Chapel Down (CD) is one of the UK's leading wine industry leaders that seeks to challenge the hegemony of champagne. It argues that with the sales of English sparkling wine forecast to grow by 134% by 2026, the demand for its products is growing fast. CD's 'Sparkling Wine' sales increased by 52.8% in 2020 whilst champagne sales in the UK dropped by 21.7% over the same period. The company argues that 2020 was a record year for its business, despite COVID-19, with its revenue growing by 32% year on year and e-commerce sales growing by 467% year on year. CD has partnered with notable hospitality entities like Harrods, Royal Opera House and Sheraton Grand. It will use the investment to scale up and improve its winemaking capabilities, complete the planting process of its biggest vineyard on the finest terroir in England, scale up its e-commerce channels, invest in selected export markets worldwide, and give people a memorable experience at its winery.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£6,953,241
Marine Power Systems (MPS) states that it has developed a technology that can harness wind power, wave power or combined wind and wave energy at grid scale. It argues that governments worldwide are looking for alternative sources to meet global energy consumption needs. MPS endeavours to usher in an energy revolution and become a contender in the floating offshore energy market that is set to be worth over $100 billion by 2035. MPS claims to have successfully tested its medium-scaled prototype in the ocean, demonstrating the ease of transportation, deployment, and showcasing the devices ability to generate grid compliant electricity. The company has been awarded a £12.8 million grant by the European Union (EU) to deliver a full scale, grid-connected commercial demonstrator in 2022. It says it will use the investment to conduct its final phase of development and testing before taking its devices to market in Q1 of 2024.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£4,151,001
Small Robot Company (SRC) aims to integrate its patented 'PerPlant' farming with agricultural practices worldwide and disrupt the $240 billion per year agriculture industry. SRC claims that PerPlant farming uses lightweight and smart robots that make food production more accurate, sustainable and profitable. SRC's three small robots, 'Tom', 'Dick' and 'Harry' coupled with AI brain 'Wilma' can plant, monitor and treat arable crops autonomously. SRC argues that it has successfully commercialised its PerPlant monitoring service for farmers in Wiltshire using its 'Tom V3' robots, built by leading robotics manufacturer, Tharsus. SRC stresses that it will equip its robots to kill weeds autonomously using electricity and perform trials with customers next season to demonstrate product readiness. SRC points out that it has raised more than £400,000 from willing farmers who want to embrace change. SRC has featured in WIRED, Economist and CNN. It has onboarded customers, including Waitrose and National Trust. SRC state they will use the investment to commercialise its patented R&D.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£3,996,978
Celtic Renewables (CR) converts residual by-products from Scottish Whisky production into high-value, low-carbon sustainable chemical and biofuel products using its patented Acetone-Butanol-Ethanol (ABE) fermentation process. CR asserts that the end products, Acetone, Butanol, Ethanol & high-grade animal feed, play an important role in daily human lives. The company argues that these are potential applicants in industries such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food production, hygiene products & advanced sustainable biofuels. CR states that the downstream markets for ABE biochemicals would be worth over £130 billion by 2025. It aims to be a leading contender in this segment. It also endeavours to replicate its ABE technology in global markets. CR has been named the 'Most Innovative Biotech SME' in Europe. The company will use the investment to bring its first industrial-scale plant into full operation by Q1 of 2021 and capitalise on commercial opportunities.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£3,576,901
Occuity seeks to develop revolutionary non-invasive screening and monitoring devices for chronic diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's. It argues that its device safely shines a low power beam of light into the eye and then collects and analyses the return signal to accurately measure structures within the eye and detect changes associated with the onset of the aforementioned diseases. Occuity is targeting three distinct markets, namely Ophthalmology, Disease Screening and Disease Monitoring, which is worth an estimated $35 billion per year. It claims that its 'Occuity Indigo' product enables earlier detection of diabetes and provides a non-contacting, pain-free glucose monitor. Occuity was awarded over £1.5 million as part of the Innovate UK grant for the development of technology within Occuity Indigo. It has also signed a partnership with one of the UK's leading ophthalmic distributors, Birmingham Optical, to distribute its PM1 pachymeter device. It states it will use 42% of the investment towards Research and Development (R&D), 23% towards sales and marketing, 20% towards management and finance, 9% towards managing CAPEX and NRE, and 6% towards paying fees.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,854,857
