Mercia Ventures

"Corporate gifting is a trillion-dollar industry that spent decades normalising mediocrity because no one built a competitively viable alternative. We started Go Swag with less than £200 and the belief that every gift a company puts its name on either strengthens the brand or quietly undermines it. This funding allows us to take this conviction global, beginning with a major US market expansion. The catalogue is dead and we’re replacing it with smart AI-assisted curation and a better gifting process to match."

"For two decades, the digital economy has been built on data that consumers generate but never benefit from. Surff exists to change that. We’re building the infrastructure layer for decision data – the missing signal that brands have lost as cookies disappear and agentic commerce replaces the buying journey. Consumers get to own and earn from the data they create. Brands get a clearer picture of how decisions actually happen. I’m especially proud to be building this in the North East, where the talent and ambition are world-class."

"Our mission has always been to bring transparency to the student accommodation market – both for the students and for the sector. On the student side, we want every student to be able to choose where they study and live with confidence, powered by authentic, verified reviews from people with real experience. On the industry side, we have built a dataset that gives operators, investors and advisers the independent, accurate data they need to make optimal decisions. This funding enables us to invest in the platform to better support decision-making for the students and the sector. While researching mainland Europe and the US, we discovered similar challenges and are working with launch partners to expand the platform into these geographies. In the UK, we are further innovating the platform to enhance data-driven decision-making."

"Electrosurgical tools have transformed modern surgery but also generate surgical smoke that affects the quality and efficiency of surgery and poses risks to operating theatre staff. For years, available solutions have required trade-offs between effectiveness and workflow disruption, slowing adoption across the industry. As awareness grows that smoke management is integral to surgical safety and efficiency, solutions that tackle smoke at its source are becoming increasingly important for supporting the next generation of minimally invasive and robotic procedures."

"Much of modern life depends on space – our adversaries understand this and deliberately exploit uncertainty and delay."

"Employee benefits have never been more important — and never harder for global employers to manage"

"Law firms are evolving, and technology must evolve with them. Tessaract is built to remove the operational burden — enabling legal teams to work seamlessly across data, finance, and client delivery. With Mercia Ventures’ backing, we’re scaling that capability to more firms across the UK."

"Sitehop is proving the critical need for future-proof encryption, demonstrated by our early customer traction globally. As a Sheffield-founded company, this investment from Northern Gritstone supports our mission to grow and scale in the region and build world-leading sovereign encryption capability right here in the UK – meaning we can accelerate international expansion while keeping the UK at the forefront of world-class cybersecurity innovation."

"Synthesized is tackling one of the most urgent and overlooked challenges in the age of AI: how to test, validate, and trust what we build. Their platform doesn’t just generate high-quality test data – it lays the foundation for a new class of autonomous QA agents that will transform how modern software is verified and shipped. We believe Synthesized can become the infrastructure layer for intelligent, automated quality assurance across regulated and mission-critical systems."

"Research is highly complex and regularly takes unexpected turns but current software platforms often fail to allow this level of flexibility. As a result, researchers often resort to using paper or lose important data. Lab Thread aims to make their jobs easier by providing interfaces for both the office and lab, stripping out the paperwork and streamlining processes along the way."

"We are laser-focused on doing the hard yards to improve the physical layer of the grid, specifically overhead systems. The AssetCool team is innovating at the nexus between robotics and materials science to bring meaningful improvements to an aging network. We’ve developed a new range of coatings systematically optimised for overhead lines that makes the grid more efficient and resilient – not by rebuilding it, but by enhancing what already exists."

"Having worked with Sam previously during his time at Airship, we are pleased to back him and Nick in their latest venture. Candid offers an innovative solution to the challenges of hospitality recruitment and has gained rapid traction. The funding will enable the team to build on its initial success and to drive further growth."

