Andrew J Scott

Striking: Zenobē, a UK climate tech startup, raised £600m from KKR and £270m from Infracapital, bypassing VC entirely. Zenobe captures excess energy from wind farms to stabilize the grid and reduce gas power reliance. This means: Zenobe secured one of 2023's biggest startup fundraises — without any venture capital. #battery #fundraising #venturecapital #energystorage #infrastructure #growthinflection Sifted: https://lnkd.in/g8wF-xA5

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Industry experts call for tailored AI rules in post-election UK

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🚀 Join Us at AI Forge Incubator: Meet Solo Founders Seeking Co-Founders! 📅 When: Wednesday, 29th May 📍 Where: The Old Street Gallery, 62 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4DQ 🕒 Time: 5pm-9pm Are you a visionary CTO, CPO, or commercial expert ready to make your mark in the AI start-up space? Here's your golden opportunity! ✨ What's Happening? Our solo founders are in week 5 of a 12-week intensive incubator program. They are actively seeking co-founders to join them as CTOs, CPOs, or in commercial roles. These companies will be pitching to 450+ investors during the week commencing 8th July, with a high probability of securing funding. 🌟 Why You Should Attend: Dive into the world of promising AI start-ups. Contribute your skills immediately by joining an existing business. Be part of the prestigious AI Forge incubator program. Potentially integrate your own business ideas into an evolving proposition. Network with talented individuals and successful entrepreneurs. Gain invaluable insights and advice from seasoned founders and mentors. 🔎 Types of Businesses Seeking Co-Founders: Our 9 solo founders are leading ventures in: EdTech SalesTech LegalTech FemTech MedTech MarTech 🎉 Event Highlights: 💬 Speed Dating Sessions: Quick, focused interactions to maximize connections. 🔍 Pre-Matchmaking: Initial meetings set up to streamline the matchmaking process. 🤝 Networking Opportunities: Explore collaboration possibilities with like-minded entrepreneurs. Don't miss out on this unique chance to partner with innovative AI start-ups and accelerate your career in the tech industry. Register at Seeking AI Co-Founders · Luma - https://lu.ma/f22d1ih9 #AIStartups #CoFounders #TechInnovation #Entrepreneurship #Networking #AIForge

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Today’s read from BBC is a thought provoking one. Even in our current era of peak technological advancement pushing society forward, there’s simultaneously also an unprecedented revival of #analog technology. Vinyl #LPs for the latest Taylor Swift album are selling out, most of the last year’s best picture contenders at the Oscars were shot on traditional #Kodak film-stock, and photographers are embracing the classic #aesthetic of film grain. So, even though analog is much less convenient than our digital counterparts, what is drawing people of all ages to outdated technology? Something that ties all of these things together is the fact that these devices are used in #artistic mediums, and for the “#craftspeople” who prefer analog in these fields, there are still qualities to “slow” tech that digital doesn’t quite offer. Vinyl LPs are capable of capturing all the nuances of music without losing detail to digital file compression. #Digital cameras can capture even more than the human eye, but film offers a stylistic and heightened look that is harder to achieve elsewhere. Ultimately, analog technology is more difficult to use, but these are also valuable #skills that could be lost if we don’t nurture them for future generations. #Art is very different from #business, but maybe in the age of #AI, this is something worth paying attention to.

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The surge in venture capital funding to $55.6 billion in the second quarter of the year is a testament to the resilience and dynamism of the startup ecosystem. This near-record funding highlights the growing investor confidence and the increasing focus on innovative sectors like AI and fintech. Exciting times ahead for entrepreneurs and investors alike. #VentureCapital #StartupFunding #Innovation #AI #Fintech #InvestmentTrends

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Delighted to share the Seraphim Space Accelerator's latest cohort in TechCrunch 🚀 This is the 13th edition of our space accelerator programme, and we are thrilled to welcome nine fantastic companies onto this mission. The new cohort focuses on propulsion, cybersecurity, space situational awareness, geospatial insights and in-orbit biotechnology manufacturing. Areas that allow us to map, model and collect data-driven insights from Space to help support a better future on Earth. Companies on board: AADYAH Space: (India) Arkisys (US) CarbonLaces Solutions : (UK) Four Resolutions Incorporated: (US) Frontier Space Technologies: (UK) SaferPLACES: (Italy) Spaceflux: (UK) Company in stealth mode: (US) Viridian Space Corporation: (US) Since 2018, 95 startups have gone through the accelerator and 85% of those raised investments within 12 months. To date, companies representing 27 nations have come through the accelerator, showcasing the top 2% of early-stage SpaceTech capabilities globally. The accelerator is proud of its commitment to nurturing SpaceTech entrepreneurship. Read more here -

