2021 has begun on a positive note from an equity investment perspective with the launch of two new Bristol-based investment funds.

Science Creates Ventures announce a new EIS fund

Science Creates Ventures, in partnership with the University of Bristol, has launched its first fund, a £15 million venture capital fund offering startup investment. The fund is supported and backed by successful Bristol-based entrepreneurs behind some of the South-West’s biggest deep tech exits.

Science Creates is a deep tech ecosystem that offers specialised incubator space, a comprehensive network of strategic partners, and its EIS fund, to nurture science and engineering startups and spinouts.

Founder, and previous alumni member of SETsquared Bristol, Dr Harry Destecroix, said:

“Where a discovery is made has a huge bearing on whether it’s successfully commercialised. While founding my own start-up, Ziylo, I became aware of just how many discoveries failed to emerge from the lab in Bristol alone. No matter the quality of the research and discovery, the right ecosystem is fundamental if we are going to challenge the global 90% failure rate of science startups, and create many more successful ventures.”

Newable and BPEC announce significant fund news

Newable Ventures and Bristol Private Equity Club (BPEC) will deliver around £25 million of new funding for early-stage businesses across the UK, following £10 million in funding from British Business Investments, a commercial subsidiary of the British Business Bank.

Jerry Barnes, founder of Bristol Private Equity Club said: “As the largest and most active Angel Investor in the South West, with 100 members, we know that there is an exciting range of innovative SMEs in the region that can make a major contribution to prosperity with the right support. We are very much looking forward to co-investing with Newable and British Business Investments, helping to select the entrepreneurs and businesses that will go on to achieve great success.”

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