Brent Hoberman: The Entrepreneur Who Built Lastminute.com and Backed New Startups

Introduction

Brent Hoberman is a British entrepreneur and technology investor. He is best known for co-founding Lastminute.com in 1998 with Martha Lane Fox.

That was just the start.

He later helped build Made.com, Founders Forum, Founders Factory and firstminute capital. Each business had a different purpose, but his interest stayed much the same: finding promising ideas and helping people turn them into real companies.

His career has included big wins. There have been setbacks, too. From the excitement of the dot-com boom to his work with new startups, he has spent decades in the British technology industry.

So, how did he get here?

Quick Facts About Brent Hoberman

Detail	Information
Full name	Brent Hoberman
Known as	Brent Hoberman CBE
Born	November 1968
Age	57 years old (October 2026)
Birthplace	Cape Town, South Africa
Nationality	British
Profession	Entrepreneur and investor
Education	Dragon School, Eton College, University of Oxford
University subject	Modern Languages
Best known for	Co-founding Lastminute.com
Business partner	Martha Lane Fox (Lastminute.com)
Major ventures	Made.com, Founders Forum, Founders Factory, firstminute capital
Major honour	CBE, awarded in 2015
Main industry	Technology and venture capital
Current business activities	Startup investment and founder support

Early Life and Childhood

Brent Hoberman was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in November 1968.

His childhood involved plenty of moving.

He spent time in Boston, New York and London. Growing up across different cities gave him experience of life outside one country.

His family also had business connections.

According to his official Founders Forum profile, his father studied engineering at MIT before working in investment management and venture capital.

That background put entrepreneurship close to home.

But Hoberman didn’t simply follow an existing route. He developed his own interest in creating businesses.

Even at school, he enjoyed trying new ideas. One example was a pirate radio station he started while studying at Eton.

It was an unusual project.

Still, it showed an early interest in doing things independently.

Education and University Years

Hoberman received his education at several established British schools.

He attended Dragon School in Oxford from 1979 to 1982. After leaving, he continued his studies at Eton College.

University came next.

He enrolled at New College, University of Oxford, where he studied Modern Languages.

His degree was not in technology.

That’s an interesting part of his story. Despite not following a computer science degree programme, he later became closely involved in internet businesses and venture capital.

He learned about business through work experience and early company projects.

His education also helped prepare him for a career that eventually involved dealing with international teams and businesses.

His First Steps Into Business

Before launching Lastminute.com, Hoberman worked in consultancy and internet-related businesses.

His early professional experience included Mars & Co and Spectrum Strategy Consultants.

He was also involved with LineOne and QXL, companies connected to the early internet industry.

These jobs came during an interesting period.

More people were starting to use the internet. Companies were testing new ways to sell products and services online.

Some ideas worked. Many failed.

Hoberman could see that consumer habits were beginning to change.

He wanted to build something himself.

His Founders Forum profile even describes how he lost an early consultancy job after spending time working on his own business project.

That setback didn’t end his interest in entrepreneurship.

It pushed him toward the work that eventually made his name.

How Lastminute.com Started

The idea behind Lastminute.com was surprisingly simple.

Hotels sometimes had empty rooms. Airlines and entertainment businesses also had unsold capacity.

Once the date passed, those opportunities disappeared.

Hoberman saw a business opportunity.

During the early 1990s, he noticed that hotels might offer substantial discounts when they had rooms available at short notice.

He wondered whether customers could find those deals through one service.

The internet offered a possible answer.

He prepared a business plan but did not launch immediately. According to his Founders Forum profile, the plan remained unused for around two years.

Then he acted.

In 1998, Hoberman co-founded Lastminute.com with Martha Lane Fox.

Their website helped people find travel and leisure deals close to the booking date.

Customers could search for hotels, holidays, flights and entertainment opportunities.

It made booking more convenient.

The company arrived while online shopping was still developing. People were beginning to trust websites with purchases, and travel was becoming a popular online category.

Lastminute.com became one of the better-known British internet businesses of that period.

The Dot-Com Boom and Stock Market Listing

Things moved quickly.

In March 2000, Lastminute.com went public on the London Stock Exchange.

Investors were showing huge interest in internet companies at the time. Businesses with strong growth stories could attract high valuations, even before becoming consistently profitable.

Lastminute.com benefited from that excitement.

Its shares attracted considerable attention during the market debut.

But the situation soon changed.

The dot-com bubble burst. Many internet companies lost much of their stock market value.

Lastminute.com faced the same pressure.

Its share price fell sharply.

For Hoberman, this became one of the toughest periods of his business career.

He had to keep the company working while investors became more cautious about internet businesses.

The company continued operating.

It expanded its services, worked on its commercial position and remained active in the European online travel market.

