UKI2S is a national seed investment fund that nurtures innovative businesses to leverage private investment and grow jobs.
Portfolio
5
companies
Wave Photonics
Wave Photonics develops on chip photonics designs for quantum technologies, sensors, and datacentre applications.
Laverock Therapeutics
Laverock Therapeutics develops a gene silencing platform for programmable advanced therapies.
Silicon Microgravity
Silicon Microgravity develops inertial and gravity sensors using micro-electrical mechanical systems technology.
MicrofluidX
MicrofluidX provides next-generation bioreactors for cell research and manufacturing.
Ikarovec
Developer of novel gene therapies for major ophthalmic indications.
Oliver Sexton
Investment Director
Oliver brings investment experience in biology and venture capital as an investment director at Future Planet Capital and the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, alongside multiple board observer and member roles.
LinkedInPablo Lubroth
Investment Manager
Alexander Leigh
Investment Director
Mark White
Investment Director
The seed financing was co-led by UKI2S and Cambridge Enterprise Ventures to support the commercial deployment of photonic chip designs.
"The team has spent the past few years building and experimentally validating our design technology – it’s exciting to have the resources to begin deploying it to solve real industry problems."
Calculus Capital led the financing round alongside several institutional investors to support platform development and pipeline progression.
"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."
The funding was backed by the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, Oxford Innovation EIS Growth Fund, Oxford Innovation Finance's Angel Network, and the Defence and Security Accelerator.
"This new investment provides us with the funding to take our game changing technology to commercialisation, helping deliver the UK government’s semiconductor and technology strategy. Our Inertial sensors are already gaining strong industry interest globally with a major aerospace and defence contractor having already placed contracts. Our revolutionary gravity sensor will be commercialised later this year with the industry interest shown by our acceptance on to Europe’s largest infrastructure accelerator program and the award of funding from the Department for Business and Trade railway construction innovation competition. We are very excited for this next stage in SMG’s journey."
The seed round was led by UKI2S and Longwall Ventures to support cell therapy bioprocessing development.
"We are thrilled to close this initial funding round with help from UKI2S. We are continuing to establish partnerships with Biotech and Pharma, on top of our existing partnerships with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult and the Centre for Process Innovation. The funding will be used to further develop our technology, as well as fund trials with our partners."
The funding round was led by UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund with participation from LifeArc and Parkwalk.
"The increasing incidence of debilitating ophthalmic diseases brings morbidity and economic cost, and we are pleased to announce our seed funding today to tackle these urgent issues. We thank our investors UKI2S, LifeArc and Parkwalk for their support, and look forward to working with them to build Ikarovec into a leading gene therapy company."
