Comic is one of the stars behind new investment scheme

Jack Whitehall has launched an investment fund dubbed 'a cool version of Dragons Den'.

The comic has joined forces with Love Island host Maya Jama, TV presenter Roman Kemp  actor Daniel Kaluuya and singer Tom Grennan to launch  The Artists Collective.

They are sinking thousands of pounds into projects launched by budding entrepreneurs in the hope of benefitting from profits later.

It follows a similar scheme for sportspeople called the Players Fund and will offer investments of between  £50,000 and £300,000. They will also use the power of their social media reach to promote the businesses.

 The Artists Collective has already invested in start-ups including Seat Unique, offering VIP hospitality packages; ValidMind, an AI risk management tool; and Tano, which uses AI to help influencer marketing.

Whitehall launched the first campaign for Seat Unique in the autumn, after becoming a shareholder, with plans for more over the next two years.

He said: 'I love what Seat Unique are doing in the live event space, making these incredible experiences more accessible to everyone. Excited to be involved as an investor and see this great enterprise blossom even more!’

Seat Unique founder Robin Sherry added: 'Working with Jack is a brilliant way to showcase Seat Unique to a new generation of fans. He brings energy, humour and a fresh perspective that perfectly matches the direction we’re heading in.'

The company was behind Barack Obama appearing at The O2 in London in September, where tickets went for up to  £1,790, including a VIP meet-and-greet.

Those behind The Artists Collective say celebrities are often under pressure to sign up to 'transactional "brand partnership" models that extract rather than create value', adding: 'We proved with athletes that capital plus access can outperform cheque size.'

A spokesperson added: 'Our founding artists come with prior angel investing experience and a shared conviction: that their peers deserved access to credible, education-led venture participation without compromising their integrity, intellectual property or becoming just billboard space.'

Published: 4 Jan 2026