Check Warner
Co-Founder & Partner, Ada Ventures
Built Europe’s first VC fund explicitly focused on diverse founders, now managing over $150M.
Check Warner co-founded Ada Ventures as Europe’s first VC fund built explicitly around diverse founders, investing £250,000–£750,000 at pre-seed and seed across climate, healthcare & ageing, and economic empowerment.
The resulting portfolio is one of the most diverse in Europe by the fund’s own numbers — roughly 55% female founders and 30% founders from an ethnic-minority background — across 28 companies including Huboo, Organise and Spill.
How she invests
Ada Ventures has spoken publicly about trying to break venture capital out of pattern-matching — the habit of backing founders who resemble previous successful founders — by building sourcing and diligence processes designed to surface people outside that pattern rather than relying on warm-network referrals alone.
Built one of Europe’s most diverse venture portfolios by founder demographics, tracked and published by the fund itself.
Sources
Facts here reflect public reporting at time of writing — roles and fund affiliations change; verify current details directly with Ada Ventures.