Hemspan states that it designs bio-based building systems and products for construction by combining modern methods, technology and hemp to produce net-zero carbon solutions. The company argues that every time an average house is built, the CO2 emitted by the manufacture, transport and assembly of the materials used is around 50 to 60 tonnes. Hemspan says that one hectare of UK-grown industrial hemp can absorb 11 tonnes of CO2 each year with regeneratively farmed hemp capable of sequestering a further 6 tonnes per hectare of CO2 into the soil each year. Hemspan intends to activate significant demand for hemp farming in the UK and develop processing technologies to reduce reliance on imports and enable large scale manufacturing of bio-based cladding and insulation products that spin out of R&D programmes. It asserts that the global industrial hemp market is expected to grow at 25% CAGR reaching US$ 27 billion by 2028. It aims to be a contender in this segment.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£200,000
A fashion brand in the contemporary luxury accessories market ethically producing handbags to be sold directly to the consumer through e-commerce. Hill & Friends's handbags are manufactured from high quality materials in Western Europe. All leather used is ethically sourced and is a by-product of the food industry. The company sells its products via their own website, through wholesalers and at retailers such as Selfridges, Barneys, Harvey Nichols and Fenwick.
Hill & Friends are raising funds to invest in three initiatives. Firstly, they are seeking change in their manufacturing process to utilise more scalable and agile methods that will reduce total expenditure and shorten lead times when reordering high-selling products.
Secondly, the company intends to re-platform from Magento to Shopify due to the latter's greater impact on the market. This will result in an improved customer experience and better integrations with affiliate sites.
Finally, with the rapid increase of online shopping, Hill & Friends will use the funds raised to invest further in digital marketing by increasing the number of social ads and working alongside a diverse range of online influencers.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£773,059
HOLOS is an award-winning kombucha company making good small-batch kombucha with a charitable purpose of giving training and work for survivors of human trafficking. Its kombucha was chosen to be the kombucha at Gwyneth Paltrow's first In Goop Health Summit in London, and it has been highlighted in Liz Earle Wellbeing magazine. HOLOS will use the funds for sales, team expansion, marketing, manufacturing and working capital.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£102,563
HOMETHINGS, a UK B Corp that has received awards, is revolutionizing the home care sector by introducing refillable products using tap water. Their mission arose from the realization that most cleaning sprays contain over 90% water, leading to unnecessary transportation of heavy water in disposable plastic bottles worldwide. They initially launched effervescent tablets for surface care sprays, which are manufactured in the UK and certified as Vegan and Cruelty-Free. By refilling with these tablets, customers can potentially reduce carbon emissions by up to 94% compared to conventional spray products.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£529,818
Hytro is a pioneer in Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) wearables, founded in 2019 with a mission to democratize the power of BFR for improved health and performance. They have developed wearable applications that simplify BFR technology, offering benefits such as enhanced exercise preparation, training adaptation, pain management, and faster recovery. After a successful private fundraising round for professional coaches and athletes, they are now opening up their mission to the wider community.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£442,423
IceRobotics develops sensor technology and advanced data analytics for the dairy farming industry. It claims that its cloud-based behaviour monitoring system - CowAlert - provides real-time insights and ‘alerts’ farmers on the performance of their herd, using data collected from ‘IceQube’ sensors attached to the rear leg of a cow that records the cow's movements. CowAlert interprets and relays this data back to the farmer in a series of actionable reports. The company states it has generated revenues of over £1 million in 2020, sustained a customer retention rate of 95% and onboarded 143 commercial CowAlert customers worldwide recording 42,000 cows. It has also raised £6 million in equity investments to date from serial angel investors and family offices. They intend to use the investment to grow their base in the USA and across the food supply chain, strengthen their team, develop new CowAlert modules, and develop collaborative opportunities with dairy industry organisations.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£637,956
Kocktail creates cocktails designed by award-winning mixologists. The company has sent out over 4,000 orders since its launch, generated £120,000 in revenue, and garnered over 100 five-star reviews from its customers. Kocktail asserts that its curator, Neil, was the senior bartender at the Savoy Hotel’s Beaufort Bar. The company presents all of its drinks with stunning garnishes and gives customers the low-down on what they’re drinking via its 'Story Behind the Serve Cards'. Kocktail has featured in the Stylist, Esquire, Delicious, Telegraph, and Metro. It has also featured on the BBC’s 'Saturday Kitchen Live'. The company aims to venture into onboarding retailers like Amazon and Ocado through a multi-national spirits distributor. It will use 57.2% of the investment for marketing, 18.3% for paying staff salaries, 16% for procuring raw materials, and 8.5% for capital investment.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£166,994
Kokoon is a digital platform that offers personalised, clinically approved, intelligent audio content and coaching for better sleep and relaxation. The company has also introduced a set of ergonomic headphones that work seamlessly with the Kokoon app and encourages and protects relaxation and sleep. The company has also been featured in esteemed platforms such as BBC, HuffPost, and The Guardian. Since its inception 4 years ago, Kokoon has received over £4.5m in online sales, scaled manufacturing to 6000 units per month, won an Innovate UK Government Grant and has 5 international patents in its portforlio. Going forward, Kokoon aims to become a world-leading technology brand, positively changing the lives of millions.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,654,936
LABFRESH produces menswear that is more durable using fabrics that repel stains and body odour, and are wrinkle repellent.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£1,302,758
Nix & Kix creates and sells a range of drinks low in calories, completely natural and without any added sugar. It asserts that its products are stocked across 3,000+ shops, restaurants, bars and offices. It also claims that its products are housed across 7,500 distribution points such as Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Nando's, BP, Morrisons, and Holland & Barrett, to name a few. Nix & Kix has sold over 5 million of its cans to date. It has also secured a listing with Matthew Clark, the biggest distributor of restaurants, pubs and bars in the UK. The company has applied for a B-Corp accreditation. Nix & Kix has also won numerous awards and has been called 'Addictively tasty' by the press (Time Out 2019). It will use the investment to expand into the convenience channel, grow its e-commerce platform, boost brand awareness, and scale operations.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£830,760
