London team advises M&G Investments’ Catalyst strategy on investment in fund for Black entrepreneurs

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised M&G’s Catalyst on its investment in a new venture capital investment fund established by British early-stage venture firm Black Seed.

Black Seed is an early-stage European venture capital fund which aims to provide pre-seed funding to Black entrepreneurs in tech or tech-enabled sectors, who are typically underfunded and under-represented within the venture capital space in the UK. The deal closed on 2 June 2023.

The investment was made by M&G Investments’ Catalyst strategy, launched in 2021, which invests in innovative, privately-owned enterprises working to create a more sustainable world.

The Norton Rose Fulbright team acting as legal counsel to M&G on the deal included Partners Clementine Hogarth and Joshua Tod, and Associate Jessica Liu.

Clementine Hogarth said:

“It was fantastic to be able to support our client, M&G, on this important and inspiring initiative, which will see important new funding opportunities open up for Black entrepreneurs in the tech space.”