Mercia

Venture Capital

Mercia Ventures manages regional investment vehicles including the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.

Website

Portfolio

143

companies

AUM

£1.4B

under management

Investment by month

By category

AI/ML£93.5M
Uncategorised£82.2M
BioTech£67.0M
SecurTech£49.6M
HealthTech£34.6M
Other£204M

By location

London£207M
United Kingdom£40.0M
Cambridge£32.2M
Sheffield£31.8M
Oxford£22.6M
Other£198M

Portfolio companies

4D Biomaterials

Developer of a biodegradable biomaterial used for 3D printed medical implants.

ATM Security

ATM Security develops keyless access technology for remote and utility sites.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies

Additive Manufacturing Technologies builds automated post processing systems for industrial 3D printing.

Adludio

Adludio provides an interactive mobile advertising platform powered by artificial intelligence and data science.

Advanced Digital Innovation

Advanced Digital Innovation develops remote patient communication software for healthcare providers.

Aelius Biotech

Aelius Biotech develops laboratory gut models to test drugs and foodstuffs without animal trials.

View all 143 companies

Airship Services

Hospitality software provider helping venues boost sales and customer engagement.

Alesi Surgical

Alesi Surgical develops technology to remove hazardous surgical smoke in operating theatres.

Allegrow

Allegrow builds a sales automation platform that helps business to business companies generate and close new leads.

Applied Monitoring

Applied Monitoring develops non-invasive sensor technology to track blood lactate levels.

Artificial Artists

Artificial Artists builds 3D software platforms that streamline creative production.

AssetCool

AssetCool builds advanced robotics and coatings to upgrade power grid capacity.

Authenticate Information Systems

Technology platform transforming supply chain management and compliance for food businesses.

Avail Technologies

Digital platform connecting hauliers with short term HGV drivers.

Axis Spine Technologies

Axis Spine Technologies develops the next generation of modular anterior spinal implant technology.

Ben

Ben offers a flexible employee benefits platform designed to modernise workplace perks.

Bimsense

Bimsense develops software that helps building owners comply with safety regulations.

BlackCurve

BlackCurve provides pricing optimisation software for ecommerce businesses.

Braintrain

Braintrain develops personalised health devices and sleep aid technologies.

Broker Insights

Digital platform transforming the commercial insurance market.

Bubo.AI

Artificial intelligence pricing platform for commercial enterprises.

Camena Bioscience

Camena Bioscience develops enzyme-based DNA synthesis technology for the life sciences sector.

CanSense

CanSense develops an early-stage blood test for bowel cancer using laser spectroscopy and artificial intelligence.

Candid Hospitality

Candid Hospitality operates a recruitment matchmaking platform for the hospitality sector.

Centuro Global

Centuro Global provides an AI platform for managing international business expansion and compliance.

CitizenMe

CitizenMe provides an ethical platform for consumer data exchange as an alternative to ad tracking.

Clarilis

Clarilis offers advanced legal drafting automation technology for law firms and corporate legal teams.

ClinSpec Diagnostics

ClinSpec Diagnostics develops rapid liquid biopsies for early cancer detection.

ClinSpec Dx

ClinSpec Dx develops blood test technology for the early detection of cancer.

Cloud8

Cloud8 provides a digital employee benefits platform for consultancies and advisers.

CoComply

A compliance platform that uncovers hidden contractors within corporate supplier agreements.

CorrosionRADAR

CorrosionRADAR provides smart monitoring systems to detect and predict industrial corrosion.

CultureAI

CultureAI provides a human risk management platform to detect and fix workforce cyber security threats.

Cyan Forensics

Cyan Forensics builds digital triage technology that helps law enforcement and technology platforms detect and block harmful content.

CyberHive

CyberHive builds advanced cybersecurity platforms to block attacks and detect network breaches.

CyberOwl

CyberOwl provides early warning cybersecurity platforms for connected industrial systems.

Digital Converters

Digital Converters transforms outdated media formats into secure digital archives.

Distil

Distil provides a customer data platform that helps ecommerce businesses understand buyer behaviour and boost sales.

Earth Rover

Earth Rover creates agri-robotics technology to help farmers improve crop yields.

