Liberty Global Ventures

The investing arm of a large international broadband and mobile group holds a portfolio of roughly 70 companies. The parent's site now calls it Liberty Growth, while its older name was Liberty Global Ventures, and it focuses on companies that are scalable across international markets in content, technology and infrastructure.

Four strategic pillars

All four pillars sit close to the parent's core business of broadband and mobile. The fastest-growing part is a set of industries adjacent to that core, where the group says it uses its expertise in telecoms, financing and mergers and acquisitions. In edge computing it set up AtlasEdge with a partner to bring data centers closer to the end consumer, and it is also monetizing assets in its operating companies, such as towers and property.

Energy and charging

In the energy space it names a clean energy infrastructure investment business and a second business that makes clean energy more accessible to companies. With a financial partner it created an electric vehicle charging venture, now rebranded Believ, that uses the Virgin Media network and expertise to roll out street charging points in the United Kingdom.

Media and content

Media and content make up almost half of the portfolio. Examples include a Hollywood studio, a Spanish-language broadcast network and an investment in the Formula E racing series, which the site describes as the world's most sustainable racing series. Smaller recent investments include a film company and a media management company.

Technology investing

Earlier material names a long list of technology holdings. It describes two of them: Plume, which makes smart home services, and Skillz, a mobile games platform that hosts casual esports tournaments. It also features a maker of a smart contact lens with a built-in display. The older text called these innovative, high-growth companies, all scalable internationally.

How the team works

A small team of long-term, founder-friendly investors based in Denver and Silicon Valley invests in early-stage companies whose products or services the group can use in its own operating companies, with the aim of creating overlaps and scale. Investments have typically lasted three to seven years. The site also presents Liberty Blume, a business that offers procurement, finance and circular economy capabilities to enterprise customers.

Liberty Global Ventures is the investment arm of Liberty Global, now presented on the parent's site as Liberty Growth. It holds a portfolio of roughly 70 companies. All of its pillars sit close to the parent's broadband and mobile business, and it draws on the group's experience in telecoms, financing and mergers.

What Liberty Global Ventures offers

• Technology investment: stakes in technology companies, including Plume.
• Media and content: nearly half of the portfolio, with holdings such as Lionsgate, Univision and ITV.
• Infrastructure: projects such as AtlasEdge, an edge computing venture with DigitalBridge, plus tower and property assets.
• Energy: businesses including egg Power, egg Solutions and the EV charging venture Believ.
• Sports: involvement with the Formula E racing series.

Who it serves

Companies in the technology, content, infrastructure and services sectors whose strategy is aligned with the parent group's network businesses.

Key facts

• Parent: Liberty Global
• Also known as: Liberty Growth
• Portfolio size: About 70 companies