With PraeSeed all but wrapped up for 2026, it was the founders’ turn to put everything they’ve learnt over the six-week summer programme and pitch to a crowd of investors and ecosystem insiders.
Hosted, as ever, at NatWest’s impressive Spinningfields offices, the event saw all 13 founders presenting their business as a way of driving co-investment ahead of an Investment Committee that will see the PXN team decide which companies receive £200k of NPIF II investment.
As well as being our most diverse yet, this year’s cohort have set the bar in terms of quality and traction.
The companies that took part hail from across the North of England, with sectors ranging from CleanTech to Life Sciences.
Up to eight companies of those companies will receive a £200k equity investment from NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, which is managed by PXN Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II.
The final investee companies will be named before the end of the year. A reminder, the 13 businesses that took part in this year’s programme are…
Agreka Build (Cheshire)
Antigonie Biosciences (York)
Ardhann (Manchester)
CASA Space Tech (Manchester)
Chronotaxia (Lancaster)
Convergent Labs (Durham)
Good Bubble (Manchester)
Lutèo Medical (Manchester)
NexCAD (Bradford)
PalmPro Enzymes (Manchester)
RecoVolt (Newcastle)
Sheba (Newcastle)
TeraSort (Manchester)