"Cybersecurity is second only to global conflict in terms of factors affecting the economy. Memory safe chips have been shown to prevent 70% of all attacks and would enable organisations to continue using existing software with complete peace of mind. Developing a new generation of chips here in the UK will also help to ensure supply chain security and restore the country’s position as a leader in semiconductor technology."

"Over the last year we’ve demonstrated the market for novel and improved in vitro testing methods and expanded our customer base as well as the Aelius team. Along with our move to our new premises, this latest funding will enable us to accelerate our growth in international markets, particularly in the US."

"Our mission is to simplify the complex world of energy and building management systems, empowering building operators to reduce carbon emissions and save money. Our focus on tangible results has led to a huge increase in demand from businesses to join the Grid Edge community. This funding will enable us to welcome more businesses on board, accelerating our growth and extending our reach and impact."

"Notify has become the challenger brand in Safety Tech through our approach to service and innovation, delivered by a fantastic team. I’m delighted we’ve been able to raise additional capital from long term investors to support our latest innovations and to continue our growth trajectory. Thousands of organisations are recognising the value of looking after the health, safety and wellbeing of their workforce, and Notify is now perfectly placed to deliver software that drives employee engagement and productivity."

"OneUp Sales has been a pioneer in the field of sales management systems. Mercia supported it from the start and it has been rewarding to watch its continued growth and development. We look forward to working with Derry, James and the team as they continue to scale the business."

"A build-up of lactic acid causes muscles to seize up and athletes to suddenly ‘hit a wall’, but it’s hard for them to know when this will happen without measuring lactate levels. Fingerprick tests are uncomfortable, fiddly and not always accurate. Our device will overcome these problems and provide continuous monitoring, rather than a one-off measurement. This latest funding, together with our partnership with a major global chip manufacturer, will enable us to bring it to market."

"With Symphony Commerce, we’re empowering our clients to outpace their competition with agility and precision, ensuring they remain leaders in their industries. This investment allows us to scale faster, expand our team, and deliver a superior customer experience."

"We wanted to make it easier for companies to manage global talent and ensure they have the right people in the right place at the right time. By putting the emphasis on skills, TalentMapper also helps ensure employees are promoted for their capabilities. I have seen so many talented people overlooked for promotion because they weren't a replica of their boss. The funding will enable us to build our team to cope with growing demand, add new features to enhance the platform and scale for growth by targeting other sectors including financial and professional services."

"Newcells has a great product and a strong team, and has the potential to become a leader in its field. The past year has been tough for the pharmaceutical industry as economic uncertainty has affected investment, resulting in fewer drugs under development. Newcells has navigated the changing markets effectively, while also improving efficiency and strengthening its commercial team. It is now well positioned for growth as activity levels recover and more companies make the decision to move away from animal testing."

"Securing this investment allows us to scale our impact across healthcare and life sciences, with a focus on easing the burden of paediatric clinical trials. While legislation like RACE, SPCs, and the ODA has increased study numbers, specialist paediatric knowledge is still lacking in the industry. This has led to lower recruitment, adherence and trial completion rates compared to adult research. Little Journey is uniquely positioned to fill this expertise gap and tackle these challenges to advance global paediatric medicine. With the backing of Par Equity, Mercia Ventures, Octopus Ventures, and our wider investor network, we’re redefining how paediatric clinical trials are run and putting families at the heart of them."

"The success of any surgery depends not only on what happens inside the operating theatre but also on having a smooth-running operation behind the scenes. At Scalpel AI, we work with leading medical device companies and healthcare organisations to transform their logistical supply chain and reduce costs by millions of dollars. Together, we are making surgery safer for patients while paving the way for personalised surgery, which we believe is the future of healthcare."

"Amplifying the impact of healthcare professionals is central to our mission. For too long, they have worked with outdated systems that take them away from what matters most – the patient. With this latest funding, we are looking to bring Semble to professionals across the UK and France, empowering them to spend more time on patient care. We will continue to invest heavily in workflow automation and integrations, positioning Semble at the forefront of AI-driven solutions, and ultimately creating a more connected healthcare ecosystem."

