Wayra UK

Wayra UK is the Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm and open innovation platform of Telefónica. Their primary mission is to foster innovation and drive progress in startups by facilitating their collaboration with Telefónica and other organizations. They achieve this through a 'venture-client' approach, which provides startups with access to Telefónica's extensive network of 380 million customers, thereby accelerating their entry into global markets and facilitating scaling. Wayra also builds bridges between corporations and startups by investing in startups for other companies based on custom-designed investment theses. Wayra has evolved from a startup accelerator into a CVC fund with over 15 years of experience in the global entrepreneurial landscape. They operate hubs in Europe and Latin America, allowing startups to achieve a global presence. Since 2018, Wayra has played a significant role in open innovation, not only investing in startups, but also offering innovation services directly to Telefónica and other corporations through their open innovation platforms. Wayra focuses on identifying and supporting disruptive projects within the startup ecosystem. They aim to incorporate these innovations into Telefónica's operations, generating impactful results. Their open innovation services are designed to help other corporations enhance their own innovation strategies, further extending Wayra's influence on the entrepreneurial landscape. Their investment strategy is underscored by a set of core values, namely: 'Think Big,' encouraging ambition and challenging the status quo; 'Trust,' emphasizing honesty, integrity, and accountability; 'Bias for Action,' promoting determination and implementation focus; 'We Are One Team,' valuing collaboration and mutual support; and 'Have Fun,' highlighting the importance of enjoyment, empathy, and care throughout the venture journey.

We invest in Telecom, Sustainability, Gen AI, and B2B enterprise SaaS with £1M+ ARR and ideally have a telco use case.

Core thematic spaces, technologies, and target market segments of interest.