Enate

Enate provides a software platform for managing hybrid workforces and orchestrating business processes.

Envoke

Envoke builds virtual simulation and remote support software for laboratory equipment.

Eventum Orthopaedics

Eventum Orthopaedics develops sensor technology to improve knee replacement surgery.

Flabba

Flabba provides advanced remote working and collaboration software for enterprises and public sector organisations.

Flok Health

Flok Health provides an artificial intelligence physiotherapy clinic that operates autonomously.

FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics

FourJaw provides machine monitoring technology that helps manufacturers track productivity and energy use.

GeckoLabs

GeckoLabs provides engagement and recruitment software for universities.

Go Swag

Go Swag provides an automated platform for corporate gifting and global fulfillment.

Graide

Graide offers an AI-powered assessment platform that helps educators mark student assignments.

Grid Edge

Artificial intelligence software for commercial building energy management.

HR DataHub

HR DataHub operates a data benchmarking platform that helps organisations inform their employment policies.

Heidi

Online ski operator offering flexible holiday packages.

Hero Wellbeing

Hero Wellbeing provides a digital health platform to help organisations manage employee wellbeing.

HowNow

HowNow operates an artificial intelligence driven learning and skills platform for workplace development.

Huler

Huler operates an employee experience software platform for corporate clients.

Humley

Humley develops conversational assistants designed to man helpdesks and handle enquiries.

IN-PART

A digital platform connecting university research with industrial partners to accelerate commercialisation.

ImmuONE

ImmuONE develops human lung tissue models to replace animal testing in drug safety evaluations.

Invizius

Invizius develops treatments to prevent life threatening inflammation during dialysis.

Iventis

Iventis provides collaborative planning software for large-scale events.

Kaido

Kaido provides a digital employee engagement platform that connects hybrid teams.

Kuano

Kuano combines quantum mechanics and AI to design targeted enzyme inhibitors.

Lab Thread

Lab Thread builds software for laboratory data management.

Laverock Therapeutics

Laverock Therapeutics develops a gene silencing platform for programmable advanced therapies.

Little Journey

Little Journey provides a virtual reality app that helps children manage anxiety before hospital procedures.

LiveLead

LiveLead operates an online platform that sources business tenders and planning applications for contractors and agencies.

Living Map

Living Map provides indoor digital navigation software for complex venues and transport hubs.

Log my Care

Digital platform helping social care providers transition from paper records.

Logically

Logically uses advanced artificial intelligence to tackle online mis- and disinformation at scale.

Luminous Group

Luminous Group provides immersive extended reality training software for industry.

Luminous XR

Extended reality software platform enabling immersive training simulations for industrial sectors.

MIP Discovery

MIP Discovery develops synthetic affinity reagents for cell and gene therapies.

Melius Cyber

Melius Cyber offers an automated platform for small and medium-sized businesses to detect cyber risks.

Melius Cyber Consultancy

An automated cybersecurity platform that helps smaller businesses detect IT vulnerabilities.

Melius CyberSafe

Melius CyberSafe offers automated cybersecurity monitoring and penetration testing for small and medium enterprises.

Mindset AI

Mindset AI provides an embedded platform that enables software companies to integrate custom AI agents into their products.

Mindtech Global

Mindtech Global builds synthetic data platforms to train artificial intelligence vision systems.

Mo provides an employee engagement platform that helps organisations build stronger workplace cultures.

Mobile GIS Services

Geospatial software developer mapping critical utility infrastructure.

Moodbeam

Moodbeam produces wearable devices designed to track and monitor emotional wellbeing.

Moonshot

Moonshot builds technologies and methodologies to detect and combat online harms.

Netacea

Cybersecurity specialist protecting businesses against advanced bot attacks and online fraud.

Neupulse

Neupulse develops a non-drug wristband therapy to help manage Tourette syndrome.

Newcells Biotech

Newcells Biotech develops advanced in vitro cell models to reduce reliance on animal testing.

Notify Technology

Notify Technology provides digital safety, health, environmental and quality management software.

NuVision

NuVision manufactures biological treatments and bandage contact lenses to accelerate ocular healing.

Nutshell Software

Nutshell Software provides a platform for businesses to build mobile apps without coding.

