Carocell Bio is innovating by developing patented anti-inflammatory peptides delivered via nanoparticles to address severe inflammatory conditions such as atopic dermatitis. Their primary peptide, JEL0305, not only halts inflammation but also prevents its initiation, as evidenced by its effectiveness in reducing inflammation in human AD biopsies and burn tissue. With AD impacting a substantial population and costing $21 billion yearly for unsafe treatments, Carocell Bio's safer peptide remedy has the potential to avert AD recurrence. Additionally, their pioneering approach to skin-related inflammation involves topical peptide products that target mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a crucial element in inflammation. This breakthrough offers promise for managing and forestalling AD and mitigating skin aging.
days to go:
Extended
investment:
Withheld
Optimise BP, the debut product by Optimise Health, introduces an innovative digital solution that offers secure and efficient semi-automated blood pressure management within primary care, focusing on hypertension. This advancement is projected to lead to substantial appointment savings in the range of millions.
days to go:
TBC
investment:
£127,001
PULMOBIOMED is addressing the failings of current lung tests, which are expensive, infrequent, and invasive. Their so-called "clinically proven" solution claims to offer non-invasive liquid samples from deep within the lung, promising affordable tests for lung diseases. They assert that their product can empower clinicians to diagnose and treat conditions like lung cancer and infections, even though there's limited evidence to support these claims. With a few customers in the USA and Australia, and vague partnerships in the EU, PULMOBIOMED hopes to disrupt the asthma diagnostics market by introducing what they call a comprehensive diagnostic test for asthma, despite the skepticism around their capabilities.
days to go:
Extended
investment:
£295,000
Celestial Labs is a drone display company that combines advanced technology with organic performance. The company's proprietary 'Skytheatre' display is a dynamic, safe and green alternative to carbon-intensive fireworks and represents a new frontier for the live event industry. Composed of a creative collective of award-winning filmmakers, musicians, developers, entrepreneurs, and storytellers, the company is constantly pushing the boundaries of drone display innovation, where technology meets imagination. The Human Support division of Celestial is a not-for-profit initiative that aims to lift the spirits of those who witness Celestial's displays whilst imparting crucial information. The company aims to enlist the support and guidance of city leadership partners, industrial conglomerates, and seek grant funding.
days to go:
Stretch
investment:
Withheld
Plerith works with high growth start-ups and scaling companies to plan for and deliver growth. The company asserts that it helps companies promote their business to potential funders, through its network of angel and venture capital investors depending on the stage and sector of the said business. Plerith is partnering with Newable and Bristol Private Equity Club to deliver the fund in the South West London (SWL) area and identify and invest in the most exciting high growth companies in the region. Plerith argues that its deep knowledge of fundraising, sales, strategy, finance and technology would help SWL businesses flourish. Plerith aims to provide investors access to the highest quality local companies in the SWL region.
days to go:
Stretch
investment:
Withheld
Stroli – the shopping trolley reimagined for modern needs. The shopping trolley, often associated with a particular image, is an untapped category ready for innovation. The market is flooded with generic, budget-friendly options that lack charm, with the exception of Rolser, which is pricier and claims the green niche. Stroli steps in as the go-to brand, offering a unique approach, positioning, voice, and eco-friendly credentials. Say goodbye to sore hands and plastic bags – Stroli makes shopping a pleasure with its high-quality, stylish trolley bags designed to enhance your convenience and style
days to go:
Extended
investment:
Withheld
Nourish by Jane Clarke (NBJC) is an aspirational wellness brand that makes nutritious drinks made with all-natural organic ingredients, using low carbon footprint packaging, delivered to a customer's doorstep. Its target audience is people afflicted with malnutrition particularly when undergoing cancer treatment or living with dementia or mental illness. The company expanded its customer base by 789% between January 2020 and March 2021. It also points out that it has onboarded noted Chef Prue Leith. The company has featured in numerous publications like Daily Mail, Net Doctor, The Sun Online, and Daily Express, to name a few. NBJC has raised more than £650,000 from private investors in its previous round and secured an 'Excellent' rating of 4.7 on Trustpilot from 100+ verified reviews. It also seeks to become a contender in the Oral Nutritional Supplement (ONS) market in the UK that is valued at £237 million. The company will use the investment to launch and scale its B2B model and invest in Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) marketing.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£257,579
NGX is a nutrition company that claims to have made the world’s first genetically personalised nutrition-shake, backed by nutritionists and scientists. The company is in the process of filing a patent for its product. It asserts that recommended food guidelines are based on population averages that are generic and not suitable for achieving optimum physical, mental fitness and health. NGX claims that its customer-specific products are trustworthy as they are made based on a DNA Nutrition Test (DNT) that is unique to a person. The company is operating in the $87 billion fitness market and aims to be a major contender. NGX has sold 30,000 NGX meals since its launch in 2020, collected data on over 5,000 genetic variations, and created proprietary gene-nutrition matching algorithms. It was a finalist in the 2019 British Business Awards (Health & Wellness) and has featured in publications like Glamour, Men's/Women's Health amongst others. The company will use the investment to support customer acquisition activities, team expansion, product supply, and brand partnerships deals.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£294,934
First Natural Brands is the owner of Tisserand Aromatherapy, one of the leading self-governing players in UK’s essential oil industry. It offers a variety of affordable organic and quality accredited products which consumers can relish as part of their daily lifestyle. Tisserand Aromatherapy is experiencing a growing interest among media, retail and consumers. Since 2007, the company’s sales have increased from £1.7mn to £6mn, owing to Robin Russell (CEO & Chairman) for bringing Tisserand into the mainstream market with a value for money proposition. Further investment will allow the company to expand its production capacity.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£325,660
With support from the founders of Bulldog Skincare, Zoopla and Love Film, VITL's aim is to improve the nation's health by offering vitamin packs that are fully personalised to the customer. VITL uses artificial intelligence to decipher which nutrients a person needs to ensure a healthy lifestyle. Effectively cutting out the cost of a private nutritionist.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£908,950
