| Octopus Capital Limited | |
| Trade Name: | Octopus Group |
| Former Name: | Octopus Capital plc (20002006) |
| Type: | Private |
| Founded: | in London, England[1] |
| Key People: | Simon Rogerson (CEO) |
| Aum: | £12.6bn (2022) |
| Location: | London |
| Industry: | Conglomerate |
Octopus Capital Limited,[2] trading as Octopus Group, is a privately held United Kingdom based holding company founded in 2000 by Simon Rogerson, Christopher Hulatt and Guy Myles as a fund management company. Through its subsidiaries, it operates in the investment management, venture capital, energy, and real estate industries.[3] [4]
As of December 2019, Octopus Group has more than 1.5 million customers and manages more than £12bn on behalf of its investors.
See main article: Octopus Energy. Octopus Energy was established in 2015 as a retail electricity and gas supplier in the UK, and by December 2019, had over 1.35 million domestic and business customers. Under the Octopus Energy Group brand, it has expanded into energy for business and energy services, and licences its customer handling software to other energy suppliers.[5]
Octopus Energy Generation owns and manages renewable energy production, particularly in solar and onshore wind. According to its own website, it is one of the largest owners of renewable energy infrastructure in Europe, with £3bn of assets under management.[6] Previously a separate entity within Octopus Group, the company was acquired by Octopus Energy in July 2021.[7] Octopus Energy Generation is the manager of Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust,[8] an investment fund which was floated on the London Stock Exchange in December 2019.[9]
Octopus Inheritance Tax Service provides investors a possibility to purchase shares of one or more unquoted UK companies that are contributing to the UK economy growth. Notable investments include Fern Trading Ltd.,[10] a £2.8 billion trading company with a concentration on short-term loans to seasoned real estate professionals, as well as the development and management of fiber broadband in underserved areas. In 2020, Vorboss was added to Fern's portfolio of UK broadband network builders, getting £250m in funding.[11] [12]
Octopus Money was launched in 2023 to offer money coaching and advice to consumers, often through the individual's employer.[13] [14] The business is run by Ruth Handcock, who joined Octopus Investments from Tandem Bank in 2018. The launch of the brand followed the purchase of Hatch Financial Coaching in 2021, and replaced Octopus Wealth, a financial advice business announced in 2018.[15]
Octopus Investments is an investment management company which manages a number of investment funds, with some structured as venture capital trusts (VCTs). In 2019, Octopus Investments was the first VCT manager to exceed £1bn of assets managed within its funds.[16] One VTC – Octopus Future Generations VCT – invests in businesses that are helping to build a sustainable planet, empower people, or revitalize healthcare.[17]
Octopus Ventures is a venture capital fund with £1.2bn of funds under management. Notable Octopus Ventures investments include SwiftKey, Eve Sleep, ManyPets (formerly known as Bought By Many), LoveFilm, Graze, and Zoopla.[18]
Octopus Real Estate (formerly known as Octopus Property) provides finance and investment for care homes, retirement villages, affordable housing, and residential & commercial properties. It was formed in 2019 by the merger of two existing businesses, Octopus Property and Octopus Healthcare, and had £2bn of funds under management in 2019.[19]
Octopus Legacy provides services for people to plan for their death (will writing, life insurance, power of attorney) as well as probate and deceased estate management.[20] The business was founded as Guardian Angel in 2016 by Sam Grice, and Octopus Investments acquired a majority stake in 2022.[21]