This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. View our Privacy Policy for more information.
Okay

Terms of Use

3 glasses tapping

General

To date, we've invested more than £245m supporting the founder-led drinks brands of the future. This has taken various forms, from helping Stauning build Denmark's first purpose-built distillery to helping Seedlip crystalise their vision, purpose and everything in between. Our support is bespoke to each brand's journey.

The investments are always structured to leave you in full control of your business. If your funding application is declined, it typically marks the end of your contractual relationship with Diageo and Distill Ventures. This means you'll be free to develop your business as you wish, including the right to raise funds wherever you want to, and to sell your business without constraints.

In our 10 years supporting brands, we've partnered with more than 35 brands across various categories, geographies and sizes.

While we showcase some of our current portfolio here, we uphold founder confidentiality and do not list all brands.

We don’t offer access to a sales force and route to market (RTM) as it’s the founder’s job to drive business growth and we believe finding the most suitable RTM is your choice.

However, our team and global network of drinks experts can guide on best market expansion strategies and key contacts in various global markets, including importers, distributors and wholesalers.

We invest in companies of all shapes and sizes ranging from people who are in the pre-launch phase up to established brands looking to move into new markets, build distilleries or scale quickly. There's no defined minimum or maximum size or case volume for investment, we look for a distinctive brand story and ambitious founding team above all else.

We offer substantial funding, unrivalled drinks and business know-how and a global network, and above all, we're by your side for the journey. We focus on forging real partnerships with founders to shape their vision together, a point of difference that truly sets us apart.

Once an investment is made, the Distill Ventures acceleration team works closely with the founding team to identify areas of focus and help build a solid growth plan. As all entrepreneurs have different strengths and weaknesses, the support we give is both bespoke and broad ranging.

Our over-arching aim is to help build capabilities within each business, ensuring that the strong foundations we've helped establish propel them toward ongoing success as they grow.

INVESTMENT

Each deal is tailored to a company's requirements but with consistent principles. First, we work closely with founders to develop a business plan and investment requirements. As part of Diageo’s initial investment, they will become a minority shareholder of the business. At that point we will also agree a target scale and date at which Diageo will have the option to buy the company outright. If all goes well, Diageo will then continue to meet future funding requirements up to the target acquisition point with a structure that ensures Diageo remains a minority investor regardless of the funds raised so that founders stay in control as the business scales.

Once we both agree that we want to proceed, we will work together to prepare a business plan and pitch for our Investments Board as well as conduct some basic due diligence. If that goes well and the funding is approved, we will conduct further due diligence while agreeing the investment contracts. While we’re very conscious of how much of your time the process takes up, it’s worth noting that you will need to dedicate material amounts of time and headspace to the process pre-Investment Board to ensure you come along with a clear plan, investment ask and vision for your brand.

Yes, Diageo provides all investment and is the sole exit partner. Every equity deal includes an option for Diageo to acquire the business in the future.

No, we invest in companies of all sizes, from pre-launch startups to established brands looking to expand. We prioritise distinctive brand stories and ambitious founding teams over size or case volume.

If you apply for further funding and are turned down, you’ll be free to develop your business as you wish, including the right to raise money from other investors, and to sell your business to another party.

Yes, Diageo takes a board seat to add strategic value from their expertise, supporting the company's overall growth.

Once Diageo starts investing, they intend to be the sole provider of additional funding to streamline the fundraising process.

In our pre-accelerator, investment is provided using SAFEs (which you can read more about here), without equity or an option for Diageo to purchase the company. Initial investments through equity funding include a minority share for Diageo and an option to acquire the business in the future.

Our Investment Board, comprising senior leaders within Diageo and DV, approves all investments based on the founders' pitches and performance.

No, further funding is not guaranteed. It depends on the company's performance and trajectory towards acquisition.

We prioritise confidentiality and do not disclose any information to Diageo without the founder's explicit consent, supported by mutual confidentiality agreements.

ACCELERATION

Each brand has a dedicated DV partner who knows your business inside out to ensure you always have what you need. In some cases, they're an entrepreneur themselves and will use their knowledge and expertise to support in the way that works best for the brand.

