Programme

Investment Catalyst

Invitation-only investment pitching events for deep tech chemistry ventures

About

Investment Catalyst (IC) is a series of invitation-only investment pitching events for chemistry ventures developing technology aiming to transform health, energy, environment, enabling technologies and many more.
 
Since 2017, the Royal Society of Chemistry in partnership with the UK Business Angels Association ran 10 events, which facilitated 75 investment-ready ventures (IC ventures) to pitch to a carefully selected pool of investors.
  
After a break due to the Covid pandemic, we're excited that the Investment Catalyst is back as an in-person event, in London.

For ventures 

The Investment Catalyst is open to all ventures part of Change Makers, whether they are early-stage or late-stage, subject to a review of their readiness for investment.

For investors

The Investment Catalyst is open to investors part of Change Makers. To find out more about how we work with investors visit our Investors page.

Ventures

Ventures

VisusNano

Drug-eluting intraocular lens

VisusNano is developing a drug-eluting intraocular lens for use in patients undergoing cataract surgery, the most common procedure worldwide.

By improving patient outcomes, their technology has the potential to revolutionise cataract surgery in both the human and veterinary markets.

More info...
Ventures

HexagonFab

10x faster sensor system

Drug discovery is an extremely slow process, which requires testing of hundreds of compounds to find the most promising candidate.

The HexagonFab sensor system is 10x faster than existing methods. It will transform R&D in the pharmaceutical industry, increasing speed and decreasing risk.

More info...
Ventures

Somnus Scientific Limited

Scalable solution for safer intravenous anaesthesia

Somnus is end-user led with a team that is deeply rooted in clinical care and research-led innovations. Their technology satisfies an unmet need and their scalable solution will facilitate the safer adoption of intravenous anaesthesia throughout the world.
Thus allowing more patients to benefit from superior propofol-based anaesthesia instead of gases. 

More info...
Ventures

Naturbeads

Biodegradable microbeads to replace microplastics

What goes in the oceans eventually arrives on our plates. Plastic microbeads used in cosmetics, paints and coating, and many other applications pollute the oceans and are an environmental and health hazard.

Naturbeads is scaling up a technology to produce biodegradable cellulose beads to replace polluting plastic microbeads.

More info...
Ventures

FluoretiQ

Platform to reduce time for diagnosis of bacterial infections

FluoretiQ have developed a NANOPLEX platform to reduce the time to correctly diagnose bacterial infections from 2 days to 15 minutes. 

NANOPLEX has a total market potential of £1bn spread across infectious disease testing, meat and poultry testing and oncology. 

More info...
Ventures

Glaia

Nanomaterials boosting crop yields

Glaia’s disruptive product boosts crop yields sustainably. Based on a water-soluble, sugar-derived nanomaterial that unlocks the current bottleneck in agricultural productivity: photosynthesis.

Glaia’s unique technology enhances the photosynthetic efficiency of crops, leading to increased yields of 20-40% while decreasing the emissions from crop production.

More info...
Ventures

ViridiCO2

Innovative catalytic solutions to the chemical industry
ViridiCOis a CO solutions provider which will provide innovative catalytic solutions to the chemical industry, allowing chemical manufacturers to produce chemical intermediates using carbon dioxide as a feedstock material.

This provides a sustainable route which reduces CO emissions, lowers fossil fuel consumption, and transitions chemical products towards a circular economy. 

More info...

Upcoming events

Events

Investment Catalyst

Investment pitching event for deep tech chemistry ventures
28/02/2023
London

Investment pitching event for deep tech chemistry ventures

Our Pitching event for deep tech chemistry ventures kicks off on 28 February 2023. This edition of the Investment Catalyst will feature nine investment ready ventures collectively pitching for over £40 million investment. 

The businesses cover deep tech chemistry for: 

  • Energy storage 
  • Food safety 
  • AI drug discovery 
  • Life science tissue regeneration 
  • Carbon capture from air 
  • CO2 to feedstock 
  • Sustainable agriculture 
  • Plant based solutions to replace plastic 
  • Drug delivery mechanisms

Each founder will present their business and investment opportunity in a 10 minute pitch, followed by a Q&A and Networking. 

If you are an investor looking for dealflow, contact us if you are interested in attending by click on Joining our investor network.


Event location

Burlington House
Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA 

Day 1

Evening event consisting of venture pitches followed by Q&A and Networking.

Register your interest for our investor network

Our investor networking events are by invite only. If you're interested in being invited to this and future events, please register your interest to join this community now. 

More info...

Events

Investment Catalyst

Invite only investment pitching events for deep tech chemistry ventures
14/11/2023
London

Investment pitching event for deep tech chemistry ventures

Our Pitching event for deep tech chemistry ventures kicks off on 14 November 2023. This edition of the Investment Catalyst will feature nine investment ready ventures collectively pitching for over £40 million investment. 

The businesses cover deep tech chemistry for: 

  • Energy storage 
  • Food safety 
  • AI drug discovery 
  • Life science tissue regeneration 
  • Carbon capture from air 
  • CO2 to feedstock 
  • Sustainable agriculture 
  • Plant based solutions to replace plastic 
  • Drug delivery mechanisms

Each founder will present their business and investment opportunity in a 10 minute pitch, followed by a Q&A and Networking. 

If you are an investor looking for dealflow, contact us if you are interested in attending click on Joining our investor network.
 

Event location

Burlington House
Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA 

Day 1

Evening event consisting of venture pitches followed by Q&A and Networking.

Register your interest for our investor network

Our investor networking events are by invite only. If you're interested in being invited to this and future events, please register your interest to join this community now. 

More info...

"We were very impressed at the number of investors at the event and the follow-on interest we had from these investors." IC venture 

75

ventures

pitched at the IC since 2017

£150m

investment raised

by IC ventures since 2017

£35m

investment raised

by IC ventures in 2022

£623m

exit value

by one IC venture

Support

FAQs

Find out more about the Investment Catalyst.

Can any companies attend the Investment Catalyst? 
Our programmes are only open to deep tech chemistry companies part of Change Makers.  
How does my company join Change Makers?
The company will need to submit an application, which will be reviewed internally by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Once the company is accepted in Change Makers, any employees will be able to access all the programmes and resources.
Where is the Investment Catalyst being held? 
The Investment Catalyst is normally held in London. We do however plan to hold some events in other parts of the UK. Check our website for updated list of events and their locations.