OXGENE

OXGENE develops advanced mammalian cell engineering platforms for the life sciences sector.

OneClickComply

An automated compliance platform that simplifies cybersecurity standards for growing businesses.

OneUp Sales

OneUp Sales builds gaming technology to manage and motivate sales teams.

Optellum

Optellum develops artificial intelligence software to diagnose early-stage lung cancer.

Oxford Genetics

Oxford Genetics develops advanced technologies for drug and gene therapy.

Pharmaseal

Software platform streamlining clinical trial management for pharmaceutical firms.

Pimberly

Pimberly provides product information and digital asset management software for e-commerce businesses.

Pivigo

Pivigo develops machine learning software for the social housing sector.

PlannerPal

PlannerPal provides artificial intelligence platforms for the British financial advice sector.

Plexus Innovation

Plexus Innovation provides remote environmental monitoring technology for compliance and asset management.

PropMedia

Digital platform streamlining the property rental process for landlords and tenants.

Purple Transform

Purple Transform develops artificial intelligence software that analyses camera and sensor feeds to prevent accidents on railway lines.

Purple Transformation Group

Purple Transformation Group develops artificial intelligence software to automate safety and security monitoring for critical infrastructure.

Rent Chief

Rent Chief develops a digital property management platform for landlords and investors.

Risk Ledger

Risk Ledger provides a collaborative platform for supply chain security and risk management.

RoleMapper

RoleMapper provides a job design and structuring platform that improves diversity and skills-based hiring for large organisations.

SCI Semiconductor

SCI Semiconductor develops memory safe computer chips to eliminate critical cyber security vulnerabilities.

SERG Technologies

SERG Technologies builds wearable devices and software platforms for continuous monitoring of Parkinson's disease.

Salesfire

Salesfire provides an e-commerce platform that helps online retailers increase sales through behavioural tracking and personalisation.

Scalpel AI

Scalpel AI develops computer vision technology to track surgical instruments and streamline hospital logistics.

Semble

Semble operates a unified software platform for private outpatient healthcare providers.

Sen

Sen streams live ultra high-definition video of Earth from space.

Send Technology Solutions

Send Technology Solutions provides an underwriting workbench platform for commercial and specialty insurers.

Shield Space

Autonomous artificial intelligence systems for satellite protection against space threats.

Shopblocks

Shopblocks provides a flexible website and online shop solution for small businesses.

Sitehop

Sitehop develops hardware-enforced encryption technology to protect networks against quantum threats.

Slingshot Simulations

Digital twin and decision intelligence software provider.

SnapDragon Monitoring

SnapDragon Monitoring provides digital brand protection tools to identify and remove counterfeit goods.

Soccer Manager

Soccer Manager develops online football management games for a global audience.

Social Value Portal

A digital platform for measuring and monitoring social impact and community value.

Solutionpath

Solutionpath provides engagement analytics software for higher education institutions.

StaffCircle

StaffCircle provides a digital platform for managing remote employee performance and engagement.

Stormburst Studios

Stormburst Studios creates video game software to motivate sales teams.

StudentCrowd

StudentCrowd operates a student accommodation data and insights platform for the property sector.

Surff

Surff operates as an infrastructure layer for decision data.

Symphony Commerce

Digital commerce platform provider for business to business enterprises.

Synthesized

Synthesized automates test data and infrastructure for enterprise software quality assurance.

TaiSan

Solid-state sodium-ion battery developer for electric mobility.

TalentMapper

TalentMapper provides a skills identification and workforce development platform for large organisations.

Talion Cyber Security

Talion Cyber Security provides managed security services for mid-market organisations.

Tessaract

Tessaract provides a cloud platform that unifies operations for law firms.

Thalia Design Automation

Thalia Design Automation develops software that enables semiconductor businesses to reuse existing chip designs.

Transaction Technologies

Transaction Technologies develops a dedicated payment system for the games industry.

Trench Networks

Trench Networks provides high-speed internet connectivity to construction sites and locations lacking standard infrastructure.

Tribosonics

Tribosonics develops smart sensing solutions to monitor and improve industrial machinery performance.

Troo

Troo provides a business energy comparison service to help companies reduce their utility bills.

