Connectd

In the crowded world of startup support platforms, Connectd has carved out a distinctive niche by promising something deceptively simple: a better way to bring together founders, investors, and advisors. Since its launch in 2020, the London-based platform has grown into one of the UK’s most talked-about early-stage ecosystems—less a traditional investor directory, more an infrastructure for startup growth.

Founded by Roei Samuel, a former founder who exited his first startup before 30, Connectd was born out of a frustration with the randomness of early-stage networking. Its proposition is meritocratic and data-led: help founders get discovered for what they’re building, not who they happen to know. To that end, the platform offers a mix of smart-matching tools, investor outreach dashboards, legal templates, and perhaps most uniquely, a curated network of experienced advisors and non-execs, many of whom have been trained through Connectd’s own programmes.

What sets Connectd apart is its three-sided marketplace approach. Unlike most platforms that focus solely on funding, Connectd also facilitates advisor placements—nearly 3,000 of them at last count. Founders can search for investors and advisors in parallel, and advisory roles are posted on their board each month, with no commission or success fees taken. That absence of middlemen is deliberate: Connectd operates on a SaaS model, with founders paying an annual membership (from around £195 + VAT), and investors joining for free.

The platform has facilitated over 1,200 startup funding rounds to date, across sectors ranging from fintech and cleantech to fashion and travel. Startups like Limitless Travel, Nuw, and Monspire credit Connectd with providing introductions that led directly to investment—often within weeks of joining. Others, like Afrocenchix, highlight the strength of the community and visibility that comes from being part of a vetted network.

Still, this is not a passive tool. Founders are expected to put in the work: uploading pitch materials, updating metrics through the “Pulse” dashboard, and actively reaching out to potential backers or board talent. Those who do tend to get more from it—especially on the premium tier, which includes hands-on support from the Connectd team.

There’s a strong service layer behind the scenes. The “Helping Hand” programme, for example, mentors startups toward investor readiness, while the platform’s legal tool, ConnectdLegal, offers templates for everything from term sheets to advisory agreements. For bootstrapped founders, partner perks like AWS and Google Cloud credits could more than offset the membership fee.