ReBorn, the world’s first homeware brand with products made entirely from local waste receives backing from DMG ventures
ReBorn’s unique value proposition aligns well with the interests of dmg ventures, particularly given its broad consumer appeal. By leveraging dmg media’s extensive reach, ReBorn can significantly enhance its market presence and brand recognition over the coming years. The brand’s strong focus on sustainability and locally sourced materials should resonate with dmg media’s audience, providing mutual benefits as ReBorn continues to expand.
ReBorn is a brand to watch. Having launched in all 35 John Lewis stores, going live with Next and soon to launch with Dunelm it is fast becoming a household name.
Clearly secures £3.4M seed round to drive Net Zero targets in global transportation
Clearly, a climate intelligence platform using AI to provide fleet operators with unique and critical trip-level emission and energy insights, has announced the close of its £3.4M seed round. The round, led by Pace Ventures and Nine Realms, also saw participation from existing mobility investors Mobilion, Next Gear and M1720 alongside notable angels Lord Nash and Margaux Primat.
Clearly is a climate intelligence platform that uses proprietary AI algorithms to provide global blue-chip corporations in the transport sector with supply chain intelligence and data transparency capable of helping them achieve net zero targets. By providing the highest level of data security and integrating tightly with customer systems and data lakes, Clearly provides fleet owners, operators and suppliers with insights that give customers the information they need to make significant improvements to transport operations.
The new investment will be used to enhance the company’s existing product offering and add to its growing suite of proprietary AI capabilities. Clearly will also be scaling its team further to meet the global demand for its product.
YCombinator’s Cosine raises £2M and successfully codifies human reasoning, creating a product 22x better than OpenAI’s GPT4
Cosine, a human reasoning lab building artificial general developers, announced it achieved a 30% score on SWE-Bench, the industry standard for evaluating software engineering skills in AI models.
Founded in 2022, Cosine’s groundbreaking software was created out of the founder’s realization of the potential in using LLMs to perform complex tasks in the coding space by imitating human software developers’ behaviors. It is uncannily ‘human’ in its approach to reasoning as a result, with the founders’ primary goal to create truly resilient AI capable of tackling open-ended problems across various domains.
Cosine is delivering the world’s most human-like, autonomous AI software developer to any company looking for ready to go AI developers to join their team without the friction of hiring.
Userled raises £4M to bring the full power of AI-generative marketing to B2B companies
Userled has raised £4M in a pre-seed funding round led by LocalGlobe, with participation from Dig Ventures. The funding also included participation from prominent business angels including Tessian founder Tim Sadler, Incident.io CEO Stephen Whitworth, Maze founder Jonathan Widawski and Celonis DACH GM Remy Lazarovici.
Founded in 2023 by serial entrepreneurs CEO Yann Sarfati and CTO Tristan Saunders, Userled is a no-code interface and AI-powered platform automating the creation and distribution of tailored, branded marketing campaigns in seconds, not weeks.
Customers can deploy multiple personalised campaigns across all their target platforms from email, Linkedin, Meta and more. Also, because Userled integrates with existing CRM systems and major IP reveal providers, they can track engagement, end-to-end journeys and conversion in real-time.
"This funding will enable us to refine our technology and expand our team, ensuring that every marketer can harness the power of AI to drive meaningful engagement and growth." said Yann Sarfati, Co-Founder and CEO of Userled
Climate tech company Promethean Particles secures £8M Series A investment to scale up advanced MOF manufacturing
Promethean Particles, a climate tech company specialising in advanced materials for carbon capture, has secured £8M in a financing round led by Mercia Ventures and Aramco Ventures, with support from existing investors like the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, the University of Nottingham, TSP Ventures, and the East Midlands Early Growth Fund. Promethean produces metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials known for their high surface area and customizable pore sizes, making them ideal for applications such as carbon capture, gas storage, and catalysis.
