Following a successful debut in 2023, SETsquared's Investment Futures event returns on 19 November with a brand-new line-up of deep tech start-ups and spin-outs pitching for investment and a packed agenda of panels and roundtables designed to shape the future of the investment landscape.

Alongside the roundtable discussions, investors will have the opportunity to see quickfire pitches from 20 deep tech and science-based start-ups and spin-outs from across SETsquared's portfolio. Representing key sectors such as space, FinTech, sustainable tech, EdTech, life sciences and health tech, these innovative start-ups and scale-ups are seeking investments to grow to the next level of between £250k - £10m. View the list of pitching companies.

Climate insurtech startup, Artio, has raised £550k to pioneer insurance solutions for early-stage carbon removal projects through its proprietary risk modelling platform. The round was led by Lifetime Ventures, leveraging their deep climate tech expertise, alongside SFC Capital, one of the UK's most active pre-seed investors.

Lifted Ventures is proudly celebrating its first year of activity, working to proclaim the North of England as the go-to destination for female-founded businesses seeking funding.

Established in September 2023 and officially launching in January 2024, Lifted Ventures set out with a clear mission: to empower and increase the flow of funding to female founders.

Driven by research findings that female-led businesses generate twice as much revenue per pound invested, despite receiving half the capital, Lifted Ventures is on a mission to drive change in the female founder and investment space.

Start-up funding is quoted as the biggest barrier by female founders with less than 1% of all venture funding being investment into businesses founded by all-female teams, according to The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship report in 2023. Lifted Ventures launched in a quest to make investment accessible to all and promote the business and portfolio benefits to backing female founders, and to increase angel investment activity across the regions.

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.