British Business Bank makes cornerstone investment into Northern science and tech investor 

Life science and tech venture capital firm, Northern Gritstone has announced its rolling close of £20 million of additional ordinary share commitments. The investment comes from existing shareholders, including the British Business Bank as cornerstone investor, that are increasing respective commitments to the company focused on creating global life science and technology businesses, rooted in the North of England.

This close builds on the firm’s April 2025 close of £362 million permanent capital, taking it to £382 million Over the course of 2026, Northern Gritstone is seeking to raise additional capital and the close marks the start of that programme. £10 million of the new funding commitment comes from the British Business Bank, bringing its total investment in Northern Gritstone to date to £40 million.

Active since May 2022, Northern Gritstone is seizing the North of England’s innovation opportunity, investing in and scaling at speed deeptech and life sciences startups that solve global problems, with the potential to scale worldwide. The company has already made 51 investments in some of the most exciting areas of development and future job creation in deeptech and life sciences, including semiconductor design and manufacturing; novel materials; secure computing; AI; healthtech; and gene therapies.

Many of the investor’s portfolio companies are spinouts from the Northern Arc universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield, which combined generate close to £800 million in research funding annually.

Northern Gritstone Chair, Lord Jim O’Neill, said:

“We are very grateful for this further support from the British Business Bank and Andrew Law to continue developing global businesses in the North of England originating from our ‘Northern Arc’ university ecosystem. In this way, investors are contributing to future higher value-added activity and the North’s productivity”

Northern Gritstone Chief Executive, Duncan Johnson, said:

“This strong start to Northern Gritstone’s rolling close in today’s challenging fundraising environment shows the belief in innovation coming from the North of England. The region is now an integral part of the UK’s Technology Diamond, and we are proud to support the incredible talent of the North, helping to commercialise groundbreaking research into internationally commercial businesses.”

Christine Hockley, Managing Director and Head of Commercial Equity Funds, British Business Bank, said:

“The UK’s universities are a powerhouse of breakthrough research, and Northern Gritstone plays a vital role in transforming world?class research from the North of England into high?potential, IP?rich businesses. Our increased commitment reflects the Bank’s ambition to scale life sciences and deeptech businesses, which are critical to the UK’s future growth.”