DFX Intelligence
Venture Capital Intelligence
Firms, funds, partners, companies and rounds from sworn filings, firm sites and announcements, kept as a graph with a date and a source on every edge. Facts, inferences and estimates are labelled as such. A fund target is never a close, GAV is never dry powder, and a round size is never an investor’s check.
Firms / Molten Ventures Plc
Molten Ventures Plc
Molten Ventures - previously Draper Esprit - is the first European tech-focused VC not tied to five-year cycles. We back brilliant teams with global ambition. You in?
venture manager, reported GAV $2.4M across 1 vehicles
Importance
19
moderate
Active deployment
0
low
Emerging
0
low
Completeness
69
high
Freshness
99
high
Research priority
3
low
Identity and regulatory footprint
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdomadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Office address
- 20 GARRICK STREET, 20, London, WC2E 9BTadviserinfo.sec.gov
- Business phone
- +44 (0) 207 931 8800adviserinfo.sec.gov
- SEC adviser type
- exempt reporting adviseradviserinfo.sec.gov
- SEC exemption claimed
- venture capital fund adviseradviserinfo.sec.govItem 2.B(1): advises solely venture capital funds
- Latest Form ADV
- Aug 20, 2024
- Private funds reported
- 1 (1 venture capital funds)adviserinfo.sec.gov
- Private fund gross assets
- $2.4Madviserinfo.sec.govreported GAV of the funds, the adviser's own number; not fund size, not dry powder
- Owners on Schedule A
- Molten Ventures Plc (Owner), E
- business phone
- +44 (0) 207 931 8800adviserinfo.sec.govpublished by the subject
Stated thesis versus observed behaviour
no observed deals yet
Stated (the firm’s website)
- Sectors
- climate, energy, space, crypto, quantum
- Stages
- seed, series a, series b
- Geography
- europe, global, uk
- Check size
- not stated; DFX does not estimate checks from round sizes
- Self-described
- venture capital
Observed (from deals on record)
Stage at participation: no observed deals yet
Stage at first entry: no observed deals yet
Sectors: no observed deals yet
lead rate n/afollow-on rate n/anew logos, 12 months 0
Funds and vehicles
1 reported, 6 no longer reported
| Vehicle | Type | Vintage | Lifecycle | Reported GAV | Owners | Form D sold | Latest Form D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFJ Esprit III (i) LP | Fund | 2018 adv first reported | Harvest | $2.4M Aug 20, 2024 | 3 | unknown | unknown |
| Esprit Investments 1 LP | Fund | 2017 adv first reported | Wound down | $39.5M Jun 12, 2017 | 1 | unknown | unknown |
| Esprit Capital IV LP | Fund | 2017 adv first reported | Wound down | $11.0M Jun 12, 2017 | 1 | unknown | unknown |
| Encore I/i-A Fund LP | Feeder or parallel | unknown | Wound down | $109M Jun 12, 2017 | 3 | unknown | unknown |
| DFJ Esprit II LP | Fund | unknown | Wound down | $90.8M Jun 12, 2017 | 2 | unknown | unknown |
| DFJ Esprit Capital III LP | Fund | unknown | Wound down | $87.1M Jun 12, 2017 | 15 | unknown | unknown |
| Esprit Capital Fund No1/2 LP | Fund | unknown | Wound down | $57.6M Jun 12, 2017 | 26 | unknown | unknown |
GAV is the gross asset value the adviser reported on Form ADV for the vehicle, never the fund’s committed size and never dry powder. Form D sold is the amount sold as of the latest filing, never a final close.
