Participated · Equity · Jan 2022

I-Phyc is a Birmingham-based green water treatment company that develops nature-based wastewater treatment solutions using algae. Its core system removes phosphorus, ammonia and other contaminants while locking away carbon and creating sustainable by-products from the biomass. The technology is already deployed at plants in Weston-super-Mare and Broadwindsor and is slated for a new installation at Croxton Kerrial. The company intends to use newly raised funds to establish itself as the technological leader in circular wastewater treatment solutions. I-Phyc has seen a major increase in enquiries over the past year and is in discussions with all major UK water companies as well as operators in the US and Scandinavia. The business currently employs 15 staff, operates a laboratory in Bristol, and plans to add five jobs in the next six months; it raised £2.3M in the reported funding round. I-Phyc develops a chemical-free water-treatment system that uses microalgae and cutting-edge technology to remove phosphorus, ammonia and other contaminants while locking away carbon and creating sustainable by-products such as biomass. The system is already installed and operating at a number of sites and the company says it is in discussions with all other major operators. The latest funding is intended to support roll-out at more municipal water plants and to aid internationalisation. I-Phyc employs 15 staff across its headquarters in Birmingham and a laboratory in Bristol. The raise comes as regulators introduce stricter limits on phosphorus and other contaminants, increasing demand for nature-based, lower-carbon solutions. To date the company has raised over £2m. Industrial Phycology has developed an eco-friendly wastewater treatment system that uses algae to remove nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen from sewage and wastewater. The recovered algal biomass can be used to generate biogas or fertiliser, and the process captures and retains carbon emissions to help reduce operators' carbon footprints. The company has completed a trial with Wessex Water at Avonmouth sewage works and is demonstrating the technology at a plant in Weston-super-Mare. Laboratories are based in Bristol and the company recently established new headquarters in Birmingham, where it is creating 19 new jobs. Industrial Phycology intends to use the funds to build its team in Birmingham and to launch its new system.

Participated · Seed · Apr 2021

Hearby.com is a live music discovery platform created by Area4 Labs that combines AI, data cleaning, social matching, Big Data and anthropology to compile extensive local music listings. The product claims to surface roughly 3x more shows and covers over 100 cities and metro markets across North America and the UK. Hearby tracks a wide range of venues — from large halls to restaurants, brewpubs and drive-ins — to broaden choices for users. The company has accelerated growth as music returns post-COVID, expanding to over one hundred cities and metro markets. Hearby plans further expansion to European and global cities in 2021. Financially, the company has completed multiple seed financings and recently increased its funding to support its mission to amplify the return of live music shows.