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Top 10 Most Active UK Angel Networks The UK’s startup ecosystem is flourishing, thanks to the tireless efforts of angel networks who back the next generation of innovators. Beauhurst recently highlighted the top players in this space, and I’m thrilled to share some of the standout names driving change and growth. 1. Susie Fisher - Kelvin Capital 2. Lynne Cadenhead - TRICAPITAL Angels Limited 3. Alex Davies - Wealth Club 4. Paul Tselentis - 24Haymarket 5. Oliver Woolley - Envestors 6. Jock Millican - Equity Gap 7. Niki McKenzie - Archangel Investors Limited 8. Alexis Toft - Minerva Business Angels 9. Emmi Nicholl - Cambridge Angels 10. Eileen Modral FRSA - Oxford Innovation Finance These networks have consistently provided invaluable support to early-stage ventures, catalysing the growth of some of the most promising startups in the country. 🎯 What angel network are you part of?

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AI Viability Tracker - update This is an exciting time for all of us. The AI market continues to both fascinate and terrify most in equal measure. We've decided to fully embrace it. Our UK AI partners are building our viability tracker; this will simplify and streamline our process massively. How about you? Are you embracing it yet?

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https://buff.ly/4cXCfSY SelSym, a pioneering startup, is addressing the challenge of platelet storage limitations. Due to their short lifespan, platelets cannot be stored for future use, despite a substantial number of donations. The innovative solution being developed by SelSym involves the utilization of soft artificial platelets to effectively control bleeding. This groundbreaking approach holds promise in revolutionizing the way bleeding is managed. #MedicalInnovation #BleedingControl

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Great to see Robert Gunn share his experience of going through the Northern Gritstone & Deeptech Labs Inaugural NG Studio Programme. Auxetec Limited have developed an advanced elastomer material that offers delamination protection, impact protection and shock absorption, as well as strength & durability. It is highly tuneable, transparent and easily manufactured. The leadership team at Auxetec have so many ways to commercialise this new generation material across a wide variety of high-growth applications. But which path should they take? Which markets should they serve? What should be their business model and how should they go to market? How and when should they build out their team, develop & package their technologies and what funding will they need? Who are the best investors to help them on their journey? Throughout a 3-month programme, Robert and his team had access to 60 deeptech experts who helped them figure the right way forward. They now have an absolute clarity of vision, and a clearly defined pathway to success.. at scale. Auxetec will be coming to market to raise their Seed round over the coming weeks This is what we do: we crowd-in expertise and investors to help turn brilliant scientific breakthroughs into brilliant - and highly investible - high growth ventures. Faster. We're super-excited to start Cohort 2 in Manchester next week! Northern Gritstone I The University of Sheffield I The University of Manchester I University of Leeds

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Excellent panel on the societal, investment, startup/scaleup opportunities (and challenges) of AI with (L to R) ✅ 🦖 Christopher Lowe, CEO at NOTWICS ✅ Richard Potter, CEO at Peak 
✅ George Mensah, Sure Valley Ventures - UK AI Investor ✅ Christopher Hill, MD at EdenBase - US AI Investor
✅ Tim Ryan, Partner at DAC Beachcroft 
 Some good insights for the AI4C (AI for Charities) community and ScaleUp Group work with AI startups/scaleups. My notes :- ➡️ Foundational level is not where the value is. ➡️ General understanding of AI opportunities/impact is low … ”it took to Series C before I had to stop explaining” so clearly a big need to raise AI awareness/knowledge/education ➡️ Peak are already fine tuning LLMs so this option is available to incumbents. ➡️ Startups still have speed and agility so can be successful by addressing a real-world customer painpoints with excellent business metrics, speed on “go to market” ➡️ You need data (and domain expertise). Quality, not necessarily quantity of data. ➡️ Is there really a lot of “dry powder” out there ready to deploy ? LP conversations are very tough. Funds haven't necessarily delivered liquidity. ➡️ Buy in Europe, list in the US ➡️ Timing of IPO key, founders need to understand the reporting is/can be onerous - effectively every 6 weeks. ➡️ How to get value out in a reasonable time without affecting share price ➡️ If you're worth x2-3 in US - you can raise capital easier for organic/inorganic growth ➡️ Opportunities ➕ Ask how can AI augment human experience ➕ Personalised learning and Healthcare care ➕ Robotics ➡️ Challenges ⚠️ AI tools as a weapons of coercion ⚠️ Regulation - getting the best balance between enabling innovation and societal safety ⚠️ A lot of power in large private companies Many thanks to the 👏 panel 👏 🦖 Christopher Lowe for organising 👏 Tim Ryan and DAC Beachcroft team for hosting

