The Venture Codex

Participated · Seed · Apr 2026

Cnuic has developed a working prototype of a completely new type of photolithography device that leverages properties of light to enable rapid, reconfigurable production of photonic chips with enhanced 3D control. The company says this approach allows manufacturing possibilities previously impossible and could unlock mass production of photonic components. Cnuic positions its technology as a potential enabler for higher-speed, lower-power data-centre hardware and accelerated AI model training by removing communication bottlenecks among processors. The company also highlights broader applications for its technology across metalenses, 3D photonic crystals, AR/VR waveguides, flexible gratings, and other light-based systems. Cnuic is based in Edinburgh and is pursuing commercialization and scaling of its prototype following the pre-seed raise. Investors describe the technology as a major deep-tech breakthrough that could strengthen Europe’s role in the global semiconductor industry.

Led · Seed · Mar 2026

Cellbricks develops vascularised human tissue implants using a proprietary light-based bioprinting platform that combines human cells and biomaterials to produce large, viable constructs. Its near-term programmes focus on adipose tissue for complex wound healing and breast reconstruction, while a longer-term ambition targets organ-scale tissues such as liver. The company emphasizes a fully integrated in-house approach spanning cells, biomaterials, printers, software and translational capabilities, and says its light-based method enables roughly 15x faster production than other bioprinting approaches. For adipose indications it uses patient-derived cells to enable a faster regulatory path, whereas organ programmes rely on stem-cell–derived allogeneic cells. Cellbricks maintains offices in Berlin and Boston, has recruited international talent (the team includes 13 nationalities), and is pursuing pharma partnerships to access upfront payments and milestones as part of its commercialization strategy.

Participated · Seed · Jan 2026

Haiqu is a quantum-software startup creating a middleware operating system that enables larger, more noise-resilient quantum applications to run efficiently on current hardware. By tackling error mitigation and cost barriers, the company aims to unlock commercially useful quantum computing well before fully fault-tolerant qubits arrive. The platform is slated for launch soon and is intended to let enterprise quantum teams experiment at a fraction of today’s cloud-access costs. Headquartered across the UK, Ukraine and the US, Haiqu was co-founded in 2022 by Stanford-trained engineer Richard Givhan and former Max Planck/Weizmann quantum researcher Mykola Maksymenko. The fresh seed financing brings its total funding to roughly $16.8 million when added to the $5.8 million previously raised. The new capital will be used to expand the team and complete the operating system launch. No revenue or user figures were disclosed in the article.

Led · Seed · Nov 2024

Hippos Exoskeleton builds a predictive, AI-driven "knee sleeve" that measures stress on the knee joint and inflates an airbag around the knee in roughly 30 milliseconds to prevent ACL and MCL tears. The product pairs real-time sensors with predictive algorithms to detect risky movements and deploy protection faster than the typical 60 milliseconds it takes for ACL tears to occur. Founders Kylin Shaw (CEO) and Bhavy Metakar (CTO) initially bootstrapped the company with $1,000 to develop a prototype and secure early pre-orders. The startup has run trials with U.K. football clubs and athletes including world skiing champion Alex Schlopy, and says it has secured "over six figures in pre-orders." Hippos plans a consumer unit priced at about $129 with a $29–$99/month subscription covering AI-driven insights, small air canisters, and workout tracking, and will use new funding to finish development and push to a full launch in around three months. The company positions itself as a preventative alternative to traditional supportive or rehabilitation devices from brands like DonJoy, Zeen and Shock Doctor by offering predictive and reactive protection.

Participated · Equity · Oct 2024

Founded in 2022 by Agris Kipurs and Ilya Nevdah after their exit from consumer-drone maker Airdog, Origin focuses on low-cost, reusable strike capabilities for modern battlefields. Its flagship platform, BEAK, is a man-portable ISR drone equipped with precision-guidance technology that can autonomously deliver munitions and return intact, driving per-strike costs down roughly twentyfold versus comparable systems. The drone is engineered to resist heavy radio-frequency jamming and already has commercial agreements in place with two unnamed NATO countries. Origin positions the BEAK as a “flying Javelin,” targeting smaller democracies that cannot afford traditional precision-weapon inventories. Future plans include expanding production and deployment across allied defense forces while continuing R&D on autonomy and guidance. To date, the company has secured €4 million in capital: €2.4 million in equity and €1.6 million in EU and Latvian Ministry of Defence grants. The team leverages more than a decade of autonomous-systems expertise from their prior venture.