uFraction8 has secured £3.4m in fresh investment following the successful completion of a funding round led by Foresight Group.
Operating from Falkirk with a wholly owned subsidiary in Poland, the biotech engineering firm specialises in microfiltration technology aimed at enhancing cell and biomass production. This innovation provides a sustainable, energy-efficient alternative to conventional methods used in food, feed, and bio-based product manufacturing. By improving scalability and affordability in bioprocessing, critical challenges in the global biotech sector are being addressed.
The recent funding round includes contributions from the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fund Old College Capital, Scottish Enterprise, Alwyn Capital, Thia Ventures, and a grant from the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development.
Capital from this investment will be allocated toward further commercialisation of the technology, initially developed at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Engineering. Applications span several high-growth sectors, including microalgae and biopharma, projected to reach $3bn and over $30bn by 2030, respectively. Additional resources will be directed toward advancing technological capabilities, revolutionising microalgae industry production processes, and significantly reducing costs.
Established by Dr Brian Miller and Dr Monika Tomecka, the company currently employs seven professionals across operations in Scotland and Poznan, Poland. A prior investment round in 2022, led by Thia Ventures, secured £2.5m in funding.
Dr Monika Tomecka, Founder and CEO of uFraction8, commented: “We’re thrilled to have secured this significant investment, which will drive forward this next stage of our growth. The support from our investors is a testament to the impact and potential of our innovative technology. These funds will ensure we can bring our solutions to market more rapidly, particularly the microalgae and bio-separation within biopharma sectors, and enable Fraction8 to continue its innovation within the alternative protein sector.”
Rubina Singh, Senior Investment Manager at Foresight, added: “We are delighted to be supporting Monika and the uFraction8 team in bringing this breakthrough technology to market. At Foresight, we’re committed to supporting pioneering technologies for a sustainable future. uFraction8’s advancements in continuous bioprocessing present transformative opportunities across multiple industries and we are excited to help the company achieve further impact in their important work.”
Kerry Sharp, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, said: “Scottish Enterprise has supported uFraction8’s ambition over several years to develop and commercialise its highly innovative technology to enable its customers to produce more efficient and scalable manufacturing of bio-based products. The biotech industry is a key opportunity area for growth for Scotland. Companies such as uFraction8 can play a vital role in transforming our economy by scaling-up, creating high-value jobs, and competing internationally.”
Image credit: uFraction8