Brent Hoberman

Brent Hoberman
Name	Brent Hoberman
Birth date	1968
Birth place	London, England
Occupation	Entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist
Alma mater	University of Manchester
Known for	Co‑founder of Lastminute.com, founder of Made.com, co‑founder of Founders Factory

Brent Hoberman is a British entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist notable for co‑founding a series of internet, retail and venture platforms. He first gained prominence as a co‑founder of Lastminute.com and later led or co‑founded initiatives including Made.com, Founders Factory, Founders Forum and Firstminute Capital. Hoberman is associated with a network of technology, media and investment organisations across the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States.

Early life and education

Hoberman was born in London and educated at schools in the United Kingdom before attending the University of Manchester, where he studied politics and modern history. During his university years he became involved with student enterprises and early internet projects, connecting with peers who later featured in companies across Silicon Valley, Europe, and Israel. After graduating, he worked in consultancy and technology roles that brought him into contact with firms in London, New York City, and Paris.

Career

Hoberman began his business career in the late 1990s in the burgeoning dot‑com sector. Drawing on contacts from Oxford and Cambridge entrepreneurial circles, he co‑founded Lastminute.com during the dot‑com boom, partnering with entrepreneurs and media figures to build an online travel and leisure marketplace. As chief executive, he navigated relationships with venture capital firms, media companies, and regulatory bodies in Europe and the United States before Lastminute.com underwent public listing processes and later changes in ownership structure.

After departing executive duties at Lastminute.com, Hoberman founded and advised multiple startups and scaleups spanning e‑commerce, fintech and digital media. He co‑founded Made.com, a direct‑to‑consumer furniture retailer, and co‑established accelerator and investment platforms including Founders Factory and Founders Forum, which created networks linking entrepreneurs, corporates, and investors across London, Berlin, San Francisco, and Singapore. He also co‑founded Firstminute Capital, a seed fund that invested in early stage technology companies alongside institutional and corporate partners.

Hoberman’s career includes advisory and non‑executive roles on corporate boards and public bodies. He has worked with multinational corporations and cultural institutions such as major banks, technology groups, and museums to promote entrepreneurship and digital innovation across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Investments and ventures

Across the 2010s and 2020s Hoberman became an active angel investor and venture capitalist, participating in funding rounds for startups across consumer internet, software as a service, artificial intelligence and marketplaces. Notable portfolio companies and ventures associated with him include companies in retail technology, travel technology, fintech, and healthtech, often alongside institutional investors from Venture capital hubs in London, New York City, Tel Aviv and Berlin.

Hoberman co‑founded and supported platforms that combined corporate partnerships with startup incubation, such as Founders Factory, which built bespoke accelerators for corporates and invested in early stage companies. He co‑established Firstminute Capital with colleagues to create a cross‑border seed fund that attracted backers including family offices, sovereign wealth entities, and technology entrepreneurs. His investments often intersected with digital marketplaces, subscription services, and platform‑based companies competing with incumbents in retail and travel.

Through these ventures Hoberman engaged with prominent investors, serial entrepreneurs, and technology executives from organisations such as large global banks, multinational retailers and major tech firms headquartered in California, China, and India. He also advised corporate innovation programmes and collaborated with university entrepreneurship centres and government innovation agencies.

Awards and honours

Hoberman has received recognition for his entrepreneurship and contributions to the technology ecosystem. He has been listed in business and technology rankings in the United Kingdom and internationally for his role in founding and scaling digital businesses. Institutions and industry groups have honoured him for leadership in innovation, and he has been invited to speak at conferences and summits alongside leaders from organisations such as major consulting firms, multinational technology companies, and global investment funds.

Philanthropy and public service

Hoberman has supported philanthropic initiatives focusing on entrepreneurship, education and technology. He has been involved with think tanks, university programmes and policy forums aimed at improving startup ecosystems and skills development in digital industries. His philanthropic activities have included partnerships with cultural institutions, funding for research and mentorship programmes linking established entrepreneurs with early stage founders.

He has also participated in public dialogues and advisory efforts with national and regional economic development bodies to promote innovation hubs and access to capital for startups in urban centres across the United Kingdom and Europe.

Personal life

Hoberman lives in the United Kingdom and maintains residences and business bases in major entrepreneurial hubs. He is married and has family connections that have been referenced in profiles and interviews. In addition to business activities, he participates in philanthropic networks and forums that convene leaders from technology, finance, media and culture.

Category:British entrepreneurs Category:Technology investors