Meet the Managers with Reece Chowdhry at Concept Ventures

Welcome to the first instalment of our 'Meet the Manager' blog series, where we at Thema, a strategic LP for VCs, introduce you to the trailblazers shaping the venture ecosystem.

In this series, we're kicking off with an inspiring figure: Reece Chowdhry, the Founding Partner of Concept Ventures, the UK’s largest dedicated pre-seed software fund, standing at £54 million.

Concept VC raised their first GP/LP vehicle in July 2022, securing a £30 million cornerstone commitment from the British Business Bank. 

In 24 months, they've become a key institutional pillar in UK pre-seed financing, with their first fund showing breakout performance. Fund I is currently a top decile global performing fund for all vintages >2018.

Concept VC has to date invested in the pre-seed rounds of companies such as ElevenLabs, which was recently valued as a unicorn at $1.1bn after raising a Series B from the likes of a16z and Sequoia, and Treefera, which raised a $12m Series A.

Reece Chowdhry is no stranger to VC, having invested in over 80 startups, raising several pre-institutional tax-efficient funds. His track record has earned him accolades as a Top Asian Tech Investor by Diversity UK.

What sets Reece apart isn’t just his ability to spot winners but also his commitment to giving back.

Through the Concept Venture Pledge, a portion of Concept's exit profits goes to social causes chosen by the founders, reflecting Reece’s dedication to making a positive impact.

His efforts to promote diversity have also been recognised by the Financial Times, naming him one of the top 100 BAME leaders in tech.

Get ready to dive into Reece Chowdhry's story, learn from his experiences, and gain insights that could help shape your journey in the world of venture capital.‍

Which three individuals (known or unknown to you) helped you the most in your journey?

Sam Ettelaie, Matt Pennycard, and Arjun Patel.
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Could you describe your fund's focus?
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A dedicated Pre-Seed VC fund investing in software companies with a people-centric approach.
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How did you break into VC?
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Founder, Angel, then early-stage VC.
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What advice would you give to first-time fund managers?
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Start small and prove yourself and the model (strategy, access and value-add) before looking to scale as a fund management entity and raise substantially larger funds.
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What trend are you most excited about?
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Legacy industries being transformed e.g. insurance, commodities etc.
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If you follow an early morning routine, what does that look like?
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7am start, exercise, sauna, walk, reading at the office.
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If you could have a superpower (aside from being able to see the future!), what would it be?
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Reading people's minds.

We hope you enjoyed this installment of Meet the Managers, follow us on LinkedIn for more quickfire interviews with successful fund founders.