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Owning a niche and solving key customer needs, the key to DeepTech Commercialisation? At Empirical Ventures, we often encounter groundbreaking scientific innovations facing a dual challenge: - Developing novel technology - Proving that this technology solves a pressing market problem For startups, one crucial factor that is often overlooked is speed of execution. Talent and intellectual property are all critically important, but the ability to move swiftly is what allows startups to enter new markets before incumbents. In DeepTech, focusing on a market niche perfectly aligns with the benefits of speed. Examples of niches in DeepTech: Performance Niche - These customers adopt new technologies to outperform competitors or showcase their innovation capabilities to outside stakeholders. Bottom-Line Niche - These customers face immediate pressures that impact their profitability and are motivated to engage with emerging solutions. Silveray’s recent funding round exemplifies these dynamics perfectly. Their flexible digital X-ray detectors have broad potential across industries. However, it is their traction in the aerospace sector and specifically weld inspection that got us excited. For Silveray the niche is driven by two critical factors: Regulatory Pull: Upcoming legislation mandates the digitization of existing and future X-ray film records. Cost Savings: Silveray’s solution delivers significant financial benefits, making it highly attractive to customers facing bottom-line pressures. Silveray have the only viable solution for the digitisation of industrial weld monitoring. With only moderate penetration of this market (<2%) we believe they could generate 8 figure revenues by 2030. This nicely highlights that niche's can be lucrative in the right industries. Great to welcome Dan Cathie and the team at Silveray to the EV portfolio. Looking forward to supporting them as they continue to grow. CAPITAL AT RISK, FOR PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY

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Venture capital funding raised by UK start-ups dropped sharply in the third quarter of 2024, new research from Dealroom.co has found; adding further pressure for founders in search of new investment.  British start-ups secured around $2.9bn in VC funding in Q3, a 50% drop from the previous quarter but the funding trend is broadly consistent with levels seen in 2023. Fintech has been Britain’s best-funded tech sector so far this year, pulling in $3.3bn, down from $4.5bn in 2023.  

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AI Tech in Focus   Brain Scans and AI Used to Detect Dementia Nine Years Before Conventional Diagnosis Researchers at Queen Mary University in London used machine learning to assess cognitive communication between 10 areas of the brain that have been shown to be vulnerable to dementia. The study involving 1,100 people found that using AI analysis of the MRI brain scans of these neural networks accurately predicted about 80% of cases of dementia nine years before a formal diagnosis was actually made. Further, the AI technology was able to predict within two years exactly how long it would take before the onset. The test takes 10 minutes. Dementia is caused by certain proteins in the brain, but patients can live for years with those proteins and show no signs of dementia. Current methods used to detect dementia involve memory tests and measurements of brain shrinkage. It’s hoped that the early detection using the AI trained scans will help identify people who are going to develop dementia and benefit from early treatments. VC Investors are always adjusting their "Play Book" with a variety of options for investing. Mikal Ventures is one of those alternatives, offering curated solutions to real world problems. Reach out if you have questions on how we can be of assistance and bookmark https://mikalventures.com/ for additional insights and information.

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In Paul Veradittakit's latest newsletter, he writes about Pantera Capital's own developed internal "Proof of Work" (wink!) system to ensure accountability and effective support for the founders they back. Over the last two years, this system of the leading #cryptoVC fund has tracked their engagement with portfolio companies, documenting various types of support, including business development, fundraising, hiring, and legal assistance. Key statistics from their Proof of Work data include: - 1,702 introductions made to potential customers, partners, investors, and hires. - 723 portfolio asks completed in areas like marketing, business development, and legal/regulatory support. - 785 portfolio interactions and hosted events, with around 6,255 total attendees. Dan Morehead's Pantera's system has been particularly valuable during crises, such as the March 2023 banking collapses and the November 2022 FTX collapse, where their team significantly ramped up support for affected companies. -> The firm is now working on improving this system by tracking more metrics, integrating AI tools, and potentially creating a public dashboard. This initiative reflects Pantera's commitment to continuous improvement and dedication to their portfolio companies. Hopefully one day, my own humble NGRAVE will be a part of this! ;-) #entrepreneurship #bitcoin https://lnkd.in/ePXkNTBv

