Participated · Seed · Sep 2018

ValueCar.es is a digital marketplace launched in September 2017 that connects car buyers with official dealerships to find, compare and buy new, nearly-new and rental (renting/subscription) vehicles. Users enter their desired car and postal code and the platform obtains five definitive offers from participating dealers for easy comparison. The service is free for users and is financed by the participating dealerships. After one year of operation the platform reports more than 25,000 registered users, 400 dealers onboarded and over 15,000 offers issued per month, with double-digit monthly growth. The company is developing new business areas on its web platform and is expanding its renting/subscription offerings toward more frequent subscription cadences. ValueCar aims to consolidate and scale its position across Spain while investing in communication and marketing to acquire new users. It also has financial support from the Agencia de Desarrollo Económico de La Rioja.

Participated · Equity · Jan 2018

Pyreos develops and manufactures thin-film pyroelectric (passive infrared) sensors. Its sensors are primarily used for gas and flame sensing, food safety, and monitoring oil and fuel in engines. The company’s technology was originally developed by Siemens and Pyreos was spun out of Siemens in 2007. Pyreos is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. It intends to use the £1.7m funding for further commercial expansion. The latest investment brings total funding since 2015 to almost £7m. Pyreos develops ultra-low power consumption infrared sensor technology for consumer, industrial and environmental sensor products. It has developed high-performance MEMS-based sensors that enable a diverse range of products, including gesture sensors, oil sensors for wind-turbine monitoring, laser measurement sensors, gas sensors and energy-efficiency products. The company holds over 100 patents and patent applications protecting its thin film pyroelectric infrared sensor technology. Pyreos is a technology spin-out from Siemens and is led by CEO Jeff Wright. The company raised $4m in funding to support international expansion. It is based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and was founded in 2007. Pyreos develops patented thin-film technology with applications across the infrared sensor industry. It produces infrared sensor array–based products and works with manufacturing partners across the UK, Germany and Europe. The company intends to use recent equity funding to strengthen its global network of channel partners and to continue expanding its customer base. Pyreos was founded in July 2007 and is based in Edinburgh, UK. Recent corporate developments include adding Tony Lear, a 40-year veteran of the electronics and semiconductor industries, as Non Executive Chairman.

Participated · Equity · Dec 2016

Eagle Genomics provides an AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist], that empowers scientists to exploit multi-dimensional data to conduct science-led innovation. The system is powered by network science and multilayer hypergraphs and applies machine learning and AI to deliver data-driven insights and active learning across the microbiome innovation journey. It supports the entire innovation workflow from hypothesis through insight to product claims, helping bring novel, safer and sustainable products to market faster. The platform targets Food and Nutrition, Beauty and Personal Care, AgBio and BioPharma use cases. The company said the investment will support further development of e[datascientist], continued global expansion and the deepening of client impact. Eagle Genomics has sites in London’s Knowledge Quarter, Hyderabad (India), New York’s Genome Center, Paris’ Station F, Potsdam Science Park (Germany) and Kyiv (Ukraine). Eagle Genomics develops an AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, e[datascientist]™, that applies network (graph) technology and Microsoft’s machine learning and cognitive services to microbiome and biology data. The platform is used by companies innovating in next-generation food, personal care, cosmetics and agritech products and is positioned to support science-backed product development. The company highlights a partnership history with Microsoft Genomics, becoming its first microbiome partner in 2018. Eagle Genomics operates in major genomics and AI centres including Cambridge’s Wellcome Genome Campus, London’s Knowledge Quarter, Microsoft’s AI Factory in Paris, Potsdam Science Park, JLABS in New York and HITEC City in Hyderabad. The business is led by CEO Anthony Finbow. It recently closed a $9M scale-up funding round to further develop platform capabilities and drive commercial expansion across Europe and the US. Eagle Genomics has developed a knowledge discovery platform that uses AI to analyze complex genomic and microbiomic data at scale. Its software delivers insights that help enterprise brands in consumer goods, agritech and healthcare assess product viability, efficacy and safety. Led by CEO Anthony Finbow, the company plans to use the funds to accelerate development of its software platform and to expand globally. Eagle Genomics intends to open international offices in Paris and New York to service the European and American markets. The company recently announced a partnership with Microsoft Genomics, which marked Microsoft’s first venture into the microbiome. Financially, Eagle Genomics raised $3.5m in a funding round led by the Environmental Technologies Fund, with participation from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and Newable Private Investing. Eagle Genomics provides an AI-augmented knowledge discovery platform, the e[automateddatascientist], that transforms scientific data into actionable insights. The platform is positioned to help companies assess product potential, accelerate market entry and mitigate risk. The company plans to use recently raised funds to accelerate development of its knowledge discovery platform and to support sales and marketing activity. Leadership changes accompany the push: Anthony Finbow was appointed CEO and founder Abel Ureta-Vidal moved to Chief Product Officer. Financially, Eagle Genomics completed a bridge funding round in which it raised initial capital to advance product and commercial efforts. The company is preparing for a planned Series A toward the end of the year. Eagle Genomics is a Cambridge, UK-based bioinformatics specialist developing software solutions to enable pharmaceutical, biotech and personal care companies to reduce cost and time to complete research and bring new candidate medicines, therapies and products to patients and customers. Led by CEO Abel Ureta-Vidal, the company offers a range of software solutions that are already used by blue-chip clients such as Unilever. According to the article, Eagle Genomics raised £1m in funding. Backers included London Business Angels, the LBA EIS Roundtable Syndicate Fund 2016, and others. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its marketing and product development activities. The article does not report operating metrics such as revenue or user numbers.

