The seed round was backed by Sir Rod Aldridge and Eddie Jordan to support product development and international growth.
"We also devoted a lot of time to both the functionality and design of our bike, aesthetically upgrading the utilitarian style of the traditional exercise bike. The support from our investors will allow us to advance our growth, expand our product offering, and enable us to innovate even further."
YFM Equity Partners backed the Manchester consumer insights business to support international expansion and team growth.
"The Vypr platform has proved able to provide them with this valuable intelligence in less than an hour – it eliminates the need for expensive research and reduces the number of failed product launches. We’ve had phenomenal feedback from clients who say it has transformed the way they work."
Draper Esprit led the seed round with backing from Lakestar and Angel Capital Management to support platform growth and new features.
"We built AGORA to transform the online beauty shopping experience and create opportunities for real people to monetise their talent and creativity, something that has only been available to brand-sponsored social media influencers. AGORA will empower a new category of entrepreneur."
The Leicestershire food safety technology business raised the seed investment from The FSE Group Debt Finance Fund via the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.
"Every food service business knows and understands the importance of health and safety. I am passionate about making the complex world of food safety legislation as simple and cost effective as possible. Our aim is to become the leading "one stop" food health and safety consultancy, compliance, training and digital safety management company within the food hospitality sector. Having successfully secured the funding, we can confidently grow our business to the next level to achieve this."
Private investor Caroline Freeman has backed the Yorkshire gifting platform in a deal valuing the business at £200k.
"If anyone is going to make an innovative tech start up business a success, it’s Melissa. She’s the embodiment of a true entrepreneur, full of passion and drive. Kidcrowd is an innovative product which is disrupting a traditional market in a really positive way for the good of our future generations as well as the planet, and I believe will become a serious player within the gifting and ecommerce markets. Not only is Kidcrowd a product that reduces global warming and wastage, it teaches our children about the value of money which should make for a whole new generation of entrepreneurs."