GMC Life Sciences Fund Makes Further Seed Investments in universities
Catapult Ventures, managers of the GM&C Life Sciences Fund, has announced that it has completed two new seed investments. The Fund completed a seed investment into sensor technology developer Kanichi Research in August and in September, it completed the seed funding of Virustatic, which develops anti-microbial materials. The GM&C Life Sciences Fund makes initial investments […]
£75m raised in technology start-up investment by Cambridge University
A capital investment fund company, founded by Cambridge University in partnership with other investors, has raised capital of £75 million in anticipation of an IPO flotation. This is a major success story for continuing investment into technology and healthcare innovative startups in the Cambridge region. The IPO was oversubscribed, a sure sign of the strong […]
Cambridge university start-up fund raises £75m ahead of IPO
The university founded CIC in 2013 with an original £50m investment, which came from its own funds as well as outside investors including Lansdowne Partners, one of the largest hedge funds in London, and Arm Holdings, the technology group. The £75m of cash raised ahead of an expected IPO was oversubscribed, said Victor Christou, CIC’s […]
Innovation Birmingham Announces Strategic Partnership With Crowdcube
On Monday, Innovation Birmingham announced it formed a strategic partnership with equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube as a way to encourage successful fundraising efforts for startups and early stage businesses. This announcement comes just after the completion of Innovation Birmingham’s iCentrum building and the launch of Serendip Smart City Incubator, which is described as a program that co-locates […]
Avacta Group and Leeds University secure £3.8m fund to develop new diagnostic tests
Avacta Group plc, the science-led healthcare supplier, has announce that a collaborative programme with Leeds University has been awarded a £3.8m grant by the Medical Research Council. The Wetherby-based supplier of Affimer biotherapeutics and research reagents, will use the grant to develop novel, rapid diagnostic tools incorporating Affimer reagents, to differentiate between viral and bacterial […]
London start-up scene weighs threat of British Techxit
Britain’s tech start-up scene was having a bumper year in terms of new company creation, fresh funding and acquisitions by global tech players before voters decided to leave the European Union in Thursday’s referendum. Now high-profile companies are threatening to pull out or slow down plans to enter the UK market, international employees are second-guessing […]
Neil Woodford plugs £11.6m into start-up investor Imperial Innovations
Neil Woodford has added £11.6m to his stake in Imperial Innovations, a technology company that invests in start-ups ranging from payment apps to new drug treatments, underlining the respected fund manager’s confidence in British science research. The purchase boosts Woodford Investment Management’s existing 19.9pc holding in Imperial by nearly 2pc, and comes after the technology company placed £100m of new shares […]
Oxford Uni-backed Aussie start-up Zegami looks to raise $10 million
Two Adelaide-based tech entrepreneurs who developed big data visualisation software for Oxford University are looking to raise up to $10 million to accelerate sales of the technology. Zegami, headed by Samuel Conway and Roger Nobel, has already attracted $1 million in funding from Oxford University and well-regarded British entrepreneurs. The company is aiming to change […]
New £180m university fund to accelerate energy research across the Midlands Engine
A major new fund designed to drive cutting-edge research, innovation and skills across the Midlands Engine, has been officially launched today with significant backing from Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. The Chancellor set out a commitment at the Spending Review to deliver significant government investment in the Midlands across transport, energy and culture. This […]
New £180m fund to accelerate innovation across the Midlands Engine
The ERA is the first project to be delivered by the ‘Midlands Innovation’ initiative and will help unlock £120m of private sector investment. It will tackle some of the biggest energy challenges facing the UK such as making the best use of available resources and how to produce affordable energy. Commercial secretary to the Treasury, […]