Oxford Capital portfolio company, Cambridge-based UltraSoc Technologies Ltd, has signed an agreement to be acquired by Siemens. UltraSoc, a provider of instrumentation and analytics solutions that puts intelligent monitoring, cybersecurity and functional safety capabilities into the core hardware of systems-on-chip (SoC). Siemens will integrate UltraSoc’s technology into the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio as part of Mentor’s Tessent™ product suite.

Equity investment in the UK’s tech businesses increased by 27% in 2019 to £4.0bn, 

BGF, the UK and Ireland’s most active investor in growing businesses, has invested in Bayfields Opticians and Audiologists.

BGF’s investment will be used to support the independent opticians and audiologists group’s organic growth – including further roll-out of its audiology services – as well as its acquisition strategy to double the number of sites over the next four years. 

Epipole, the video retinal imaging specialist, has secured £1.5 million in new funding to prepare for introduction into the United States ophthalmic imaging market. The financing was led by new investor Greenwood Way Capital with the Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, also participating. Epipole also appointed Ian Stevens as Chairman.

Kaelo Limited has secured a £350,000 growth loan from the Greater London Investment Fund (GLIF) which is managed by The FSE Group.  Kaelo Ltd are the pioneers behind the Kaelo, a unique new way to serve and enjoy perfectly chilled wine in the home, and the hospitality and marine markets.

The startup ecosystem will take a year or more to fully recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, with economic and political risk representing the biggest barrier to innovation in that time, according to new data from Kamet Ventures.

So far this year, Antler has invested in 58 startups across seven countries. The companies funded represent over twenty sectors, ranging from fintech and deep tech to food delivery and gaming. 43% of these companies have at least one female co-founder. This activity brings the total amount invested by Antler since launch to $25m.

Velox, the future of front office technology, has secured $2.5 million in strategic funding from ETFS Capital.  The investment will accelerate Velox’s growth plans, focused on further developing the core platform and increasing the firm’s distribution capabilities and client base in New York and London.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund , delivered by British Business Bank, has made 66 investments in 47 York, North Yorkshire & East Riding based small growing businesses, with funding exceeding £23m in the region.

Epidarex Capital, a transatlantic life science venture firm, announces that it has closed Epidarex Capital III UK LP at £102.1 million. The Fund will build new life science companies based on world-class research and innovation from emerging hubs across the UK, including spinouts from highly regarded universities. Typical initial investments will range from £2 million to £5 million. 

An overwhelming majority (88%) of private equity investors plan to step up their efforts to manage and measure ESG performance in their portfolio companies 

Agamon, a healthcare AI startup, announced today a $3M seed round, led by MMC Ventures, with the participation of InHealth Ventures, Seedcamp, and Bayer G4A. Agamon is already working with leading U.S hospitals including Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health System, Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System, and other hospitals outside the US. Agamon plans to use the funding to scale their deployments with more hospitals globally and further train the AI and widen its clinical spectrum.