Gresham House Ventures, a growth investor specialising in tech-enabled businesses across software, healthcare, and consumer has committed a £5mn investment into Much Better Adventures (MBA), an online travel company specialising in active outdoor adventure holidays.
MBA was established by co-founders Alex Narracott, Guy Bowden and Sam Bruce to capitalise on the rising demand for socially responsible adventure travel, especially solo travellers looking for an experience different from “fly and flop”. Partnering with handpicked local operators, MBA’s platform provides exclusive, solo-friendly and expert-led trips worldwide.
In a highly fragmented, competitive and fast-growing sector, MBA has delivered strong organic growth and built a loyal global following. Revenues have grown 11x since 2019 (pre-Covid) and tripled in the past two years alone, underlining the growing demand for the company’s curated, high-quality experiences. MBA has welcomed adventurers from over 100 countries, reflecting its universal appeal.
MBA is a B Corp-certified business dedicated to advancing sustainable practices in the travel industry. The business model is designed to maximise support for regional economies in which it operates by collaborating with local businesses funding conservation projects, and reducing its carbon footprint.
MBA is the third travel company to join Gresham House Venture’s portfolio, which already includes tailor-made holiday expert TravelLocal and staycation holiday provider Caledonian Leisure. The investment will enable MBA to enhance its go-to-market strategy, increase platform automation, expand its offering across new destinations and activities, and increase its international presence to take advantage of the worldwide market opportunity.
The deal, led by Greg Blin and supported by Hamza Rafiq, marks the first institutional investment for MBA, and continues a busy period of dealmaking for Gresham House Ventures. Recent deals include a €4.25mn investment into accessibility data platform Mobility Mojo, a £5.5mn investment into cybersecurity business OnSecurity and a £6.3mn investment into data governance and cyber incident management leaders ActiveNav and Actfore.
Cavendish, the full-service investment bank for growth and investment companies, were the advisers to Much Better Adventures on this deal.
Greg Blin, investment partner at Gresham House Ventures, said, “MBA has developed a distinctive proposition which appeals to consumers seeking out sustainable, active travel experiences. With a trusted reputation and consumer-centric approach, we believe the business is well-placed to continue on its impressive trajectory and capitalise on an attractive global market opportunity. We are very excited to be backing Alex Narracott (CEO) and his team and supporting their international expansion plans over the coming years.”
“We started Much Better Adventures in the French Alps, inspired by our shared passion for the outdoors and a belief that travel could be a force for good,” added Alex Narracott, CEO and co-founder of Much Better Adventures. “From those early days, we’ve been driven by a bold vision: to create the world’s leading platform for active, sustainable adventure travel. Today, we’re proud to have built a global community of adventurers who seek extraordinary experiences - and care about having a positive impact in the process. With Gresham House’s support, we’re excited to accelerate our international growth, expand into new destinations, and bring our model for adventure to even more people around the world—while continuing to protect the wild places that inspire us.”
About Gresham House Ventures
Gresham House Ventures is an experienced investor, providing flexible growth and secondary capital. Gresham House Ventures partners with exceptional management teams in fast-growing, innovative businesses across a diverse range of sectors, including healthcare & education, consumer markets and enterprise solutions. The team has been working together for over 10 years and has made over 100 investments into growth businesses.
Gresham House Ventures is part of Gresham House, a specialist alternative asset management group. Gresham House invests across a range of strategies, with expertise in private and public equity, forestry, housing, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy and battery energy storage. Gresham House is committed to operating responsibly and sustainably, taking the long view in delivering sustainable investment solutions. For more information visit: https://www.greshamhouseventures.com
About Much Better Adventures
Much Better Adventures is a fast-growing, multi-award-winning, B-Corp certified travel company on a mission to protect the world’s wild places, one adventure at a time. Specialists in active outdoor adventures, the company offers over 200 expertly guided trips across 70+ countries, with 75% of customers traveling solo and most in their 30s-50s.
By reinvesting 5% of revenues into conservation projects, Much Better Adventures ensures every trip protects wild places, supports rural communities, and funds vital environmental work. Backed by leading investors and a loyal global community, the company is redefining adventure travel with a focus on positive impact. For more information, visit: www.muchbetteradventures.com.