Surviving that period became an important part of its story.

The Sale of Lastminute.com in 2005

A major deal arrived in 2005.

American travel technology company Sabre acquired Lastminute.com in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion.

It marked a major business milestone.

Hoberman had helped take an idea from a simple plan into a public company that attracted an international buyer.

The acquisition also gave him the opportunity to work on other ventures.

His experience running Lastminute.com became useful when he started advising and investing in new companies.

He understood the challenges founders face.

Raising money can be difficult. Hiring good people takes time. And even a popular business can struggle during a market downturn.

He had experienced those problems directly.

Building Made.com

Hoberman later moved into online furniture retail.

In 2010, he co-founded Made.com alongside Ning Li and other founding partners.

The company sold furniture and home products through the internet.

Its business model aimed to connect customers with contemporary designs while reducing some traditional retail costs.

Made.com became a recognised online furniture business.

In 2021, the company listed on the stock market at a valuation of approximately $1.1 billion.

Hoberman had left before that listing.

The business later faced serious financial difficulties and entered administration in November 2022.

That outcome was a reminder that a well-known brand can still face commercial problems.

For Hoberman, Made.com remained an important part of his career, though its later failure should not be overlooked.

Founders Forum and His Work With Entrepreneurs

Hoberman didn’t stop at building consumer businesses.

He also wanted to connect entrepreneurs.

Founders Forum began in 2005 as a gathering for technology founders, business leaders and investors.

The first event brought together around 50 people in London.

The idea was straightforward.

Give founders a place to meet other people who understood the problems of building companies.

Those meetings could lead to introductions, advice and business relationships.

Over time, Founders Forum grew into an international network.

It hosted events in cities around the world and became part of a wider group of businesses supporting entrepreneurs.

Hoberman continues to serve as co-founder and executive chair of Founders Forum Group.

Founders Factory and Supporting New Businesses

Founders Factory takes a more practical approach to supporting startups.

It helps entrepreneurs create businesses, raise investment and work through early challenges.

Hoberman co-founded the organisation alongside Henry Lane Fox and George Northcott.

The company works with new business ideas and provides support through investment programmes and venture-building activities.

Its work can involve product development, hiring, commercial planning and access to experienced teams.

This is different from simply investing money.

Founders Factory also works directly with companies as they develop.

For Hoberman, it became another way to support entrepreneurs without personally running every business.

Firstminute Capital and Technology Investments

In 2017, Hoberman and Spencer Crawley founded firstminute capital.

The venture capital firm focuses on early-stage technology companies.

It mainly invests in businesses at the pre-seed and seed stages.

These are often companies that are still building their products, finding customers or preparing for larger growth.

The firm says it manages approximately $500 million in assets.

Its published portfolio includes companies such as Wayve, Mistral, Storyblok, Tessl and n8n.

Those businesses operate in different parts of technology, including artificial intelligence, software and other developing markets.

Firstminute capital gives Hoberman a way to work with new entrepreneurs and back ideas at an early stage.

But one detail matters.

The money managed by a venture capital fund is not the personal wealth of its founders.

Other Companies and Business Interests

Hoberman has been involved in several other businesses and entrepreneurship projects.

Some focus on investment. Others help companies find people, develop products or access professional services.

His business connections include:

• PROfounders Capital: A venture capital business he helped establish.
• Founders Intelligence: A consultancy later acquired by Accenture.
• Founders Keepers: An executive recruitment business.
• Founders of the Future: A network supporting aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Founders Pledge: A charitable giving initiative involving entrepreneurs.
• EQL:HER: An initiative supporting women in technology.
• Grip: A business networking technology company.
• Karakuri: A business working with robotics and automation.
• Founders Law: Legal services for technology companies.
• Founders Makers: A creative business services company.

His level of involvement has varied between these organisations.

Some were businesses he helped create. Others involved board responsibilities, investment or support.

Wife, Children and Family Life

Hoberman has shared some information about his family through his official Founders Forum profile.

He is married to Genevieve, who works in interior design and has a Belgian background.

The couple have three children.

Their names are Jade, Celeste and Monty.

Despite his public business career, he keeps much of his personal life outside the spotlight.

There is limited verified public information about his children’s private lives, and those details are not needed to understand his professional story.

His father also influenced his early interest in business.

The family’s connection to investment management and venture capital provided exposure to entrepreneurship before Hoberman started working.

Brent Hoberman Net Worth and Earnings

How wealthy is Brent Hoberman?

His exact personal net worth has not been reliably confirmed through the public sources reviewed.

He has been involved in valuable businesses, investment funds and major company transactions.

Still, those figures are not the same as personal wealth.

