Steven Bartlett, one of Europe’s most influential entrepreneurs, is investing $100 million in female-founded firms

Omokolade Ajayi -

Steven Cliff Bartlett (Steven Bartlett), born in Botswana to an English father and a Nigerian mother, is widely recognized as one of Europe’s most talented and accomplished young entrepreneurs and philosophical thinkers.

The 30-year-old British entrepreneur, featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2020, is the founder of Social Chain, an integrated social media company.

At the youthful age of 22, he harnessed his entrepreneurial skills to set up the integrated social media company from the confines of his bedroom in Manchester. Today, Social Chain stands as one of the most influential social media companies on a global scale.

In 2022, Steven Bartlett made history as the youngest-ever Dragon, following a string of impressive accomplishments with his social media company that elevated him to become one of Europe’s most influential entrepreneurs.

As he continues to make waves in the business world, Bartlett has shifted his focus to a new venture, the Flight Story Fund (FSF), which is dedicated to supporting innovative start-ups and investing in the next generation of female-led unicorn companies.

With the launch of the $100-million fund, Bartlett is dedicated to supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs and disrupting the norm, particularly by empowering female-founded firms. Leveraging his extensive network and resources, he aims to not only build stronger companies but also accelerate their growth.

The FSF plan includes investing $1 million to $10 million annually for at least ten early-stage European startups. Although the exact amount of the $100-million fund that has closed remains undisclosed, Bartlett said he has “verbal and contractual commitments for the entire amount.”

While discussing the launch of the new fund, Bartlett expressed that his drive to create and grow businesses is what truly motivates him, stating: “At this phase of my life, making a lot of money doesn’t seem like a significant enough motivator to go through hardship. My passion in life is building companies, taking things from 0 to 100.”