Resources

Today, the British Business Bank has announced a new £400 million Investor Pathways Capital initiative, which will support diverse and emerging fund managers across the economy and make it easier for new entrants, particularly those from underrepresented groups, to break into venture capital.

Their vanguard, breakthrough proteomics platform technology unlocks full-length protein sequencing and characterisation, accelerating drug development and diagnostics.

OutSee, announced it has secured £1.8 million in seed funding, led by Ahren Innovation Capital and with additional investment from Kadmos Capital, Empirical Ventures and Panacea Ventures.

The average size of artificial intelligence (AI) deals was significantly higher than deals across the wider UK equity market in 2024, underlining the continued focus on the sector, reveals the British Business Bank’s annual Small Business Equity Tracker, published today.

BIA welcomed the focus on life sciences SMEs, engineering biology, and the measures designed to help high-growth companies scale and remain rooted in the UK.

A major funding boost, support for scale-ups, and regulatory reform—this week’s update explores how the Government’s new Industrial Strategy backs our sector. Plus, Draig Therapeutics launches with $140 million, the UK shines at BIO in Boston, and Syncona sets its sights on future growth.

Draig Therapeutics (“Draig”), a clinical-stage company aiming to transform the treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases, today launches from stealth having raised a total of $140 million (£107 million) in the last nine months.

The UK’s Minster of State for Science, Research, and Innovation, Lord Patrick Vallance, London & Partners’ CEO, Laura Citron OBE, and Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK Bioindustry Association (BIA), are formally launching London Life Sciences Week on the UK stand at the BIO International Convention on Tuesday, 17 June 2025.

A new residential development in North Cambridge is offering science and technology businesses a ready-made solution to one of the city’s most pressing challenges: housing professional staff within easy reach of major employment hubs.

From a multi-billion-pound boost to R&D and life sciences manufacturing, to scaling innovative businesses through the British Business Bank, the Review signals significant investment.

Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association, responded to the government's Spending Review.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce a transformative £86 billion in the Spending Review to turbo-charge our fastest growing sectors, from tech and life sciences, to advanced manufacturing and defence, as part of the government’s plan to invest in Britain’s renewal through our Modern Industrial Strategy.

Positive news ahead of Spending Review (join our webinar this Friday), latest on getting pensions investment into UK life sciences and more!

Pension capital is unlocked in time for BIA's Parliament Day this Wednesday.

The Mansion House Accord signed on 13 May and the publication of the Government’s Pensions Investment Review mark the latest developments in the BIA’s campaign to unlock pension funds for life sciences. Here, our Director of Policy and External Affairs, Dr Martin Turner, reflects on how we got to this point and what must happen next.

The proposals outlined in the report are a major step towards realising BIA’s long-held goal of increasing investment from UK pension funds into UK life sciences.