Why Did Steven Bartlett Leave Social Chain and Start Another Company?

Steven Bartlett is the youngest Dragon to have joined BBC’s Dragon Den and replaced Vitabiotics CEO Tej Lalvani. He co-founded Social Chain in 2014 along with Dom McGregor. However, he has since left the company. Why did Bartlett leave Social Chain and what’s his net worth?

Bartlett joined the business management course at Manchester Metropolitan University. However, he dropped out to pursue his business interests and work on a social-media-assisted program called "Wallpark," which could connect students in the same city.

Bartlett met McGregor, who was then a student at Edinburgh University, and the duo came together to create Social Chain and Media Chain. Social Chain went public in 2019 and currently has a market cap of around $630 million.

Bartlett quit the business in 2020 and didn't specify any reason for the sudden exit. However, he set up Catena Capital, which is a private equity investment company. The fund seeks to invest in futuristic companies and technologies. The fund's focus areas are cryptos, space, biotech, and health and wellness. The company has a special focus on cryptos and blockchain. Many people see blockchain and cryptocurrency as the future of finance.

Bartlett also invested in the Series C funding round of Berlin-based biotech startup Atai Life Sciences. The company was listed in June 2021. The company priced the IPO at $15 and currently trades near $17.

The company is working to treat mental disorders using psychedelic treatments but is currently in the pre-revenue stage. Bartlett is the company's creative director. The outlook for companies working on mental disorders looks bright based on the growing impetus towards mental health.

Bartlett has several accolades to his name. At the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2017, along with McGregor, Bartlett was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the North West. He's also a special guest at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2021.

Bartlett is also the author of the best-selling book, Love and Success Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment. He also heads a famous podcast named The Diary of a CEO. Bartlett was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30. In 2018, Econsultancy voted him as the “Most Influential Industry Figure.” The Mayor of Greater Manchester inducted him into Manchester’s Hall of Fame.

Bartlett has featured as a speaker over 400 times including at Ted Talk, United Nations, and SXSW.

Bartlett became the youngest Dragon to join the 19th edition of Dragon Den. “I’ve been watching Dragons’ Den since I was 12 years old – it was my first window into the real world of business and investing,” said Bartlett.

Bartlett, who was born in Botswana, added that he wanted to represent “a new generation of entrepreneurs, inspiring young and specifically under-represented entrepreneurs to follow in my footsteps.”

We don’t have exact estimates of Bartlett’s net worth. Unifresher estimates his net worth at £68 million. Bartlett made his wealth through the different companies that he founded. That said, Bartlett’s professional life is a success story in itself and an inspiration for many.