Simon Franks

Simon Franks is the Managing Partner and Co-founder of Blenheim Chalcot, a multi-stage venture capital firm based in London, England, United Kingdom. He established the investment group in 2008 following a career in technology entrepreneurship and finance, having previously earned an economics degree from the University of Manchester. Under his leadership, Blenheim Chalcot manages over £500 million in assets across a portfolio of more than 50 companies, including Thought Machine and Yoyo Wallet, which was acquired in 2021. Franks recently directed the firm's participation in a Series D funding round for the artificial intelligence startup Synthesia in late 2024 and helped launch a £100 million climate technology fund in early 2025. His current professional focus remains on scaling early to growth-stage ventures operating within the financial technology, enterprise software, healthtech, and climate innovation sectors.