The University of Sussex Business Angels (USBA) group has backed a significant £1.1m fundraising round for cyber security SaaS platform, CybaVerse. USBA angels joined institutional backers including FSE Group, Haatch, Founder & Lightening in recognising the potential of the CybaVerse AI platform.

Birmingham-based venture capital firm Midven, in partnership with The 51% Club, has announced a new initiative that's set to nurture the next wave of high-growth female-led startups. The Fortuna Fellowship is a first-of-its-kind accelerator and will see up to five female-led ventures potentially secure a share of £2 million investment.

AllFocal Optics, the deeptech startup pioneering nanophotonic lens technology for always-in-focus images, has raised $5.3million funding, comprised of a $3.6million (£2.8m) equity raise, led by SpeedInvest, Innovate UK grants and business angels.

The new investment, combined with trials with Jaguar Land Rover, the addition of tech veteran Dr Ash Salusbury means AllFocal Optics is on track to be the first in the world to deliver ultra-thin lenses that recreates human vision for a better and more comfortable virtual experience.

ReneuralTM has raised £200K in a pre-seed funding round led by SFC Capital, with an additional £275K in support from Innovate UK.  Reneural Technologies Limited, formerly known as CardioCrown, is addressing the critical gap in effective and continuous rehabilitation for stroke survivors with its innovative approach to enhance patient outcomes, reduce clinician burnout, and lowes healthcare costs. The company facilitates early discharge from hospitals, improves patient engagement and compliance, while enabling efficient remote care.

AI KAT, a pioneering brand-building company using AI technology to revolutionise brand creation and management, announced that it has secured £290,000 in funding. The investment was led by SFC Capital, the UK's leader in early-stage investments.

EBAN has announced its newly elected EBAN Board at EAIS24.

Addlington-West Legal (part of Addlington-West Group Limited is raising funds to expand, offering between 20% - 25% fixed returns 18 months with 100% capital protection.

EBAN proudly celebrated its 25th anniversary at this year's European Angel Investment Summit (EAIS24). The two-day event brought together angel investors, startups, and industry experts for a dynamic programme of workshops, keynote sessions, and networking opportunities, including the prestigious 25th anniversary gala dinner to honour the past, present, and future of angel investing.

UK startups need more support in understanding an increasingly complex early stage funding process. A new survey from Angel Investment Network (AIN), the world's largest online angel investment platform reveals that less than half of respondents (44%) said they had a good understanding of the fundraising process when dealing with investors. Less than 1 in 7 (15%) described this as very good.

The survey of 223 startups highlights a big gap in fundraising expectations versus the current reality of the process with more challenging market conditions. For startups that had previously raised investment, 54% revealed it had taken longer than expected, versus just 17% who said it was quicker than expected.

South East Angels, a prominent angel investment network, has announced a strategic partnership with prestigious law firm Harbottle & Lewis, appointing them as their Trusted Legal Partner. This collaboration marks a significant step in enhancing the support infrastructure for both investors and founders within the South East Angels community

Scalpel AI, a London-based medtech transforming the management of surgical tools and implants using computer vision, has raised £3.8m ($4.8m) in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures, with participation from Tensor Ventures and private investors.  The investment will enable Scalpel AI to scale its global operations and roll out its technology with major players in the healthcare supply chain, including sterile services, hospitals, and prominent third-party logistics (3PL) services such as GlobalMed Logistix (GMLx).

FRANCE: Eco-friendly booking platform GreenGo has raised €3 million in funding. The funding round was led by impact investment pioneers INCO Ventures, through its Abeille Assurances fund, with support from Climate Leaders Fast Track, 4Ventures and several business angels.