H2 Ventures

H2 Ventures is an Australian venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments across the Fintech, Data, and Artificial Intelligence sectors. The firm positions itself as a long-term venture partner, offering not only capital but also extensive networks, mentorship, and operational guidance to its portfolio companies. They are known for taking early risks with founders, often investing at the 'day zero' stage without requiring a built, developed, or launched product.

The firm was founded in 2013 by brothers Ben and Toby Heap. Their mission is to support bold, early-stage entrepreneurs with game-changing ideas, helping them to succeed faster by bringing together smart, passionate, and daring individuals. H2 Ventures has a history of investing on a cohort basis, typically backing 8-16 startups at a time, many of which participate in their 6-month in-house pre-seed program.

H2 Ventures boasts a diverse portfolio of companies, including Stockspot, Australia’s first online automated investment adviser; Edstart, a peer-to-peer financing solution for education fees; and Simply Wall St, which simplifies investment data. Other notable investments span areas like spend management (Weel), digital cash transfer (Sempo), business loan marketplaces (Valiant), and AI-powered document generation (Nod).

Beyond direct investment, H2 Ventures is also recognized for its annual Fintech100 report, which identifies leading fintech innovators globally, and the H2 Institute, established to promote understanding and engagement with innovation among Australians. The principals, Ben and Toby Heap, bring nearly a decade of experience in early-stage startup investing, emphasizing a hands-on approach to fostering growth and success within their portfolio.