FT launches VC arm, invests in Charter

The Financial Times has launched FT Ventures to invest in companies operating in the global information industry and made an investment in Charter, which covers the future of work.

The amount was not disclosed. Sara Fischer of Axios reports the FT’s investment is part of a broader $1 million fundraising round.

Charter was co-founded by Kevin Delaney, Erin Grau and Jay Lauf, who started financial news Quartz. Charter offers coverage of the modern workplace, along with research.

“We’re thrilled that FT Ventures is accelerating our urgent mission to help leaders navigate one of the most complex, uncharted, and consequential challenges they face: winning the future of work,” said Delaney, CEO and editor in chief of Charter, in a statement.

FT Ventures seeks to back founders who want to shape the future of the information industry, and aims to do so by investing in businesses operating in the areas of media, data, intelligence or their underlying technologies.

“The FT has invested in strategically relevant start-ups for several years, and we are thrilled to formalize our investing activities with the launch of FT Ventures,” said Alexandra Calinikos, FT corporate development and strategy director, in a statement. “We want to champion founders with a bold vision who also share our core values, global mindset and ambition.”