October 18-20 | Tucson, AZ

The Research Institution GAP Fund and Accelerator Program Summit

Lansdowne Partners launches UK VC fund to scale innovation

Get our Weekly GAP Insights

Join Us

October 16-17, 2025 / Seattle, WA

The annual summit for research institution gap fund and accelerator programs, including proof of concept programs, startup accelerators, and university venture funds

The Story

Lansdowne Partners has launched a venture capital fund focused on backing high potential UK companies emerging from the country’s world class university research base and start up ecosystem. The fund announces a first close of $150 million and will hold a second and final close in December, with indicated interest in excess of the fund cap of $200 million. The fund is anchored by British Business Bank, Aviva Investors, and Lloyds Banking Group, with additional backing from Lansdowne investors and internal partners’ capital.

With this strong institutional support, the fund aims to bridge the gap between early-stage innovation and global commercial success. Lansdowne Partners strongly believes that this strategy offers exceptional potential returns given UK IP is often significantly undervalued relative to international peers. To realise this potential, Lansdowne Partners will work closely with founders to develop their ideas ambitiously, while maintaining rigorous financial discipline.

Source: Lansdowne Partners launches VC fund to scale UK innovation to global commercial success

Consortium For Gap Fund and Accelerator ProgramS

The Consortium provides a dedicated, institutional coordinating forum for collective insight, program refinement, and structured engagement with aligned commercial, investment, and philanthropic partners.

GAP are an interdependent institutional innovation and capital strategy that includes:

  • Translational research

  • Proof of concept programs

  • Startup accelerators

  • University venture funds

Get GAP Insights