The weather may have taken a turn this summer but the past month has been bright at Praetura Ventures, with plenty to be cheerful about across our team and the portfolio. On the subject of our portfolio, this month’s deep dive video is all about the great work being done by Enthuse, the official charity fundraising partner of the London Marathon, Great North Run and many other iconic events.
Percayso Inform successfully raises £2.7m in follow-on round
Insurance intelligence trailblazer Percayso Inform, which joined our portfolio last year, has raised £2.7m worth of follow-on funding. The round was led by Praetura (£1.7m commitment) with an additional £1m coming from insurance industry veteran Neil Utley, who helped scale Hastings to a household name as the company’s Chairman. Earlier this year, we supported Nottingham-based Percayso with its acquisition of the leading data insights platform Cazana, which it purchased from automotive giant Cazoo. This latest investment will allow Percayso to continue scaling.
Praetura Group in the running for Business of the Year
Praetura Group has been nominated in the upcoming Business of the Year Awards. Hosted by TheBusinessDesk.com, our nomination follows a lengthy judging process, with the Praetura team (including our Managing Partner David Foreman) impressing an independent panel of industry judges during a site visit earlier this year. The winner will be announced in the coming months.
BankiFi, Peak, Modern Milkman and more named in UKTN’s Manchester Tech Report
This month saw the tech news publisher UKTN launch its Regional Tech Report. This latest report focuses on Greater Manchester, which saw the highest amount of tech investment in the country outside London and the South East. As well as including Praetura Ventures as an example of a highly active investor within the region, there are also mentions of several of our portfolio companies, including profiles on BankiFi, Peak and Modern Milkman. Follow the link to read the report.
Patchwork’s Dr Anas Nader: strong investor relationships are paramount
Patchwork’s CEO and co-founder has spoken to the online tech sector publication TechBlast about the importance of building strong bonds with investors. Anas’s thought leadership piece namechecks Praetura Ventures and sees the former NHS doctor giving advice to his fellow founders, from the need to be your authentic self to being open about weaknesses. You can read the full piece here.
Culture Shift named one of the best places to work in the UK for women
Tech for good company Culture Shift has been recognised in the top 100 list of small businesses that are leading the way with a supportive and inclusive work environment for women. The accreditation comes from Great Place To Work UK, which itself is instrumental in improving workplace culture across the board.
Aerocloud and Futr shortlisted at UK Business Tech Awards
AeroCloud and Futr have been shortlisted for Small Tech Company of the Year and Best Tech for Good Company, respectively, in the upcoming UK Business Tech Awards. Taking place in October, the ceremony crowns the UK’s finest tech companies and those doing innovative and exceptional work in tech. The nominations follow a busy period for both companies, with numerous milestones, including Futr’s work with the suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
XR Games teams up with mental health charity to promote advocacy
XR Games has been named a Level Up partner with the gaming-focused mental health charity Safe In Our World. The news is the result of XR taking a significant step towards mental health advocacy, with XR drawing on the power of community engagement in gaming. XR is also aiming to inspire other gaming studios within the industry, with CEO and founder Bobby Thandi saying: “We believe in leading by example and our commitment to mental health is driven by genuine care for the XR team and players alike.“ Find out more about the partnership here.