Participated · Equity · Feb 2016

Sphere Fluidics develops and commercialises single-cell analysis systems underpinned by its proprietary picodroplet technology, centered on the Cyto-Mine® Single Cell Analysis System. Cyto-Mine is an automated, cost-effective platform that integrates single-cell screening, sorting, dispensing, imaging, and clone verification and can process millions of samples per day. The platform is used across antibody discovery, cell line development, and single-cell diagnostics and has been purchased by global pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, CDMOs, and leading research institutions. The company plans to use new funding to expand international sales activities and improve customer support. It will also expand product R&D programs and pursue novel applications in areas such as cell therapy, synthetic biology, and genome editing, alongside ongoing platform enhancements. As part of the announced financing, new investors will join the company board to support growth and commercialization efforts. Sphere Fluidics commercializes single-cell analysis systems underpinned by its patented picodroplet technology. Its Cyto-Mine® Single Cell Analysis System integrates single cell screening, sorting, dispensing, imaging and clone verification to streamline biologics discovery and cell line development. The platform can process up to 40 million cells per day and isolates cells producing specific antibodies or biologics. The company closed an additional $2.9 million tranche, securing a total of $4.8 million (£3.7 million) in investment, to be used as working capital for Cyto-Mine® and for expansion. Proceeds will support expansion of the UK facility, the opening of a US sales office and demo lab in California, and the doubling of personnel. Sphere Fluidics is recruiting and evaluating prospective new facilities to support the growth of its commercial and scientific activities. Sphere Fluidics develops and commercializes the Cyto‑Mine automated single‑cell analysis platform, which integrates screening, sorting, dispensing, imaging and clone verification. Cyto‑Mine can process up to 40 million cells per day and is used to streamline antibody discovery and cell line development workflows. The company is based in Cambridge, England, and sells its systems to researchers in biotherapeutic discovery and cell line development. Sphere Fluidics closed a $2 million (circa £1.5 million) investment round to accelerate growth in operations and support sales of Cyto‑Mine. The funds will be used to expand operations and sales capabilities across the UK and USA and to open a new US West Coast sales office. Management said it will invest in automating and streamlining manufacturing across its product range and expects to raise additional funds to expand capabilities further. Sphere Fluidics develops Cyto-Mine, an integrated device that uses picodroplet technology and microfluidics to process around 1 million heterogeneous mammalian cells in less than half a day. Each cell is encapsulated in a picodroplet containing growth media that acts as a bioreactor, enabling compartmentalization, growth, trapping of secreted molecules such as antibodies, and selective screening to find rare lead candidates. The company is led by Dr. Frank F. Craig (CEO), Dr. Marian Rehak (R&D Director) and Dr. Rob Marchmont (Commercial Director). Sphere Fluidics secured $7M in the first close of its latest funding round, which remains open. The company intends to use the proceeds to accelerate development of the manufactured version of Cyto-Mine and to enable a commercial launch later in the year reported. The business is based in Cambridge, UK. Sphere Fluidics develops proprietary products and collaborative R&D services for single-cell analysis and characterisation. The company was founded on IP generated by the University of Cambridge and has in‑licensed 10 patent families from the University and other institutions. Its core technology is protected by 51 patents. Development to date has been funded with £2.3m of equity and over £7m of grants. The articles position the company as an established life sciences business with a protected technology base and ongoing external investment activity. No operating metrics (revenue/users) are provided in the articles.

Participated · Equity · Oct 2015

Pepper is a London-based mobile payments platform that enables companies to offer branded apps for discovery, quick and mobile payments, digital loyalty and push marketing. Its platform provides data to improve the customer journey and drive efficiencies in store. The solution is already being used by a number of hospitality and retail businesses in London and across the UK. The company is led by CEO Charles Hall. Pepper raised £1.1M in funding from London Business Angels and associated investors, including the LBA EIS Roundtable Syndicate Fund 2015 and the £25M London Co-Investment Fund. The company intends to use the funds to bolster sales and technical resources.