"We are delighted to back Mindtech's vision. Their ethical, GDPR-compliant, synthetic data platform solves the global data scarcity issue highlighted by Gartner, enabling the promise of AI vision to be realised 10x faster than before."

"Mercia has an in-depth knowledge of the cybersecurity market. Having supported Melius from an early stage, it’s been rewarding to see its progress with each funding round. CyberSafe solves a security headache for SMEs and this latest investment will enable Richard and the team to establish it as a leader in its field."

"We have been overwhelmed with the positive feedback we received from surgeons during the development of the IonPencil. As they have been reluctant to adopt the current systems, we believe our device will greatly improve compliance with new legislation."

"Purple Transform’s mission is to unlock the full potential of technology to enhance safety, security, efficiency, and overall human well-being."

"This funding from Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will take us one step further towards our mission to roll out our device and give new hope to people with Tourette’s. Having Mercia Ventures on board as a partner provides additional value, given its expertise in backing businesses that are developing new products and helping them gain entry to the US market."

"Luminous is used by the biggest brands in the industrial and manufacturing sectors who have the highest training standards. Our XR platform is paving the way for the adoption of Extended Reality training, providing a scalable, secure solution with many advanced features. The current funding round will now allow us to grow our sales and marketing as we expand globally."

"CorrosionRADAR is in a period of rapid growth, and we are leading the way with our predictive CUI monitoring solutions that safeguard critical assets and ensure the longevity of critical infrastructure."

"Unlike vehicle assembly, where processes are repeatable, with aircraft the need for lightweight components and high precision means that no two operations are the same. For this reason automation has so far proved too difficult or too costly. Our robot guidance systems overcome these challenges. The investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II will enable us to consolidate our position and start work on the next generation of products to ensure we maintain our position as thought leaders in the industry."

"It is widely accepted that human error is the most prevalent vector for cyber-attacks and is poorly protected against by ineffective training programmes. Advanced analytics applied to real-time behavioural data presents an original approach for CISOs to control human cyber risk. CultureAI is pioneering this with its market-leading software, offering immediate visibility and mitigation of vulnerabilities. James has an incredible reputation as a thought leader in the space and we are excited to partner with him and his team alongside Mercia Ventures."

"The transition to net zero emission for many sectors is not as simple as swapping from high-emitting fuels to renewables, and this is particularly true of the logistics industry. Zedify have identified that hyper-local delivery models are needed, in combination with low-carbon transport, in order to decarbonise the industry, reducing pollution within the UK’s cities."

"The launch of Heidi was borne out of our own frustrations as keen skiers who wanted to get away to the slopes but at a time and date to suit our own schedules. Having launched the company with limited investment and built it to its current size, we are now all set to take it to the next level. Our aim is to more than double in size in the next few years and become one of the top two ski travel operators."

"By giving carers more time to spend with patients and access to better information, Log my Care helps improve the quality of care for those who need it most. The funding will enable us to continue scaling our business in the UK and extend the positive impact the system is making, by increasing the number of patients it looks after from 20,000 to over 100,000."

"I’m delighted that we have concluded our latest fundraise, and in doing so am able to welcome NFU Mutual to the shareholder register. The support we have received from these major institutions is a testament to the hard work and outstanding commercial progress that my team have been able to make over the last eighteen months."

"Genetic sequencing has come a long way since its inception in the 1970’s. The industry is now moving past short-read towards long-read sequencing, with long-read RNA sequencing being one of the most exciting new developments in biotechnology. We believe our solution could accelerate a new wave of biotechnology innovations. We are pleased to receive backing from some of the UK’s leading life science investors, which highlights its potential. The funding will help us to pursue our mission to reveal the unseen world of RNA and unlock exciting new applications."

