Praetura Ventures has co-invested into the pioneering deep tech company Exciting Instruments via NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance (managed by Praetura Ventures as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II). The £4m seed round was led by Northern Gritstone, with Empirical Ventures and serial entrepreneurs Stan Boland and Jonathan Millner also co-investing.
Single-molecule microscopy is one of the most powerful tools to understand disease and develop targeted therapies, however it has often been limited by complex workflows and limited accessibility, restricting its use so far to select and specialist research environments.
Exciting Instruments has developed and delivers a practical and efficient new platform for single-molecule detection, opening up adoption to an unconstrained user base spanning pharma, healthcare and other industrial applications. Its platform technology allows users to visualise and analyse individual molecules and their interactions, whilst also providing high throughput processing and automation of analytics, advancements that are critical for improved efficiency and productivity.
Early customers of Exciting Instruments’ platform are already using it to drive new discoveries in drug development, clinical diagnostics and a range of research applications in both the pharmaceutical industry and within leading research laboratories. Where incumbent approaches have failed to scale, Exciting Instruments is demonstrating a new path that will totally redefine molecular analysis and transform global health outcomes.
With the new funding, the company plans to further develop commercial partnerships, build out its team and evolve its products.
Tim Craggs CEO and Rob Bell COO, Co-Founders of Exciting Instruments said: “Our vision at Exciting Instruments is to bring the power of single-molecule detection to every academic and pharma lab across the globe. We’re not just building technology—we’re creating a new era where single-molecule insights become the foundation for breakthroughs that will redefine what’s possible in human health.”
Stan Boland said: “Exciting Instruments has created compelling new products for a deep market need. Tim and Rob’s energy is incredible, and I’m thrilled to play a part in helping them turn their amazing technology into the powerhouse of a huge business that will accelerate the pace of disease detection and drug development for the benefit of us all.”
