Tech Will Save Us is a company that specialises in making STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) kits for children in the 4-6, 7-10 and 11+ age categories. The company has created a home learning system that enables kids to learn about the world through technology and play. There are three core components to its home learning system: A Digital platform, Physical Experiences and Subscriptions through which the company has helped over 1 million kids build & create. For its ingenuity, the company received the 2019 Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award for Electro Guitar and the Design of the Year Nomination by the London Design Museum. It also collaborated with the BBC to develop The BBC micro: bit., a pocket-sized computer designed for kids to invent with which, in turn, was given to one million kids and is now used in over 40 countries. Its first coding product, Gamer Kit was launched at WIRED's 1st Next Gen conference amidst positive feedback. The company will use 15% of the proceeds in Technology and Research & Development, 25% for marketing, and 60% for working capital and team building.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£843,940
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.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
Withheld
Ember Snacks (ES) is a sustainable meat snack brand that aims to end factory farming in the meat industry. It works directly with farmers committed to using high welfare and regenerative practices to improve soil health and encourage wildlife on their farms. Since its launch in 2017, ES's products have been stocked in over 2,000 distribution points across the UK, including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. It also argues that it is the most reviewed meat snack brand on Amazon across the UK and Europe, with nearly 4,000 reviews. The company asserts that its products are stocked in 200 Stonegate pubs, supported by field activation. It earned over £1.75 million in sales in 2020, won a medal at the Charcuterie Live Awards 2021, and received over 35 pieces of press coverage in 2021. ES states it will use the investment to discourage factory farming, build its team, grow distribution channels in major UK supermarkets, launch a campaign to highlight factory farming practices, reach out to new customers, and launch new products.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,420,578
Sol-Gel Materials and Application (SGMA) is a sustainable technology company that is using its new sol-gels to create sustainable solutions to plastic environmental waste. The company has researched and developed a non-plastic, non-toxic coating for products, from food packaging to electronics, that is water and oil resistant yet recyclable. Its product is the world’s only biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable (BCR) solution. The company's founder and CEO, Dr Fanya Ismail, has won the award 'Women in Innovation 2019' by Innovate UK and the company's work has been covered by BBC South East Today. The company plans to function as an IP management company, sub-contract manufacturing to chemical firms moving from bulk to advanced materials, and outsource distribution to partners, whose packaging customers serve brand owners.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£611,040
Polysolar specialises in manufacturing photovoltaic windows capable of generating electricity, which can be used in buildings to generate clean renewable energy whilst also meeting planning regulations. Its technology is already in-use by major organisations such as Network Rail and Sainsbury's.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,311,180
Pale Green Dot (PGD) is a company that provides a ‘closed-loop food system’ in the UK, targeting the £60 billion+ hospitality market. It says it collects food waste from commercial kitchens, turns it into bio-fertiliser and energy, and uses this energy to grow next seasons produce to deliver fresh produce to commercial kitchens and homes. The company claims that 5% of consumers want carbon labelling on menus. PGD aims to capture this sentiment and become a contender in the £60 billion sustainable food spend category. It claims that its commercial sales grew 740% since January 2021. The company has secured one of the UK’s largest 'Contract Caterers', with the potential to be worth £5 million a year. PGD points out that it has onboarded two multi-site independent chains, namely Granger & Co and Caravan to deliver sustainable produce. PGD will use the investment to grow its production on company-owned farms, grow purchasing opportunities with partner farms, and invest in people, training, and systems to improve sales, marketing, and operations.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£502,167
Planks is a British clothing brand that creates eco-conscious outerwear for skiers. The company is an omni-channel brand that sells Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) via planksclothing.com, through its Val d’Isère store and other retailers. Planks uses 'Bluesign' approved fabrics and incorporates 'REPREVE' recycled yarns into 68% of its products having recycled 1.5 million waste plastic bottles, in the process, so far. The company had a turnover of £1.85 million between May - June 2020. Planks has a growing community of 27,000+ customers that are a part of its Grassroots Tour initiative. Planks's loyalty platform, 'The FUSS', allows the brand's best customers to complete missions, create content and become brand advocates. The company will use the investment to continue international D2C expansion by improving customer experience in target markets via website localisation and digital marketing and sustain Business-to-Business (B2B) growth via digital wholesale accounts and integrated marketplaces.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£847,154
We are a property Market Place matching Buyers and Sellers, Landlords and Tenants without the use of estate agents. The online portal will dramatically reduce the fees that sellers and landlords pay agents to find buyers and tenants for their properties
days to go:
Expired
investment:
Withheld
Arcis Biotechnology provide nucleic acid sample preparation solutions. They have made the process of obtaining genetic material from biological samples less time consuming so it can be done in less than 3 minutes.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,146,318
Solent Automation specialises in developing, deploying and supporting automation robots to perform and tackle common manual labour-intensive tasks in factories. To solve the 'pick-and-place' challenges in an industrial setup, these robots are created with proven reliable components coupled with proprietary software to solve 'pick-and-place' challenges in an industrial environment. Two of the company's noteworthy products are 'SOLPAL 8' and 'SOLPACK 1XP, both are equipped with an all-in-one gripping tool, and can handle 16 boxes per minute and 60 packs per minute, respectively. Backed by a team of experts from manufacturing and robotics, Solent Automation provides on-site installation, training, and remote support for its products. There is also a rent-to-buy option through a 3rd party finance company. With the investment, the company aims at providing more robotic equipment most needed in factories focused on labour-intensive work functions.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£76,000
