Sure Valley Ventures

Sure Valley Ventures (SVV) is an entrepreneur-led venture capital firm established in 2017, focusing on high-potential Artificial Intelligence (AI) software companies across the UK and Ireland. The firm leverages its partners' extensive entrepreneurial experience, including building, scaling, and successfully exiting multiple companies, to identify and support promising founders. SVV invests in early-stage companies, with a particular emphasis on AI innovation.

Founded in 2017 by Barry Downes, who previously exited FeedHenry (acquired by Red Hat/IBM), SVV was built on the principle of "Founders Backing Founders." The firm's partners, including co-founder Brian Kinane, bring decades of firsthand experience in raising venture capital, navigating entrepreneurial challenges, and achieving successful exits to industry giants. This deep operational background allows SVV to act as a true partner, offering guidance beyond just capital.

Sure Valley Ventures has a diverse portfolio of AI companies. Notable investments include Ralio, an agentic payments platform, and Captur, a leading on-device Visual AI platform that secured a $6 million US seed round in March 2026 with continued support from SVV. The firm also achieved a successful cash exit in 2025 with Getvisibility, an AI data security player, which was acquired by global cybersecurity giant Forcepoint. SVV was an early investor in Getvisibility, supporting it through Seed and Series A rounds. Other investments include Overpath, an AI sales execution platform, and Vizgard, an AI software company enhancing defense and public safety.

The SVV team is composed of experienced operators with deep technical expertise; over half hold advanced qualifications in Computer Science or Engineering. This technical depth enables them to discern genuine technological moats in AI companies from mere hype. The firm also boasts an unmatched network spanning the AI ecosystem, from Silicon Valley VCs to European government bodies, and actively builds the ecosystem through advisory roles, mentoring, and thought leadership. Key team members include Managing Partner Barry Downes, Founding Partner Brian Kinane, CFO Greg D'Ambrosio, and several other partners and principals with diverse expertise in areas like equity markets, go-to-market strategy, deep tech, data science, and healthcare AI.