True Position Robotics

True Position Robotics develops automated assembly systems for aircraft manufacturing.

Turbine

Turbine builds cell simulation software to predict cancer treatment outcomes.

Tutorful

Tutorful runs an online education platform connecting students with private tutors.

Uniphy

Uniphy provides surface control technology that replaces touchscreens with safer interfaces.

Warwick Acoustics

Warwick Acoustics builds electrostatic loudspeaker technology for automotive audio systems.

Wobble Genomics

Wobble Genomics develops a novel approach to RNA sequencing for biotechnology applications.

WorkBuzz

WorkBuzz provides an employee engagement and insights platform for human resources leaders.

Zedify

Zedify provides zero-emission first and last mile delivery services for urban areas.

e-Bate

Software firm providing a platform to manage corporate rebate and incentive schemes.

equiwatt

Equiwatt develops energy management software that incentivises consumers to reduce peak power consumption.

incuto

Digital banking platform provider for credit unions and community banks.

Team

Brijesh Roy

Investment Manager

Brijesh brings university venturing and investment experience from roles at Imperial College London, Mercia, and Oxford University Innovation. He also advises Parkwalk's investment committee.

Ashish Patel

Ash Patel

Investment Manager

Ash brings investment banking, venture capital, and clinical technology experience. He previously served as managing director at Deutsche Numis and principal at Optum Ventures.

Mark Payton

Chief Executive Officer

Mark serves as chief executive officer at Mercia. His earlier career includes corporate development and technology transfer roles at Oxxon Therapeutics and Oxford University Innovation.

David Baker

Investment Manager

David brings investment and corporate finance experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management and Blue Sky Corporate Finance. He previously worked as a business manager at HSBC.

Katy Horrocks

Marketing Director

Katy brings private equity and venture capital marketing experience from roles at Mercia, August Equity, and NVM Private Equity. She also provides fractional and consulting services to SMEs and enterprises.

View all 65 team members

Graham Davies

Investment Director

Marcus Henderson

Investment Director

Marcus brings investment management and corporate finance experience from roles at Mercia, Par Equity, and Deloitte UK.

James Allsopp

Investment Manager

James brings financial and venture capital experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management, UNW, and Ernst & Young. He currently serves as chief financial officer at ITC Service following a similar role at Leader Online.

Simon Crabtree

Investment Manager

Simon serves as Technical Director at SEQENS Custom Specialties, following an investment management role at Mercia Asset Management and technical leadership positions at Johnson Matthey.

Jan Oosthuizen

Jan works as an investment manager at Mercia and holds non-executive directorships across several portfolio companies.

Alex Wilson

Alison Dwyer

Head of Marketing & Communications

Alison brings marketing and communications experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management and Volcanic.

Will Schaffer

Investment Director

Will serves as an investment director at Mercia Asset Management and holds several non-executive and board observer roles across portfolio companies.

Ashwin Kumaraswarmy

Investment Manager

Sandy Reid

Deputy Fund Principal

Sandy brings venture capital and investment experience from roles at Mercia Ventures and Mercia Asset Management. Previous executive experience includes serving as chief executive officer at Promethean Particles and spin-out manager at the University of Leicester.

Adrian Ballam

Legal Advisor

Stephen Windsor

Investment Director

Stephen brings venture capital and banking experience, currently serving as a fund principal at Mercia. He previously held investment roles at Housing Growth Partnership and Lloyds Banking Group.

Maurice Disai

Investment Associate

Jason Warren

Investment Director

Jason brings technical and investment experience from roles at Rokos Capital Management, Mercia, and Morgan Stanley. He previously served as CTO at Primer.

Tom Kitchen

Tom is an investment director at Horizon Capital and holds non-executive roles at Threatscape, Adeptio Law Group, and Alchemist Learning and Development. He previously spent time at Mercia.

Megan Noble

Megan brings investment and deal origination experience from roles at Mercia and Addleshaw Goddard. She previously managed inward investment sectors for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Chris Pestell

Chris brings investment and banking experience, having previously served as an Investment Director at Mercia Asset Management and held roles at Barclays Bank, AIB Capital Markets, Yorkshire Bank, and F W Capital. He is currently semi-retired.

