Emerge Capital

Overview

Emerge Capital is a London-based venture capital firm focused on human capital development. Founded in 2014, the firm invests in businesses shaping how people learn, build careers and work. Its portfolio spans education technology, workforce software, AI, career development, HR technology and related areas.

The firm's approach centres on the idea that technology can expand access to learning, improve how people develop skills and change the way organisations manage and develop talent.

Investment Focus and Stage

Emerge invests at the pre-seed and seed stages, typically writing initial cheques of $500,000 to $2.5 million. The firm can invest in companies that are still pre-revenue or pre-product and looks for founders with ambitions to build global businesses.

Its investment thesis covers three broad areas: Learn, Navigate and Work. Learn includes technology that helps people acquire knowledge and skills. Navigate covers products that help people make career and employment decisions. Work focuses on technology that changes how people perform, manage and develop within organisations.

AI has become an important part of the firm's investment activity, particularly where it changes how people learn, find work or operate inside businesses.

Fund Size and Portfolio

Emerge's Fund II closed at $73 million in 2024, taking the firm's total capital raised across its funds to more than $140 million. The fund is backed by institutional investors including KfW Capital and the Jacobs Foundation, alongside a community of more than 100 venture partners from the human capital sector.

The firm has invested in more than 80 companies across its portfolio. Its investments include Multiverse, Causaly, Yoto, Edurino, Zavvy, Beamery, CoachHub, BibliU, Immersive Labs and Eduflow.

Several portfolio companies have gone on to raise substantial follow-on rounds or reach strategic exits. Eduflow was acquired by Multiverse, while Zavvy was acquired by Deel in 2025.

Leadership

Jan Lynn-Matern is Founder and General Partner of Emerge. He established the firm after working across education technology and entrepreneurship, with a focus on building companies and investment platforms around the future of learning and work.

Mario Barosevcic is a Partner at Emerge and works across the firm's investment activities. His background includes technology investing and supporting founders building businesses in education, workforce development and software.

Nic Newman is a General Partner who joined Emerge with an operating background. He previously co-founded TigerSpike, a digital products company, and brings experience in product development, technology and education.

Emerge also works with a network of more than 100 Venture Partners, including senior executives and operators from companies across education, learning and workforce technology. They contribute industry knowledge, mentorship and connections to portfolio companies.