"This investment allows us to expand our global reach, with sales and support engineering staff in Brazil, the US, India, and grow our Yorkshire headquarters. We will be adding engineers and production workers and moving into a new Sheffield location. The investment will also enable Sitehop to pursue its technology roadmap – fleshing out the range of SAFE products securing all types of data-in-motion, and developing parallel products using our world-class skillsets in cryptography and programmable hardware design. We aim to get Sitehop’s products into the backbone of most of the world’s networks in the next few years."

"Graide provides transparent, explainable AI, a requirement in today’s world, and can cover all subjects taught from school to university level, saving teacher time. We are pleased to welcome XTX Ventures, which has extensive experience in AI and machine learning, as a new investor in this round."

"Securing funding for a novel reagents company in today's investment landscape demonstrates clear confidence in MIP Discovery's technology and renewed commercial strategy. Our proprietary modeling approach to developing synthetic antibody alternatives has already been successful for diagnostic applications, and we have already seen very encouraging traction for our expertise in the cell and gene therapy space."

"With hybrid and remote working now considered normal, employees are increasingly reliant on technology to stay connected and productive, but the adoption of incohesive, clunky technology is contributing to burnout, and decreased engagement. HulerHub is designed to make work simple again. This investment will help us fuel our revenue growth and further develop the product to bring maximum value to our clients."

"While it is still early days for the ‘metaverse’, VR and XR technologies have matured significantly and the launch of Apple’s first mixed-reality headset next year is expected to boost awareness and drive global demand. The funding received from Mercia puts Luminous in a strong position to capitalise on that."

"Risk Ledger provides us with a more holistic, real time view of our complex supply chain, helping to identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities and issues early."

"GEiGS is already showing significant potential to transform the safety and efficacy of advanced therapies and we are excited that this new investment will allow us to progress towards pre-clinical candidate selection. We’re pleased to welcome such an experienced group of investors on board, bringing extensive sector expertise which will help us to grow as a company and accelerate the development of targeted, responsive treatments."

"Having grown up in a digital world, today’s students are more likely to make decisions based on reviews rather than marketing material. StudentCrowd is the only platform of its type that offers reviews from verified students and covers universities, courses and accommodation. The company has huge potential for growth. This investment will enable it to establish its position as the leader in the UK market and prepare it for international expansion."

"Enzymes play a wide-ranging role in disease, but current technologies are unable to develop drugs to tackle most of them. Our team at Kuano recognised the need to overcome these limitations."

"This latest round of funding will further assist with our scale up plans to secure more users of the app, through direct and partnership sign ups. It will also help us continue to enhance our technology platform to support the creation of a network of connected users to form a virtual power plant. This will help the National Grid to make the most of households ever growing smart meter network and accelerate the transition to a sustainable and secure energy network."

"Planning high-profile events is extremely complex with a host of different factors to consider – from designing and building the infrastructure and planning schedules to managing crowd control, transport and security. However the industry still relies heavily on spreadsheets, drawings and data in different formats. With Iventis we have already shown how technology can transform large-scale event planning. We will now be bringing our innovations and technology to a wider audience."

"With the increasing demand from semiconductor businesses for 'second-sourcing' to unlock new markets and address evolving requirements, Thalia stands as the ideal strategic partner. Our AMALIA platform provides a proven solution that enables them to, for example, quickly and efficiently migrate existing designs into the sub-20 nanometre range to align with industry demand for better performance and power consumption."

"We are delighted to have closed this latest round of funding with Mercia, which provides further validation of Camena’s approach. The ability to read, write and manipulate DNA is the foundation of the synthetic biology value chain, yet developments in DNA synthesis have not kept pace with DNA sequencing and editing capabilities. Camena’s gSynth platform is revolutionising the DNA synthesis market by unlocking access to genes and accelerating discovery pipelines. As the focus on sustainability and supply-chain security become more acute, Camena is leading the way with a green synthesis technology and is already well positioned to serve this burgeoning market. The invention of next-generation DNA sequencing technologies transformed our ability to ‘read’ DNA. Our goal is to enable our customers to ‘write’ DNA with the same confidence and ease."