David Wright

David brings investment management experience from Mercia, alongside a background in commercial lending and banking with Yorkshire Bank.

Will Clark

Managing Director

Will brings venture capital experience from roles at Mercia and 3i Group plc.

Peter Dines

COO

Peter brings operating and investment experience, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at Mercia Ventures. He currently chairs C7 Ventures and the Clive Richards Foundation.

Tim Levett

Investment Chairman

Alistair Hammerton

Pauline Rawsterne

PR Agent

Kiran Mehta

Investment Manager

Kiran brings venture capital and advisory experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management and Catenae Advisory. Earlier, tenure at Housing Growth Partnership and Lloyds Banking Group added further investment and commercial background.

Thea Tebble

Thea brings investment and strategy experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management and CPI. She previously worked in equity research at Singer Capital Markets.

Julian Viggars

CIO

Hugo Lough

Investment Director

Hugo brings investment and corporate finance experience from roles at HGP, Mercia Ventures, and finnCap. He previously worked as a finance business partner at Lloyds Banking Group.

Connie Smith

Connie brings investment experience from roles at LDC, YFM Equity Partners, and Mercia Asset Management.

Rob Bennett

asset manager

Rob brings investment and asset management experience from roles at the British Business Bank, Mercia Asset Management, and Rickitt Mitchell.

Maurice Disasi

Investment Manager

Ian Wilson

Fund Principal

Ian brings investment and advisory experience from roles at Mercia and IP Group. He previously worked in mergers and acquisitions at EY.

Alex Simpson

Investment Manager

Alex brings corporate finance and investment management experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management and Ryecroft Glenton. He serves as finance manager at Siemens Energy.

Srikar Karri

Investment Manager

Srikar brings investment management experience from roles at YFM Equity Partners and Mercia. He previously held board positions at several companies, including Mindset AI and Electron.

Alex Gwyther

Alex works as an investor at Mercia Ventures, focusing on Series A funding rounds. He also serves as a non-executive director across portfolio companies following earlier client management experience at IBM.

Lee Lindley

Lee brings life sciences and deep tech venture investment experience from Mercia Ventures, alongside non-executive director roles across several portfolio companies.

Dan Thomas

Keith Jones

Seed Investor

Rod Hyde

Mentor and Chair

Martijn Kleibergen

Adam Watts

Investment Manager

Adam serves as an investment manager at Mercia Asset Management and holds board observer and non-executive roles across several companies.

Ashwin Kumaraswarmy

Chris McCourt

Chris brings investment experience from Mercia Asset Management and corporate finance background from roles at Armstrong Watson and Tait Walker. He also serves as an independent governor at NCG.

Chris Borrett

Chris is an Investment Director at Mercia Ventures, focusing on seed and Series A investments. He previously co-founded Flip Insurance and holds board observer roles across several portfolio companies.

Robert Hornby

Representative

Robert invests at Mercia Asset Management and holds non-executive roles across several portfolio companies.

Rob Hornby

Rob invests at Mercia Asset Management and serves as a non-executive director across several portfolio companies. He brings early-stage and scale-up investment experience in the UK.

Hannah Tapsell Chapman

Hannah works as an investor at Mercia Asset Management and holds several non-executive directorships. She previously partnered on venture building and access to finance at the UK Ministry of Defence.

Henry Hamilton

Henry brings investment and board observation experience from roles at Mercia and Sustainable Ventures.

Ruth Coleman

Ruth is a venture capital investor at Mercia Asset Management and holds board seats at several companies, including Laverock Therapeutics and Tagomics. She previously served as an investment associate at Mercia and on the board of Locate Bio.

Howard Mitchell

Howard serves as an investment director at Mercia Asset Management and holds non-executive directorships across multiple companies, including Sensat and Warehow.

Natalia Blagburn

Natalia brings extensive venture capital and portfolio management experience from roles at Scottish Enterprise, Mercia Asset Management, and the British Business Bank. Her background also includes directing entrepreneurship programmes at Northumbria University.

Victoria Wiesener

Victoria is a portfolio director at Mercia. She also holds board and observer roles across several companies, including Tutorful, Clarilis, and Optellum.