Investment team
24 current, 7 departed
Greg Paterson
AssociateAssociate
Michael Dimelow
Board or advisoryCorporate Advisor
Ben Wilkinson
Founder or executiveChief Executive Officer
Bakhrom Ibragimov
OtherHead of Molten East
Luke Smith
OtherHead of Early Investing
Quarterly Updates
OtherPortfolio News
Franco Danesi
PartnerSenior Partner
George Chalmers
PartnerPartner
Inga Deakin
PartnerPartner
Malcolm Ferguson
PartnerPartner - Secondaries
Nelly Markova
PartnerPartner - Molten East
Nick Sando
PartnerPartner - Secondaries
Nicola Mcclafferty
PartnerPartner
Ozan Sonmez
PartnerPartner - Molten East
Steven Mendel
PartnerPartner - Secondaries
Andrew Zimmermann
Platform and operationsChief Financial Officer
Richard Marsh
Platform and operationsChief Portfolio Officer
Phoebe Kitchen
PrincipalPrincipal
Stuart Chapman
PrincipalDirector
Alan Duncan
Venture partnerVenture Partner
Brian Caulfield
Venture partnerVenture Partner
David Cummings
Venture partnerVenture Partner
Nic Brisbourne
Venture partnerVenture Partner
Nikhil Punwaney
Vice presidentInvestment Manager
7 departed (kept with end dates)
- Alan George Duncan · Partner · Jun 1, 2006 to May 12, 2014 Inference
- Brian Caulfield · Partner · Sep 1, 2010 to Jun 12, 2017 Inference
- John Richard Marsh · Partner · Dec 1, 2011 to Jun 12, 2017 Inference
- Krishna Visvanathan · Partner · Jun 1, 2006 to Jul 1, 2015 Inference
- Paul Anthony Murray · Partner · Jun 1, 2006 to May 12, 2014 Inference
- Simon Christopher Cook · Partner · Jun 1, 2006 to Jun 12, 2017 Inference
- Stuart Malcolm Chapman · Partner, Chief Compliance Officer (Cco) · Jun 1, 2006 to Jun 12, 2017 Inference
Investments on record
0 edges, 0 companies, 0 partner-attributed
No investment on record yet. Edges arrive from the firm’s portfolio page, financing announcements, and Form D board seats.
Co-investors
0 relationships from shared deals, counted for the whole firm
No co-investor relationship yet: these are derived only from rounds and portfolio listings the graph has seen both investors on.
Limited partners
0 disclosed
No LP commitment on record. An LP edge needs a public disclosure with a quote: a pension report (see Limited partners for the plans read), a fund announcement naming the LP, or a Form ADV owner. The fund page carries the LP’s reported performance.
Timeline
21 dated events
- Jun 27, 2018DFJ Esprit III (i) LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $101,977,524Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactDFJ Esprit III (i) LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018Esprit Capital IV LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceEsprit Capital IV LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018DFJ Esprit II LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceDFJ Esprit II LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018Esprit Investments 1 LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceEsprit Investments 1 LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018DFJ Esprit Capital III LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceDFJ Esprit Capital III LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018Encore I/i-A Fund LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceEncore I/i-A Fund LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 27, 2018Esprit Capital Fund No1/2 LP no longer reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLPFund no longer reportedFundsInferenceEsprit Capital Fund No1/2 LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 12, 2017Stuart Malcolm Chapman (Partner, Chief Compliance Officer (Cco)) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- Jun 12, 2017Esprit Capital IV LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $10,986,239Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactEsprit Capital IV LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 12, 2017Esprit Investments 1 LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $39,468,455Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactEsprit Investments 1 LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Jun 12, 2017Simon Christopher Cook (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- Jun 12, 2017Brian Caulfield (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- Jun 12, 2017John Richard Marsh (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- Jul 1, 2015Krishna Visvanathan (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- May 12, 2014Paul Anthony Murray (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- May 12, 2014Alan George Duncan (Partner) no longer on Schedule A of DFJ Esprit LLP
- Mar 30, 2012DFJ Esprit Capital III LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $34,124,292Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactDFJ Esprit Capital III LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2012Esprit Capital Fund No1/2 LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $86,922,949Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactEsprit Capital Fund No1/2 LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2012DFJ Esprit II LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $68,990,044Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactDFJ Esprit II LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2012Encore I/i-A Fund LP first reported on Form ADV by DFJ Esprit LLP (Venture Capital Fund), GAV $113,963,719Fund first reported on Form ADVFundsFactEncore I/i-A Fund LPSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
- Mar 30, 2012DFJ Esprit LLP first filed Form ADV (ERA)First SEC adviser filingOrganizationFactSEC Form ADV filing data 2011 to 2024 (every filing, Schedule D 7.B.(1) private funds, Schedules A/B)
Classification history
- Sep 12, 2026Micro VC (confirmed, 95%, cls-1)venture manager, reported GAV $2.4M across 1 vehicles
Evidence
47 observations from 2 sources