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NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance

Europe, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, Henley In Arden

Description

NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance operates as a key component of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), specifically managing equity investments across the North of England. This fund is overseen by Mercia Asset Management, a prominent UK-based venture capital firm. Its mandate is to foster economic growth and innovation by providing crucial capital to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region. The fund plays a vital role in addressing funding gaps and supporting businesses that might otherwise struggle to secure investment from traditional sources, aligning with the broader NPIF objective of rebalancing the UK economy.

The investment strategy of NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance focuses on uncovering and nurturing the inherent value within promising businesses. It targets a diverse range of sectors, including but not limited to technology, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and creative industries. The fund typically invests in companies at various stages of their growth cycle, from early-stage businesses with high growth potential to more established SMEs seeking capital for expansion, product development, or market penetration. Mercia's team provides not only financial backing but also strategic guidance and access to their extensive network, aiming to accelerate the growth trajectories of their portfolio companies.

NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance provides initial equity investments ranging from approximately $63,500 (£50,000) to $2,540,000 (£2 million). These initial cheques are often complemented by the potential for significant follow-on funding as companies achieve milestones and demonstrate further growth. As part of the larger NPIF initiative, Mercia's efforts contribute to a significant regional impact; the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has collectively invested over £860 million into more than 1,000 businesses across the North of England, attracting over £1.2 billion in additional private sector co-investment. This demonstrates the fund's commitment to long-term partnerships and its critical role in stimulating the Northern economy.

Investor Profile

NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance has backed more than 75 startups, with 5 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 53 rounds, about 71% of its total and boasts 6 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series Unknown, Series A rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United Kingdom.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, Information Technology, Manufacturing.
  • Led 3 rounds in the past year.
  • Typical check size: $63.5K – $2.5M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (44%)
  • Series Unknown (39%)
  • Series A (11%)
  • Debt Financing (4%)
  • Series B (1%)
  • Grant (1%)

Country Focus

  • United Kingdom (100%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Information Technology
  • Manufacturing
  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
  • Health Care
  • Machine Learning
  • Computer
  • Medical Device
  • Saas
  • E-commerce
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance frequently co-invest with?

ME
Europe, Manchester, United Kingdom, Manchester
Co-Investments: 5
Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Europe, Manchester, United Kingdom, Manchester
Co-Investments: 2
MV
Europe, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, Henley In Arden
Co-Investments: 2
NP
Europe, Sheffield, United Kingdom, Sheffield
Co-Investments: 5
NV
Europe, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, Henley In Arden
Co-Investments: 2
DSM Venturing
Europe, Limburg, The Netherlands, Heerlen
Co-Investments: 2
TF
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 5
Mercia Asset Management
Europe, Warwickshire, United Kingdom, Henley In Arden
Co-Investments: 2
FW
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2
XTX Ventures
Europe, England, United Kingdom, London
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance often collaborate with?

BG
Europe, Bradford, United Kingdom, Bradford
Shared Deals: 1
VH
Europe, Cheshire East, United Kingdom, Macclesfield
Shared Deals: 1
KW
Europe, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance?

AssetCool

London, England, United Kingdom

AssetCool produces photonic coatings and materials that enhance the functionality of electrical networks.

Chemical EngineeringIndustrial Manufacturing
Series AJul 3, 2025
Amount Raised: $13,627,766
Candid Hospitality

Humbleton, York, United Kingdom

Candid Hospitality is an innovative recruitment platform created particularly for the hospitality industry.

Hospitality
SeedJun 17, 2025
Amount Raised: $1,074,339
Envoke

Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom

Envoke virtual demo technology assists employees in qualifying sales leads by providing worldwide assistance to maintenance teams.

3D TechnologyVirtual AssistantVirtual Reality
Series UnknownMay 19, 2025
Amount Raised: $1,336,320
Eventum Orthopaedics

Ilkley, Bradford, United Kingdom

Eventum Orthopaedics develops a device that will provide real-time measurements of the area during knee replacement operations.

Health DiagnosticsMedicalMedical Device
Series UnknownMar 18, 2025
Amount Raised: $4,930,135
Salesfire

Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom

Salesfire is a SaaS company that offers conversion rate optimization solutions for e-commerce stores.

E-CommerceEmailMarketingSaaS
Series UnknownNov 12, 2024
Amount Raised: $3,502,591
Mindtech

Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Mindtech's DataOps platform analyses training data & creates unlimited synthetic images & pixel accurate annotations for training AI models

Artificial Intelligence (AI)ComputerMachine LearningRoboticsSoftwareTraining
Series UnknownOct 16, 2024
Amount Raised: $5,716,060
Suiso

Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Suiso is developing microwave-driven Hydrogen generators which decarbonise Natural/Bio Gas

SeedMar 11, 2024
Amount Raised: $3,845,488
Pimberly

Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom

Pimberly is a SaaS PIM (Product Information Management), DAM (Digital Asset Management) and Workflow platform.

ComputerSaaSSoftware
Series UnknownFeb 26, 2024
Amount Raised: $5,073,580
Bimsense

Hull, Kingston upon Hull, City of, United Kingdom

Bimsense is a developer of building information modeling software built to minimize project risks and maximize lifecycle efficiencies.

ConstructionInformation TechnologySoftware
Series UnknownNov 9, 2023
Amount Raised: $916,193
Shopblocks

Stockport, Stockport, United Kingdom

Shopblocks is a hosted ecommerce platform.

E-CommerceE-Commerce Platforms
Series UnknownOct 2, 2023
Amount Raised: $1,813,465