Funding

hyperexponential, the global specialist in pricing decision intelligence (PDI) software, has announced completion of its $73 million Series B funding round led by global technology-focused investment firm Battery Ventures, with participation from leading Silicon Valley investor a16z, and existing Series A investor Highland Europe, which increased its holding.

UK-based climate-tech startup Furbnow has secured a significant £950k pre-seed investment to revolutionise home decarbonisation.

Cactos, a developer of smart energy storage systems, has raised over €26 million worth of equity investments in its Cactos Fleet Finland Limited Partnership (Company) to finance the growth of its battery energy storage system portfolio.

Investment platform Lightyear experienced a significant year of investment activity in 2023, witnessing nearly a 20% month-on-month growth in assets under management (AUM).

Bumper, a fintech company specialising in flexible car repair payments, has successfully completed a substantial Series B fundraising round, securing $48 million / €46 million / £40 million. This funding will fuel Bumper’s expansion plans.

Nuwa, the creators of the world’s most advanced pen that transforms every handwritten word or note into digital format, has hit a significant milestone.

The legal sector’s growing interest in generative AI has led Robin AI, an AI-powered legal assistant, to secure $26 million in new funding. This Series B funding round was spearheaded by Temasek, a global investment company based in Singapore, and included contributions from QuantumLight, Plural, and AFG Partners.

Despite the longstanding global market turbulence and challenging economic backdrop, as we enter 2024 there are many reasons to be bullish about the UK startup ecosystem.

Maven Capital Partners, a prominent investor in the UK’s SME sector, has spearheaded a £3.7 million investment in Cambridge-based Metrion Biosciences (“Metrion”), a top contract research organisation (CRO).

London-based Fintech firm Vitt, specialising in cash management solutions for startups, has announced the introduction of Vitt Treasury. This new service aims to assist startups in diversifying and earning returns on their idle cash.

Are you stepping into the fundraising ring with the right moves?

Our new report, ‘Venture fundraising landscape Q3-23’ (compiled through interviews with 40 UK-based early-stage investors), has identified some fascinating misalignments between the expectations of investors and realities of what founders are delivering when it comes to early-stage funding.

Over the past five decades, banks have undergone significant changes, yet the global financial system has largely remained static, characterised by opacity and inefficiency. The emergence of regulated digital assets and programmable money, now embraced by central banks globally, heralds a fundamental overhaul in the movement of value worldwide.

The Royal Countryside Fund, in partnership with Forest Holidays, is excited to announce the opening of applications for the Rural StartUp Fund, now in its fourth year. This year, a total of £5,000 is available, which can be awarded to either a single winning business or divided among several rural startups.

Raw Ventures, a Venture Fund in Europe specialising in MediaTech innovation, has unveiled a bi-weekly online pitching programme exclusively for early-stage MediaTech startups.

It’s not an easy time to get investment. Interest rates are stubbornly high and show no sign of coming down soon. Recent ONS data suggests capital formation is at its lowest point since the financial crash in 2008.

BirdsEyeView, an insurtech startup supported by the European Space Agency, has successfully concluded an investment round with contributions from the European Space Agency, Big 5 Investors, InsurTech NY, and ACF Investors.

Myth AI – the tech startup behind an AI-driven pattern design tool, has successfully secured funding of $1.3 million. This funding is earmarked to bolster its UK operations and to explore new market opportunities.

Securing investment from venture capitalists significantly increases chances of entrepreneurial success, especially when it comes to scaling a business quickly and establishing credibility. But as of 2020 the probability of a new business getting VC funding was about 0.05%.

Harriet, the groundbreaking full-stack AI solution designed to ready companies’ internal data for the AI revolution, relieve People teams of their daily administrative burdens, and provide personalised HR assistance to every staff member, has successfully raised a £1.2 million pre-seed funding round.

Businesses in the North of Tyne area, Gateshead, and Sunderland with ambitions to grow can apply to a brand-new funding scheme, the Business Growth Fund which aims to support businesses on their unique journeys to success.