Participated · Series B · Feb 2023

Evonetix develops a semiconductor-based DNA synthesis platform that uses a proprietary silicon chip to control thousands of independent thermally controlled reaction sites, or 'pixels'. Its patented Binary Assembly process assembles highly accurate, gene-length DNA on the chip surface. The company says the approach enables synthesis of thousands of sequences on a single chip and assembly of long DNA in days rather than weeks. Evonetix has opened an early access program and is executing a commercial strategy to put benchtop gene synthesis instruments in users' hands. The recent financing will support scaling its semiconductor chips to commercial scale and extending gene assembly capabilities for benchtop delivery. The platform is targeted at accelerating research across pharma, biotech, food, agriculture, and data storage. Evonetix is developing a desktop platform for scalable, high‑fidelity and rapid gene synthesis using a silicon chip‑based system. Its technology utilises MEMS‑processed silicon chips that control synthesis at many thousands of independently controlled reaction sites or ‘pixels’ and assembles strands on‑chip into double‑stranded DNA with error identification and removal. The company says this approach enables accuracy, scale and speed several orders of magnitude better than conventional approaches. The new funding will accelerate internal technology development, including integration to enable synthesis of DNA on a chip, and will fund Evonetix through to the introduction of its desktop DNA platform. The investment will also support significant recruitment across scientific, operational and commercial staff at its facility in Coldhams Business Park, Cambridge, UK. Evonetix was founded in 2015, raised a $12.3M Series A in 2018 and has raised $46M to date following the recent Series B. Evonetix is a Cambridge-based company developing a novel gene synthesis platform that uses an addressable silicon array to direct DNA synthesis in parallel. Its platform performs synthesis at many sites simultaneously and applies an error-detection process to assemble high-fidelity DNA at scale. The technology is intended to meet synthetic biology's growing need for high-throughput, highly accurate DNA and RNA constructs and to enable synthesis without practical size limitations. Evonetix aims to reduce costs and accelerate innovation across medicines and other industries by delivering massive parallelisation with low error rates. The company was founded in 2016. It completed a $12.3 million (£9 million) financing to advance development of its technology.

Participated · Equity · Apr 2014

Aveillant develops 3D Holographic Radar™ systems for real-time detection of non-cooperative targets, offering remotely deployable units through to long-range Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) systems with a ceiling of 60,000 ft. Led by CEO David Crisp, the company spun off from Cambridge Consultants in October 2011 and is based in Cambridge, UK. Aveillant has commercially deployed its radars and is using recent funding to grow its customer support infrastructure and supply chain. The product is targeted at air traffic surveillance and related markets. The company is negotiating with industry partners to support its wind farm mitigation business and to expand into additional markets.