UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) , formerly known as Rainbow Seed Fund, a Harwell, Oxford-based early-stage venture capital fund focused on promising technologies based on the UK’s publicly-funded research, has invested in seven companies.
The investment was made via the Government’s Innovate UK (IUK) £8.5m investment accelerator, which combines equity and grant funding to back high-potential therapeutic, diagnostic and device companies.
The new joint IUK and UKI2S investments include:
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES
– Camstech, which develops novel sensing technology used for point-of-care diagnostics.
– SFH Oxford, which has been developing Graducheck, a sensor-based technology for improving the application of compression bandages for treatment of venous leg ulcers – a chronic wound that is a considerable burden; both for the patients and national healthcare systems.
– C-Major Medical, an innovative medtech company based at the Daresbury Campus focused on developing a novel syringe platform technology – CHoRD (Controlled Helical Retraction Device). The platform will be used to produce a range of devices to reduce the risk of needle stick injuries in clinical settings and promote safety of health staff.
SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
– MyoDOPA, which addresses limitations associated with current treatments of Parkinson’s disease and develops a novel therapeutic profile providing efficient treatment of PD without the need for a PEG tube, pump or neurosurgery.
– Linear Diagnostics, which started as a spin out from the University of Birmingham, is advancing a molecular diagnostics platform that rapidly detects key genetic sequences.
– Cagen, which has developed protein nanocages that allow the delivery of poorly soluble and poorly bioavailable molecules into cells.
– Nemesis Bioscience, which is developing ‘Symbiotics’-novel DNA therapeutics that remove antibiotic resistance.
Source: UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund Invests in Seven Companies