Context.

firstminute capital was founded by Brent Hoberman CBE (Lastminute.com, Made.com, 9 x Unicorn investor) and Spencer Crawley, in February 2016. Today, the fund comprises a team of 20, has $320m AUM, and invests at seed-stage across technology sectors, focused on Europe and the US. The firstminute capital investor base includes over 120 unicorn founders of technology businesses. At an exciting stage in its journey, the business came to 17days with the brief to articulate a clear and compelling firstminute capital story – something that employees, investors, founders and the wider firstminute capital community could really get behind. And a story that would inspire a new visual identity for immediate roll out across a new website and comms. 17days led the development of the brand story and communications assets and oversaw the brand identity developed by Marble LDN. The new website was produced by Storyblok, a brilliant web development platform within the firstminute capital portfolio.

Firstminute Capital’s True Story.

Conversations with the founders and leadership team revealed that firstminute capital is looking for a particular kind of founder. Yes, these founders need a big idea, crystal-clear vision and a compelling financial future. But, to make it into the firstminute capital community, a founder needs something more. They need to be able to inspire the best of the best to go on that journey with them, all the way. This ability to capture the hearts and minds of investors, employees, partners and customers is what firstminute capital is looking for in the founders it commits to back every step of the way. This very particular perspective on what is required to succeed, coupled with the warmth and support provided by the firstminute capital community led to the core brand idea, ‘The home of Magnetic Ambition’.

Impact.

From the core brand idea, 17days wrote the firstminute capital brand story, complete with manifesto, brand values, brand language guidelines and consistent phraseology, all of which came together in the new firstminute capital verbal identity guidelines. These guidelines were then used to brief Marble London on the new visual identity for the brand – an identity that would capture the welcoming warmth of the firstminute capital community and put the founders front and centre. The new visual identity has been rolled out across firstminute capital’s new website and is now flowing through all of the business’s communication touch points.