Dawn Tyler

Investment Director

Dawn brings investment experience from roles at Mercia Asset Management, Begbies Traynor Group, and Ernst & Young.

Marina Fuentes

Investor

Marina invests at Mercia Asset Management and holds several non-executive directorships. She is also a qualified integrative therapist.

Jonathan Kruger

Investor

Jonathan is a venture capital investor at Mercia Asset Management and cofounder of The Drop. He also holds board and observer roles at companies including Ben, Tutorful, and Pure Pet Food.

Amrit Sami

Amrit is an investor at Mercia Asset Management and serves as a non-executive director across several companies. He also co-hosts What's the Problem?

Shubham Jaipuria

Investment Manager

Shubham is an investment manager at Mercia, following roles as an investment associate there and at Aavishkaar Capital. He previously worked as an analyst at Sifted and as a consultant for Bessemer Venture Partners and AllFocal Optics.

Hannah Tapsell

Owen Conquest

Owen brings corporate finance and investment experience from roles at PwC, UNW, and Mercia.

Recent investments

19 October 2026

£1.9M

CoComply secures £1.9m from Mercia and Haatch to expand contractor compliance platform

AI/ML

The funding round was led by Mercia Equity Finance and Haatch to drive product development and international sales.

"Despite growing reliance on external workers in every industry, many businesses still struggle to answer a very basic question: how many people actually work for us, what are they doing and how are they engaged? That becomes a serious governance and compliance problem when responsibility is spread across business functions. Our mission is to provide the decision and governance layer across these teams, helping them choose the right engagement model and classify work correctly from the outset"

— Michael Cleavely, Founder and CEO

CoComply—United KingdomFollow

Mercia + 1 other

7 October 2026

$6.0M

PlannerPal raises $6m from Mercia Ventures for its financial advice platform

AI/ML FinTech

The funding round was led by Mercia Ventures with participation from Ada Ventures and strategic fintech investors.

"Financial advice firms are sitting on an extraordinary amount of valuable client information, but much of it is fragmented across conversations, documents and different systems. The first opportunity for AI was obvious: remove the manual work of capturing it. The bigger opportunity is making the client data firms already hold work better,"

— Mark Whitcroft, Founding Partner

PlannerPal—London, UKFollow

Mercia + 1 other

Seed23 September 2026

£1.0M

OneClickComply raises £1m in Seed funding led by Mercia Ventures

SecurTech

The Sunderland-based cybersecurity firm secured backing from Mercia Ventures and Northstar Ventures to expand its team and enhance its technology.

"Every business now gets asked to prove its systems are secure, usually by a customer who’s about to sign. The answer shouldn’t be three months and a consultant. We automate 90% of the work, fix the issues we find instead of just reporting them, and keep everything in place afterwards, which is the part everyone forgets about. That’s why we’ve doubled revenue in six months – because this problem isn’t going anywhere."

— Connor Greig

OneClickComply—Sunderland, UKFollow

Mercia + 3 others

Seed6 July 2026

£4.7M

TaiSan secures £4.7m in seed funding to advance sodium-ion battery development for e-bikes and scooters

EnergyTech CleanTech

Eos Advisory and Mercia Ventures led the round, which will fund pilot tests and relocation to a new Coventry facility.

"While we’ve kept our most exciting breakthroughs in stealth, this funding will help us enhance the performance of sodium-ion batteries and bring the benefits to a mainstream audience. Watch this space"

— Sanzhar Taizhan, Founder

TaiSan—Cambridge, UKFollow

Eos Advisory + 11 others

Series C4 June 2026

£30.0M

Semble secures £30m Series C from Revaia to scale European private healthcare platform

The London-based health technology provider has raised £30m led by Revaia to expand its infrastructure across Europe.

"For years, the industry has tried to address complex systemic issues through disconnected point solutions, but fragmented technology often adds operational complexity for healthcare providers and creates an interrupted experience for patients. What healthcare organisations need is intelligent orchestration across the entire care journey. The practices and groups that win over the next decade will be the ones that deliver the best patient experience end-to-end."

— Christoph Lippuner, CEO and Co-founder

Semble—London, UKFollow

Revaia + 3 others