Blockchain startup fan3 raises £3.7m from Improbable
At a glance
This article covers a funding round on 2 October 2025, fan3, an entertainment technology company building a fan-first access platform for live events, founded by Steve Finan, Paul Rose, and Ross Taylor. The round raised £3.7m and was led by Improbable.
What does fan3 do?
fan3 is a ticketing access platform that issues digital passes and NFC wristbands and integrates with major ticketing systems. It verifies genuine fans, blocks bots and scalpers, and grants priority presales and event access via blockchain records.
Why is fan3 useful?
Problem
People face ticket sell-outs, inflated resale prices, and bot-driven fraud that blocks genuine fans from live events.
Solution
fan3 explains that it verifies fans, issues digital passes that integrate with major ticketing platforms, and blocks bots and scalpers.
How much did fan3 raise?
fan3 raised £3.7m ($5m) from Improbable. This makes it the 7th largest funding round in October 2025 (12 recorded). The deal is also 261st among UK investments this year (483 recorded) in the Startupmag database, as of 2 October 2025.
For details on how Startupmag compiles its rankings, view our Methodology.
Who invested in fan3?
The key investors were:
- Improbable: A London-based technology company that invests in ventures building virtual worlds, large-scale simulations and infrastructure for online experiences.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of blockchain venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of blockchain angel investors in the UK
Who founded fan3?
The founders of fan3 are Steve Finan, Paul Rose and Ross Taylor.
Where is fan3 based?
fan3 is based in London, UK.
What sector is fan3 in?
fan3 operates in the blockchain sector. The sector builds shared digital ledgers that record transactions and verify ownership without central control. Put simply, it helps prove who bought or owns something online.
Key trends and challenges in live event ticketing:
Secondary-market leakage and inflated prices
Around half of ticket inventory now ends up on secondary markets, causing sell-outs and high resale prices for fans.
Bot and scalper activity undermining fairness
Automated bots increasingly buy large volumes quickly, evading old detection tools and locking genuine fans out.
Rise of digital identity and verification tools
Mobile wallet passes, NFC wristbands and blockchain records are used more to verify fans and reduce fraud.
For a deeper look at innovation in this space, see the blockchain startups in the UK.
Click here for a full list of 7,233+ startup investors in the UK