Across the team we have know-how in areas like brand launches, eCommerce, data & insight, long-term strategic planning, and rapid scaling across multiple markets.

We pay close attention to the hurdles spirits entrepreneurs face, working together to develop plans that quickly and fundamentally turn the dial. Alongside our network of partners, we leverage our expertise to drive businesses forward, whether it’s establishing an online sales platform, brand building via social media, liquid development for non-alcoholic drinks or developing RTM strategy and supporting founders in the selection of markets, channels and distributor network

Brands in the Pre-Accelerator are part of a 9-12 month program that provides them with seed investment alongside mentoring. Our intent investing in larger, more established brands entering into an equity deal  is to keep supporting that company through to exit – but there are times where things don’t work out and Diageo stops investing in a company. This process can take anything from 5-10 years on average but there are cases where brands have gotten to scale faster.

We currently have portfolio brands in 5 countries so you are able to participate remotely.

TEAM & CULTURe

We're a team of 35 seasoned drinks experts across seven countries with head offices in New York and London. We're diverse in our approach, experience and expertise, we live and breathe drinks and are united in our passion to make your brand the best it can be.

Many of the team are fully remote so geography isn't an issue for us. We make every effort to come together as a team as often as we can and stay connected digitally.

Partners to start-ups and scale-ups since 2013, we work with the world’s most ambitious founders to create the drinks brands of the future. We offer funding, unrivalled know-how, a global network, and above all, we're by your side for the journey.

THE PRE ACCELERATOR

You can read about our eligibility criteria here.

The Pre-Accelerator is an extension of the DV program. We built it specifically to give smaller and emerging brands a smoother, faster runway into the program – a space where you can test and learn before setting hard commercial goals and ambitious growth plans. It’s also where people who are new to the drinks industry can learn about crucial industry standards and practices, like the 3-tier system, distribution, and liquid R&D, without the pressure of annual sales targets.

A business incubator caters to startups at the idea stage, offering support during product development. Accelerators, however, target brands with clear products, aiding their growth with expert mentoring and funding.

Distill Ventures' Pre-Accelerator focuses on helping founders from underrepresented communities grow their drinks brands, giving them a boost into the drink's world.

We’ll support you in bringing a plan to life by working towards a mutually agreed series of test-and-learn goals. The results will inform a pitch we'll help you build for our Investment Board. There you'll aim to secure a bigger equity investment and work with DV and Diageo as long-term partners. 

Depending on what you want to achieve in the Pre-Accelerator, support or know-how from Diageo might benefit you so we would involve them. It's up to you.

Initial investment is in exchange for a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) which basically means no equity is exchanged at the point of investment. The SAFE note would convert to an equity stake at the next investment round. Regardless of the size of investment, we remain a minority investor, so founders stay fully in control as the business scales. 

Each Pre-Accelerator brand is paired with a dedicated DV partner who knows your business inside out. They offer tailored support and access to the wider team's know-how in PR, brand launches, e-commerce and more.

Recognising unique strengths and weaknesses, our support is both bespoke and broad ranging. On top of personal support, you'll gain access to our online resource hub featuring case studies, campaign trackers and interviews with fellow entrepreneurs, made with entrepreneurs in mind and updated regularly.

You can apply through our web application form here. The questions are designed to give us insight into your thinking while sparing an exhaustive interview process. Don’t worry if you’re only just getting started — we’re most interested in learning about your vision, your ambition and passions. We can’t wait to meet you!

INTRODUCTION

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of www.distillventures.com (the ‘Website’). Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before using the Website operated by Distill Ventures (London) Limited. By using our Website, you indicate that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to abide by them. If you do not agree to these terms of use, please refrain from using our site.

ACCESSING OUR WEBSITE

Access to our Website is permitted on a temporary basis, and we reserve the right to withdraw or amend the service we provide on our site without notice (see below). We will not be liable if for any reason our Website is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict access to some parts of our Website, or our entire Website, to users who have registered with us. If you choose, or you are provided with, a user identification code, password or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential, and you must not disclose it to any third party. We have the right to disable any user identification code or password, whether chosen by you or allocated by us, at any time, if in our opinion you have failed to comply with any of the provisions of these terms of use. You are responsible for making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to our Website. You are also responsible for ensuring that all persons who access our Website through your internet connection are aware of these terms, and that they comply with them.