For example, Lastminute.com was sold for approximately $1.1 billion in 2005.

Made.com was valued at approximately $1.1 billion when it went public in 2021.

Firstminute capital also manages substantial investment assets.

None of these numbers tells us exactly how much money Hoberman personally owns.

His shareholdings, investments, liabilities and other financial interests are not fully disclosed in a way that establishes a current figure.

So, quoting a specific net-worth estimate would be misleading.

Awards and Public Recognition

Hoberman received a major honour in 2015.

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, commonly known as a CBE, for services to entrepreneurship.

The recognition reflected his work in building technology businesses and supporting entrepreneurs.

His professional experience has also led to advisory and board responsibilities.

He has served in roles connected with organisations such as Google Cloud, the Tessa Jowell Foundation, Guardian Media Group, Shazam and the UK Government Digital Service.

These appointments took place across different stages of his career.

His official business profiles also state that he has advised four UK prime ministers.

Such work shows the reach of his experience beyond the companies he personally helped establish.

Charity and Social Work

Business isn’t his only focus.

Hoberman has supported charitable and social initiatives connected to entrepreneurship.

One example is Founders Pledge.

The organisation encourages successful founders to commit part of their financial gains to charitable causes.

Hoberman is publicly listed as a member.

He has also been involved in initiatives supporting women in technology.

Another past responsibility involved chairing a Royal Foundation taskforce focused on preventing cyberbullying.

These projects reflect his involvement in public and charitable work alongside his commercial activities.

What Is Brent Hoberman Doing in 2026?

Hoberman remains active in the technology and investment community.

His work now involves supporting founders, investing in younger businesses and taking part in discussions about entrepreneurship.

He continues to hold senior responsibilities at Founders Forum Group and Founders Factory.

At firstminute capital, he is listed as co-founder and managing partner.

He is also co-chair of Enterprise Britain, an organisation concerned with the future of business and entrepreneurship in the United Kingdom.

His role today is different from his early career.

He is no longer primarily known for running an online travel company.

Instead, much of his work involves helping other founders establish and grow their own businesses.

Career Timeline

Year	Career milestone
1968	Born in Cape Town, South Africa
1979–1982	Attended Dragon School
Later education	Studied at Eton College and Oxford University
1990s	Worked in consulting and early internet businesses
1998	Co-founded Lastminute.com
2000	Lastminute.com went public
2005	Lastminute.com sold to Sabre
2005	Founders Forum began
2010	Co-founded Made.com
2015	Awarded a CBE
2017	Co-founded firstminute capital
2021	Made.com went public after his departure
2022	Made.com entered administration
2026	Continues his work in investment and founder support

What Makes His Career Interesting?

One idea started it all.

Hoberman noticed that businesses could lose money when rooms, tickets or travel services remained unsold.

He helped turn that observation into an internet company.

But the story didn’t end with one successful sale.

He moved into online furniture, startup investment and programmes for entrepreneurs.

Some projects grew. Others struggled.

Made.com’s later collapse is an example of how even established internet brands can run into trouble.

His experience also covers different market conditions.

He worked through the dot-com crash, saw online shopping become mainstream and later backed technology startups developing newer products.

That combination has made him a familiar figure in Britain’s entrepreneurial community.

Final Thought

Brent Hoberman built his reputation through Lastminute.com, but his career continued well beyond the travel website.

He went on to help establish companies and organisations that work with entrepreneurs at different stages.

The results haven’t all been the same.

Some businesses achieved valuable exits. Others faced difficult endings.

Still, his professional story shows how one entrepreneur moved from running a consumer internet business to investing in and supporting many others.

That remains the main thread of his career today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Brent Hoberman?

Brent Hoberman is a British entrepreneur and investor. He is best known for co-founding Lastminute.com in 1998.

How old is Brent Hoberman?

He is 57 years old as of October 2026. He was born in November 1968.

Where was Brent Hoberman born?

He was born in Cape Town, South Africa.

Who is Brent Hoberman’s wife?

His wife is Genevieve, a Belgian interior designer.

Does Brent Hoberman have children?

Yes. His official profile identifies three children: Jade, Celeste and Monty.

What did Brent Hoberman study?

He studied Modern Languages at New College, University of Oxford.

What is Brent Hoberman’s net worth?

His exact personal net worth is not reliably verified in publicly available sources.

Who founded Lastminute.com?

Brent Hoberman and Martha Lane Fox co-founded Lastminute.com in 1998.

What companies has Brent Hoberman founded?

His business history includes Lastminute.com, Made.com, Founders Forum, Founders Factory and firstminute capital.

What does Brent Hoberman do now?

He works in venture capital, startup support and entrepreneurship through organisations including Founders Forum Group, Founders Factory and firstminute capital.