Members

BigSis is building a broad portfolio of chemical-free insect control solutions that are more effective and more enduring than chemical insecticides. These solutions are based on the sterile insect technique (SIT): sterile males of the pest are released to mate with wild females and so control the population. BigSis’ proprietary automated insect rearing system makes SIT 90% cheaper per hectare; this provides a platform to address dozens of commercially important insect pests worldwide and to substitute the majority of the $17bn chemical insecticide market. BigSis SIT is so safe and so benign that there is little or no regulatory requirement in many jurisdictions. BigSis first solution, launched in the UK in 2023 and delivered as a season-long service, targets the huge unmet need to control the invasive SWD (spotted wing drosophila) fruit fly which can devastate high-value soft fruit crops. BigSis has raised over £6.5 million to date in EIS-eligible rounds and aims to raise a Series B funding round of £7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Bodii is an early stage health tech company that uses technology to help physiotherapy patients recover from injuries in an insightful, engaging and empowering manner. We are focused on complementing the recovery journey by allowing patients to use the Bodii Flex, a range of motion wearable to measure their marginal gains at home. There are extremely high barriers for patients in the industry presently with wait times averaging close to two months and the highly unsustainable cost of private care at approximately £40-60 per 30min session.

We have raised an early round of funding via a venture studio deal together with Nova Growth Capital that has allowed us to go from idea to MVP during the second half of 2022 while continuously validating our value proposition within the industry. We have raised an early round of SEIS/EIS funding and are looking to continue raising EIS funding from Q2 2023.

Boom Radio was created in Autumn 2020, as the UK was entering the second phase of lockdown. Veteran radio executives David Lloyd and Phil Riley thought there might be some merit in establishing a new type of commercial radio station, aimed at potentially disaffected BBC Radio 2 listeners – those older fans who were feeling left behind by that station’s decision in 2018 to target more closely younger ‘mood mums’ aged in their late 30s, 40s and 50s.

The Boom vision was for innovation in both programming and operation, with a deep playlist, full-service presentation from accomplished familiar presenters, and remote operation allowing the business to offer a high-quality, cost-efficient new entrant to the market for older listeners.

Boom Radio remains an independent operator, not tied to one of the major radio groups, funded by 32 private shareholders.

The station started broadcasting in February 2021, and an initial weekly reach of 233,000 listeners and 1.8m hours listened gave the station the confidence to believe more growth could be achieved. Audiences have continued to grow and current RAJAR metrics stand at almost four times the size of those early numbers.

Boom Radio is undoubtedly one of the most successful media launches of the last decade.