A group of some of Britain’s best-known cultural figures has launched a new multi-million-pound investment platform aimed at backing early-stage businesses, positioning itself as a modern, creator-led alternative to traditional angel investing.
The initiative, called The Artists Collective, brings together high-profile names including Maya Jama, Jack Whitehall, Roman Kemp, Daniel Kaluuya and Tom Grennan, who will invest their own capital into promising UK and European start-ups.
The collective has been quietly backing businesses for several months and has already invested in around 20 early-stage technology companies, with individual deals typically ranging from £50,000 to £300,000.
Unlike traditional pitch-led TV formats such as Dragons’ Den, the model focuses on long-term collaboration rather than one-off publicity. Founders gain not only funding but access to the artists’ commercial networks, audiences and brand-building expertise, assets increasingly valued by consumer-facing and digital-first businesses.
The Artists Collective was established by brothers Fergus Bell and Ruari Bell, founders of The Players Fund, which has built a reputation for working with elite athletes as angel investors.
Ruari Bell, managing partner at The Artists Collective, said the aim was to give artists a structured way to invest responsibly and founders access to support that goes beyond capital.
“Artists want a trusted home to invest together, learn together and support founders where it actually counts,” he said. “We’re pairing capital with targeted support that drives tangible results, rather than short-term promotional noise.”
The collective invests at Seed and Series A stage, with a focus on AI, B2B software, cybersecurity, fintech, healthtech and media businesses. While the primary focus is on the UK and Europe, the group has already co-invested alongside major global venture firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, SV Angel and Seedcamp.
Investments are made through the artists’ personal portfolios, with fund administration and due diligence handled by The Players Fund team.
Participating artists are expected to support portfolio companies through introductions, partnerships and commercial opportunities, particularly in marketing, distribution and brand strategy, areas where traditional investors may have limited reach.
The launch mirrors a wider trend seen in the US, where sports and entertainment figures such as Serena Williams and LeBron James have built substantial investment portfolios by backing start-ups early and leveraging their personal brands to accelerate growth.
For UK founders, the rise of artist-led capital reflects changing dynamics in venture funding, where distribution, cultural relevance and audience access are increasingly as valuable as balance-sheet strength.
While comparisons to Dragons’ Den are inevitable, insiders stress that The Artists Collective is designed as a professional investment platform rather than an entertainment product, albeit one that is well placed to harness platforms such as TikTok to surface new entrepreneurial talent.
As traditional funding routes remain tight for early-stage businesses, particularly outside London, initiatives like this could play a growing role in shaping the next generation of UK scale-ups.
