Investor Profile: Crane Venture Partners — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Crane Venture Partners is a London-based early-stage venture capital firm that backs outlier founders building foundational technologies, from inception through seed. Founded in 2015 by Scott Sage and Krishna Visvanathan, both previously at DFJ Esprit, with partner Andy Leaver, Crane describes itself with the motto "first to believe, last to leave", and works as an extended member of its founders' teams.

Thesis and sectors

Crane invests in the platforms and tools that become tomorrow's software infrastructure. Its themes span artificial intelligence systems, developer innovation, infrastructure software, robotics and post-quantum security, with a consistent focus on data and data-driven solutions for the enterprise. Although headquartered in London and rooted in Europe, the firm takes a global view, backing founders across Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific who are building category-defining companies.

Fund size and cheque size

Crane closed its first institutional fund, Crane I, at $90 million in 2019, and its second fund, Crane II, at $140 million in 2022. In September 2026 the firm announced it had raised $484 million across four investment vehicles to build a globally connected inception-to-seed platform. The British Business Bank committed £35 million to Crane III in October 2026, describing the fund as backing founders from inception to seed. Crane has not published a single standard cheque figure, so founders should expect a seed-stage conversation sized to the round rather than a fixed ticket.

Notable portfolio and partners

Early Crane investments included Tessian, Senseon, Aire, AVORA and Stratio Automotive. Its more recent portfolio, showcased on its own site, includes Encord, Qovery, Gigs, Silverflow and CoMind. Founders publicly credit the firm with hands-on help on go-to-market strategy, sales hiring and international expansion, and Crane's partners say they work most closely on marketing, sales and customer success. Its limited partners have included MassMutual Ventures and British Patient Capital.

Programs run and credits

Crane does not run a published accelerator or credits programme. Its value-add is delivered through the partnership itself: operational support, strategic introductions and follow-on support through critical company-building moments. The firm also hosts events and community activity across the European technology ecosystem, but founders should not expect a formal programme with published perks.

How to apply for funding

Founders building foundational technology at inception or seed stage should approach Crane through its website at crane.vc. The strongest pitches show a technically differentiated product, a credible path to becoming infrastructure for other companies, and a founding team that wants a hands-on partner on go-to-market, not just capital. Warm introductions from portfolio founders or co-investors help, but the firm states plainly that it backs founders anywhere, so a cold approach with a sharp thesis is still worth making.