Mark Pearson

Overview

Mark Pearson is an award-winning digital entrepreneur and active venture capitalist specializing in early-stage technology investments. He founded Markco Media, a European discount network, and grew it into a multi-million-pound company. In 2014, Markco Media was acquired by Monitise plc for £55 million. In 2013, Pearson co-founded Fuel Ventures, an early-stage e-commerce investment fund and startup studio. The fund has made over 200 portfolio investments, focusing on software companies, marketplaces, e-commerce, fintech, platforms, B2B, and B2C sectors with ambitious founders. Pearson has invested approximately £5 million across nine companies, with minimum investments of £100,000. His portfolio includes Shopwave, an iPad payment system for retailers, and Calq, a mobile analytics firm. He invested £1 million in Ve Interactive, which expanded from 30 to 700 employees across 18 global offices. Ve Interactive reached a valuation of $3 billion in June 2015 before entering administration in April 2017. A consortium including Pearson subsequently acquired the company for £2 million. In October 2014, Warner Music Group acquired Playlists.net, another of Pearson's investments. In 2010, Pearson appeared on Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire, donating £115,000 to three Nottingham-based charities addressing gun crime and domestic violence. Pearson's investment philosophy focuses on backing ambitious founders and companies with large global scale potential within multi-billion market opportunities. He is also the founder of Fuel Capital, a single-family office focusing on innovative and emerging technologies. Pearson continues to be an active investor, seeking to replicate his success by identifying and supporting high-potential startups across various sectors and stages of development.

Investment Focus

• Innovative and scalable business models
• Strong and ambitious founding teams
• Large global market potential
• Early to growth-stage companies

Portfolio Companies