The Cheeky Panda is a manufacturer of sustainable bamboo tissue and hygiene products which are available across Europe, the Middle East and on the aisles of some of the world's top retailers including Boots, EkoPlaza, Monoprix and Carrefour. Its innovation and stress on sustainable hygiene has led to the mass-adoption of its products. The company has been rewarded with hundreds of 5-star reviews across multiple platforms including Amazon, Morrisons, and Ocado. Its proprietary Baby wipes was ranked the highest-selling new product launch of 2019 by the Grocer and Nielsen Data, and its monthly sales exceeded £500,000 for the first time in 2020 in just four years of the company's inception. Keeping in mind its drive to deliver sustainable products, the company supports the Charity patroned by Sir David Attenborough: World Land Trust. With the funds received, the company aims to channelise that into working capital to support the purchasing of ever-larger quantities of products to get sales to £20m a year and enhancing its brand identity.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,434,752
The Cheeky Panda (TCP) is a B Corp that offers a range of sustainable bamboo tissue and hygiene products available across Europe, the USA, China, and the Middle East. It asserts that its products are on the shelves of some of the World's top retailers including, Waitrose, Boots, MonoPrix and Carrefour. The company has sold over 12 million products across 25 countries and aims to become a contender in the overall hygiene market that is valued at over $200 billion a year. TCP featured in Sunday Times 'Fast Track – 'Ones to Watch' list, won Ocados rising stars best plant-based product in 2021, and launched with Waitrose in over 200 stores. TCP will use the investment to strengthen its management team in the run-up to IPO, focus on marketing and brand awareness to grow D2C sales, and oversee product launches with major retailers.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,400,550
Marine Power Systems (MPS) is a company that has developed a technology that can harness wind power, wave power or combined wind and wave energy at grid scale. MPS estimates global electricity consumption as a £2 trillion annual market that is growing with a need for harnessing renewable energy sources. The company's mission is to be a world leader in the manufacturing and supply of marine energy extraction hardware. MPS completed a multi-million-pound project to design, manufacture and sea test a 1:4 scale prototype at Falmouth, UK. The company will use the investment to match-fund £17 million of non-dilutive government grant funding that is already secured for a project to design, manufacture and test a full-scale device demonstrator that will prove the technology is ready for commercial scaling.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,151,815
Metal matrix composite components and materials, primarily comprised of aluminium for use in the engineering and manufacturing industries. Alvant specialise in designing, developing and producing the composite for well-known clients such as Ford and Safran.
In the last financial year, Alvant achieved a turnover of almost £617k and has invested more than £10m towards manufacturing and testing their own product. Alvant is now raising funds to distribute their components to a wider market and expand the number of commercial applications that would benefit from their materials.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,105,001
Alphagreen is Europe's largest online marketplace for Cannabidiol (CBD) healthcare products listing over 150 brands and more than 2,500 products on its portal. It claims that it is backed by high-profile cannabis investors like Enexis, West Creek Investments, and others. It aspires to become the leader in the CBD market that is expected to be worth over £900 million in 2025 in the UK alone. Alphagreen aspires to build a trusted ecosystem for customers with Sleep, Pain and Anxiety problems, enable them to access alternative healthcare, and distribute medical cannabis from Q3 of 2021. The company has featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Prohibition Partners, The Financial Times, and The Grocer. It will use 31% of the investment for sales and marketing, 25% for team expansion, 16% for general corporate affairs, 15% for international expansion, and 13% for technology up-gradation.
days to go:
Expired
investment:
£2,039,375
