvest: Exited in April 2021. Minu: Exited in 2023.
Capability profile
Horseplay Ventures as a program host
Program thesis
Horseplay Ventures is dedicated to empowering early-stage startups through strategic investments and a robust support network. Their mission is to foster growth and innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Focus narrative
The focus of Horseplay Ventures is on early-stage startups, offering support and guidance to founders. They emphasize collaboration with a network of angel investors to facilitate funding and growth, ensuring that startups have the resources they need to succeed.
Value and support
Founders working with Horseplay Ventures gain access to a network of angel investors, strategic guidance, and support tailored to their entrepreneurial needs. This collaboration aims to enhance their chances of achieving significant business exits.
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Seed+
- Regions
- United Kingdom
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Notable alumni of Horseplay Ventures include DesignMyNight, which disrupted the online discovery scene in London and achieved a successful exit in 2017; him & hers, exited in 2021; Klayvio, exited in 2022; Zeus Scooters, exited in 2022; Maven, exited in 2023; AppHarvest, exited in 2021; and Minu, exited in 2023.
Common questions
What to know about Horseplay Ventures
Upseed classifies Horseplay Ventures under the Venture Studio organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and program host capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 5, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.