Downing Ventures, part of London-based investment manager Downing, has appointed James Nettleton (above) as Principal of its 12-strong venture capital team.
Nettleton joins from Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund, InMotion Ventures, where he held the role of Principal, having been part of the fund’s co-founding team in 2016.
During his time at InMotion Ventures, Nettleton was responsible for overseeing a number of deals in the technology sector including joining a funding round alongside Khosla Ventures into Voyage, which runs fleets of self-driving cars, and investing in commuter app, Transit, alongside Accel.
Downing manages a number of evergreen funds that invest in companies from Seed to Series A, with the ability to follow-on with significant further capital.
At Downing Nettleton will continue his focus on investing in companies that are helping build the ‘future of cities’. He is particularly keen to partner with founders innovating in the transport, property and connected infrastructure sectors.
Kostas Manolis, Partner and Head of Unquoted Investments at Downing, said:“We are pleased to welcome James to Downing Ventures. His appointment fits well with our strategy of growing our thematic approach to the market. James’ experience working with leading investors in transport and mobility technologies will deepen the expertise within our team.
“Downing Ventures has experienced substantial growth over the past few years and, last year, invested in 30 businesses. We are confident that James’ appointment will help us build our reputation as one of the most prolific early-stage investors in the UK. It’s our view that the UK will remain an exciting hub for technology investment and we are committed to continuing our support for the incredible businesses being built here by the plethora of talented entrepreneurs.”