CONTENT

The information published on the Website is provided for the convenience of its visitors and you are advised that, although care has been taken to ensure technical and factual accuracy, some errors may occur. No guarantee is given of the accuracy or completeness of information on these pages. Please be aware that Distill Ventures (London) Limited may alter the information on the Website from time to time, including these Terms and Conditions and privacy policy. It is your responsibility to check these Terms and Conditions from time to time and to remain in compliance with them.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

The material displayed on our Website is provided without any guarantees, conditions or warranties as to its accuracy. To the extent permitted by law, we and other members of our group of companies and third parties connected to us hereby expressly exclude:

  • all conditions, warranties and other terms which might otherwise be implied by statute, common law or the law of equity
  • any liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage incurred by any user in connection with our Website or in connection with the use, inability to use, or results of the use of our Website, any websites linked to it and any materials posted on it, including, without limitation any liability for:
  • loss of income or revenue
  • loss of business
  • loss of profits or contracts
  • loss of anticipated savings
  • loss of data
  • loss of goodwill
  • wasted management or office time, and
  • for any other loss or damage of any kind, however arising and whether caused by tort (including negligence), breach of contract or otherwise, even if foreseeable.

This does not affect our liability for death or personal injury arising from our negligence, nor our liability for fraudulent misrepresentation or misrepresentation as to a fundamental matter, nor any other liability which cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND YOUR VISITS TO OUR WEBSITE

We process information about you in accordance with our Privacy Policy. By using our Website, you consent to such processing and you warrant that all data provided by you is accurate.

VIRUSES

You must not misuse our Website by knowingly introducing viruses, trojans, worms, logic bombs or other material which is malicious or technologically harmful. You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to our Website, the server on which our Website is stored or any server, computer or database connected to our Website. You must not attack our Website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of service attack. By breaching this provision, you would commit a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. We will report any such breach to the relevant law enforcement authorities and we will co-operate with those authorities by disclosing your identity to them. In the event of such a breach, your right to use our Website will cease immediately. Distill Ventures (London) Limited use reasonable endeavours to prevent contamination by known viruses and to maintain the security of the Website but Distill Ventures (London) Limited does not warrant the information on the Website in any way and in particular no warranty is given that the Website or its contents or hypertext links to other sites are accurate, complete, virus free or uncontaminated, nor can we guarantee that the Website may not be affected by deliberate damage by hackers, failure of plant, machinery, equipment or computers, power failure, failure of telecommunications lines or any criminal action. You are advised to make your own virus checks and to implement your own precautions in this respect. Distill Ventures (London) Limited exclude all liability for contamination or damage caused by any virus or electronic transmission.

HYPERLINKS

The incorporation of any links to other websites is for your convenience and reference only and does not imply that Distill Ventures (London) Limited approves or endorses the contents of that website or the material available from it and Distill Ventures (London) Limited do not control and is not responsible for the content of any such websites in terms of their accuracy, suitability, legality or otherwise and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

LAW AND JURISDICTION

Your use of the Website is governed by the laws of England. You hereby consent to the non- exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts in all disputes arising out of or relating to the use of the Website. Intellectual Property Rights The contents of these pages are Copyright © 2015 Distill Ventures (London) Limited We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in our Website, and in the images and other material published on it (the ‘Content’). The Content is protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved. You may print off one copy, and may download extracts of any page(s) from our Website for your personal reference and you may draw the attention of others within your organisation to material posted on our Website. You must not modify the paper or digital copies of any materials you have printed off or downloaded in any way, and you must not use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences or any graphics separately from any accompanying text. Our status (and that of any identified contributors) such as the authors of Content on our website must always be acknowledged. You must not use any part of the materials on our Website for commercial purposes without obtaining a licence to do so from us or our licensors. If you print off, copy or download any part of our Website in breach of these terms of use, your right to use our Website will cease immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made.

COMPLAINTS

If you have any complaints about the material which appears on our Website, please contact hello@distillventures.com and we will provide you with a copy of our Complaints Policy to take the matter forwards.