Carnot is an engineering company that is developing biofuel and hydrogen-powered Carnot engines with the aim of reducing global CO2 levels by 13%. The company asserts that metal engines, unable to withstand fuel combustion temperatures, waste one-third of fuel energy to cooling & have operating efficiencies of only 30%. Carnot argues that its engines can bring operating efficiencies up to 70%, halving fuel costs. It also intends to develop clean, secure, and affordable global off-grid energy solutions and provide disruptive technologies that are both commercially viable and environmentally friendly. Carnot was awarded a £157,000 Innovate UK Grant to develop an energy access solution in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was also awarded a place on OGTC Tech X accelerator, in partnership with organisations like British Petrol (BP), Equinor, and KPMG with a £100,000 funding. The company will use the investment to bump up the maximum theoretical engine efficiency to ~85%.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£307,911
Gravitricity is an energy technology company based in Edinburgh, London. Its patented technology is based on a simple principle: raising and lowering a heavy weight to store and release energy. The Gravitricity system suspends weights of 500 - 5000 tonnes in a deep shaft by several cables, each of which is engaged with a winch capable of lifting its share of the weight. Electrical power is then absorbed or generated by raising or lowering the weight. The technology has a 25+ year life with no cyclical degradation, has no parasitic loads, is cost-effective and can be installed anywhere including city-centres. The company has recently submitted its fifth patent application and has won a grant under InnovateUK's Energy Catalyst programme. It is working with winch partner Huisman Equipment BV and controls-partner ISC to build a 250kW Concept Demonstrator and design modular full-scale systems. With the funds received, Gravitricity will buffer for any COVID-related delay in energy requirements amidst the global economic downturn.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£775,000
Caldera is a heat battery company that seeks to institutionalise zero-carbon energy solutions for the masses. Its patented breakthrough, Warmstone heat battery, can store 100kWh of heat for a standard home for 24 hours. Caldera asserts that it takes renewable energy using a flexible green tariff with prices as low as 5p/kWh and stores it as heat, providing carbon-free hot water and heating via Warmstone. The company has raised over £1.5 million through grants and investment to date, installed its first pilot Warmstone product in a family home, established a manufacturing and R&D base, and acquired the support of an energy think tank, Energy Systems Catapult. It aspires to become a contender in the estimated £3.5 billion renewable energy storage market in the European Union (EU). The company is working with König Metall to build and sell Warmstone units via approved UK installers. Caldera will use the investment to install a small number of pilot units in trial homes in 2021 before a full commercial rollout in 2022.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,572,524
Quin is a mobile medical app that combines daily life experience with data from diabetes devices and phones and helps people decide how much insulin to take and when. They are on a mission to help people with insulin-treated diabetes make the best possible decisions through their app. The company have received a UK research and innovation grant. Apple has granted them insider access to their engineers and executives who are helping to get Quin to market, their app has a class I CE Mark, with two patents pending. With the investment, they will hire a product designer to enhance the user experience, achieve certification and compliance with new European Medical Device Regulations, develope B2B2C distribution partnerships and launch the Quin app in the UK and Europe in late 2020.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£691,497
planarTECH is an engineering company founded in 2014 as a provider of process equipment for the growth and characterisation of graphene and other emerging 2D materials. Its core product line is the planarGROW Chemical Vapor (CVD) system. The company has the ability to deliver scalable production systems that allow lower-cost production of graphene in comparison to other options currently available in the market. Moreover, from 2014 to 2019, the company’s cumulative revenues exceeded £5 million. The company's products have been installed and used by faculties and students at prestigious universities like Stanford University (USA), IIT- Bombay (India), Deakin University (Australia), and many others. From the investment, the company will utilise 45% as working capital, 30% in Capital Expenditures (CAPEX), 15% in R&D and 10% in hiring additional staff.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£425,061
PopUp Painting (PUP) is an art company that aims to be the leader in organising experiential social painting events in the UK. The company endeavours to bring art out of the classroom and gallery into the places people meet on an everyday basis, thereby, unleashing creativity. PUP has hosted over 45,000 guests to date. Total revenues to date are £1.1 million. In the last financial year, the company generated revenues of £373,000. The COVID-19 pandemic in March led to PUP launching its online art sessions which was met with positive feedback. The company resumed hosting in-person COVID-secure events from July 2020 onwards. PUP is seeking £175,000 at a pre-money valuation of £1.3 million to launch its own Central London experiential events space and to expand its current services to reach a new product market.
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Expired
investment:
Withheld
Carocell Bio is an early-stage Research and Design (R&D) company aiming to develop nanoparticle-based, novel peptide anti-inflammatories to treat atopic dermatitis/eczema (AD) and other serious inflammatory diseases. It argues that millions of people continue to be affected by debilitating skin ailments, which in turn, escalates the development of new pharmaceutical drugs. The company asserts that the anti-inflammatory therapeutics market will reach US$122.6 billion by 2025 from US$95.9 billion in 2019. The company aims to be a major contender in this market. Carocell Bio has also been awarded an Innovate UK grant of £390,874. The company is seeking £1 million in equity investment over the next 12 months to show that their compounds work in human tissue biopsies of several inflammatory diseases.
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Expired
investment:
Withheld
Nikalyte is a specialist in nanoparticles research and development (R&D) as well as commercialisation in various application areas such as cell binding, cell separation, drug delivery, catalysis, nano-photonics, and electrochemistry. The company is developing a nanoparticle generator, which will enable researchers to produce nanoparticles of almost any metal or alloy on almost any substrate via a user-friendly interface. Nikalyte is offering free nanoparticle samples to researchers investigating antiviral materials, such as Copper and Silver, towards developing a vaccine for Covid-19. The company also offers a consultancy service that provides advice on nanoparticle applications and ultra-high vacuum systems. The company aims to use the investment to scale its business.
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Expired
investment:
Withheld
Cell Guidance Systems is developing a technology called PODS (Polyhedrin Delivery System) PODS allow them to deliver therapeutic proteins accurately and over long periods of time. PODS enable proteins to treat diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and osteoarthritis.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£836,370
FloatWind manufactures mass-produced floating offshore wind turbines. It seeks to disrupt the £20 billion offshore wind energy market. The company argues that conventional offshore wind farms, installed at sea, use expensive and slow installation methods that are also dangerous to the marine environment. It further stresses that the high cost of installation is often borne by the consumer. FloatWind asserts that its business model is different. The company claims to build its products on land and then floats its ready-to-float turbines out to sea. The company points out that this reduces environmental damage, substantially reduces costs, and makes offshore wind energy cheaper. FloatWind was selected for a 6-month UK Innovate Edge business mentoring programme and appeared for SetSquared Business Mentoring Seminar in May 2021. The company has 3,000+ followers on LinkedIn. FloatWind states it will use the investment for product development, expanding its team, IP protection, promoting marketing and PR, and boosting its manufacturing capabilities.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£311,497