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🤯 So there we have it. We now have the coined phrase 'AI Water'. 🤯 Tech giants are set to be the biggest commercial consumers of water due to the cooling requirements of servers and in some cases - Direct to Chip - semiconductor technologies. In the attached article - not only are the environmental considerations hard hitting but the behavior of big tech is setting a precedent that should be sending alarm bells: 'Amazon has not release its total water consumption figures, believing it to be the wrong metric. “Amazon — I think it probably consumes more water than Microsoft,” said Ren, adding that the company was “very secretive” compared with other tech firms.' Intervention is needed. Innovation is well placed to solve this. Political will is the precursor. #SustainableAI #DecentralizedComputing #GreenTech #DataCenter #RedsandVentures Redsand Ventures Sandeep Dama Christos Kassianides @

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As a young VC firm such as OVNI Capital, it can be harder to secure a spot on deals as founders can't be sure we'll be around in 5/10 years. But then we meet them and show them we are working twice as hard to support them before we can even invest. Our commitment extends to leveraging our network (150 LPs) to connect founders with key industry players, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive. That's why we are excited to share with you our fourth official deal, NcodiN, co-led by Elaia (Clément Vanden Driessche) and Earlybird Venture Capital (Dr. Frédéric du Bois-Reymond). At OVNI, we have three more deals that have yet to be announced but should in the coming weeks bringing a total of 7 deals over the past 18 months. NcodiN uses cutting-edge nanotechnology to create ultra-efficient, high-speed data transmission, enabling supercomputers to handle massive workloads with far less energy. The company was started by Francesco Manegatti, PhD, Bruno Garbin and Fabrice Raineri. cc: Arnaud Laurent / Thomas Renaudin #deeptech #ncodin #hpc #AI https://lnkd.in/dxi7GnMi

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"Is the UK a hard place for DeepTech funding?" I always love answering this question. The UK and Europe is one of the best places for DeepTech funding! 🤘 We have some of the best DeepTech funds based right here in Cambridge with Cambridge Innovation Capital, IQ Capital, Martlet Capital and Amadeus Capital Partners. Last year, The 2023 European DeepTech Report reported the UK was one of the top three countries to receive the most DeepTech funding across Europe seeing a total $3.4 billion raised. 💥 DeepTech is one of the most resilient funding sectors to be in right now. 🚀🚀🚀 Cambridge Future Tech Lucie Polakova #venturebuilding #deeptech #deeptechfunding #cambridge Pic: Talking careers in tech at University of Cambridge 🤘

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The art of synthesis for deep tech founders. In a conversation with a founder last week, we were exploring a new business idea. At the heart of the idea is some complicated bio-technology, a very difficult to navigate supply chain and an expensive capex build. It was also quite boring on the surface and hard to imagine a crowd of investors downstream fighting to get into the next round. But the founder explained it to me in a way that electrified the concept in my mind. They came at it from a world of geopolitical shifts, a gaping opportunity to effortlessly reflow supply chains and a magical technology that would sustainably deliver industrial advantage to countries. The founder started with the WHY and led me to the WHAT. See Simon Sinek - https://lnkd.in/dE4RV4Sj for more on this. - WHY: painting a picture of a massive market problem that most people understand. - HOW: building a business model around an existing flow of that market and leaning into it instead of trying to force a change. So many companies fail when founders think they can bend a whole planet around their company. - WHAT: a unique invention that no one else has. After the WHY and HOW, I am hungry to understand the WHAT. The work to get to this simple idea takes a special kind of work - SYNTHESIS. It involves iterating thousands of times over a vast information space that includes world events, government policies, industrial trends, technological invention. It requires an always-on radar that scans the world looking for micro-moments of hypothetical product market fit and smushing them all together until a single cohesive story emerges that a founder can unite a community around. - I'm a Partner at Main Sequence, a VC purpose-built to create global companies from scientific ideas with the inventors who imagine them. I build-out-loud here: https://lnkd.in/gENhMrbU Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog: https://lnkd.in/dAXEMWTr

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