The company has developed a proprietary continuous-flow reactor that significantly enhances the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of MOF production while maintaining high quality. This technology enables Promethean to produce a wide range of MOFs for various applications, including carbon capture and storage, biogas upgrading, and water harvesting. The recent investment will be used to build a larger manufacturing facility, expand the team, and advance projects that demonstrate MOFs' potential in energy transition.
James Stephenson, CEO of Promethean, expressed excitement about the Series A funding, emphasising the importance of scalable carbon capture solutions in addressing climate change. Dr. Marina Fuentes of Mercia Ventures and Bruce Niven of Aramco Ventures both highlighted Promethean’s innovative reactor technology and its potential to capitalise on the growing MOF market, particularly in energy transition applications. The investment positions Promethean to scale up production and commercialise its technology on a larger scale.
Trumpet blows its horn with £4.92M funding led by AlbionVC to empower revenue teams with bespoke digital sales rooms
Trumpet, a platform focused on enhancing the sales journey by centering on buyers, has raised £4.92M in a seed funding round led by AlbionVC, with participation from previous investors like Lightbird Ventures, Anamcara Capital, and Triple Point Ventures. Founded in 2021 by Rory Sadler, Nick Telson-Sillett, and Andrew Webster, Trumpet aims to address the growing challenges in B2B sales by providing a collaborative digital workspace that streamlines the entire buying process, ultimately helping sales teams close deals more efficiently.
The B2B sales environment has become increasingly difficult, with companies tightening their budgets and buyers spending less time interacting with salespeople directly. Trumpet tackles this issue by centralizing all deal information and communications into a single link, creating a seamless experience for buyers. This innovative approach has resonated with users, leading to rapid growth, including 10,000+ users and 250+ paying customers, such as Cognism, OpenTable, and Sky Media. Trumpet’s success is further evidenced by its viral popularity in sales communities and its strong foothold in the US market, achieved without dedicated marketing efforts.
With this new funding, Trumpet plans to grow its team, continue product innovation, and expand its presence in the US. CEO Rory Sadler highlighted the importance of adapting sales strategies in the current economic climate, emphasizing Trumpet's role in helping companies improve sales efficiency and pipeline forecasting through its unique revenue intelligence features. Investors like Paul Lehair from AlbionVC and customers like Jonathon Ilett from Cognism have expressed strong support for Trumpet, noting its potential to revolutionize B2B sales and communication.
In other investment news
ElevenLabs chooses London for European HQ
ElevenLabs, a leading audio AI company, has established its new European headquarters in London, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion. Founded in 2022 by UK university alumni Mati Staniszewski and Piotr Dabkowski, ElevenLabs has deep ties to London, which has become its largest employee hub. The new office on Wardour Street will initially house 20 employees, with plans to grow to over 100, while also providing an incubator space for London-based AI audio startups. London’s cultural diversity, access to talent, and innovation make it an ideal location for ElevenLabs to continue its mission of breaking down language and accessibility barriers in digital content.
As a remote-first company, ElevenLabs has a global team spread across more than 15 countries, but London plays a crucial role in its operations. The city’s status as a hub for AI research and its diverse linguistic landscape provide a strong foundation for the company's growth. This expansion follows ElevenLabs' recent achievement of unicorn status, with an $80M Series B funding round that valued the company at $1.1B. The company has also broadened its research to include sound effects and launched its first consumer app, ElevenLabs Reader, further solidifying its position in the AI audio space.
In collaboration with London & Partners, ElevenLabs is committed to fostering inclusive and sustainable growth in the city. The support from London’s thriving AI community and government incentives has been instrumental in the company's decision to base its European headquarters there. Janet Coyle, Managing Director of Grow London at London & Partners, highlighted the significance of ElevenLabs choosing London, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a leading global hub for AI development. ElevenLabs continues to innovate in audio AI, with applications ranging from voicing audiobooks to training medical professionals, making a substantial impact across various industries.
