PROXIMO
VENTURES

Finding whats next, and funding it first

Join as Investor

Contextual Capital

Contextual Capital

We are an investment community backing deep-tech founders from Cambridge, Oxford & Imperial, pairing capital with sector expertise to build the infrastructure of the next decade across climate, life sciences, and Industry 4.0.

We are an investment community backing deep-tech founders from Cambridge, Oxford & Imperial, pairing capital with sector expertise to build the infrastructure of the next decade across climate, life sciences, and Industry 4.0.

Join as Investor

Founder

Capital

Expertise

Diligence

Network

Founder

Capital

Expertise

Diligence

Network

Proximity Advantage

Proximity Advantage

Our investor teams are based directly within university ecosystems. This proximity allows us to meet founders early, support their progress, and invest before they reach traditional VC channels.

Our investor teams are based directly within university ecosystems. This proximity allows us to meet founders early, support their progress, and invest before they reach traditional VC channels.

Join our Team

What We Believe

From lab to market

We fund teams turning hard science into products that matter at scale.

From lab to market

We fund teams turning hard science into products that matter at scale.

Earliest-stage leverage

The right partners at formation can change trajectory more than any later round.

Earliest-stage leverage

The right partners at formation can change trajectory more than any later round.

Community multiplies capital

Our deep-tech angels open doors, de-risk milestones, and speed up validation.

Community multiplies capital

Our deep-tech angels open doors, de-risk milestones, and speed up validation.

Benefits for Everyone

For Founders

Early- stage capital from £50-150K.

Access to expert mentors from day one.

Introduction to follow-on investors.

Get in Touch

For Angels

Diversified investment opportunities from top UK universities.

PhD level due diligence and qualified IC.

Community and flexible involvement with portfolio companies.

Join as Investor

For Investor Team

Hands on investment experience.

Renumeration through carry.

A clear path to building a network and entering venture capital.

Join our Team

Our Focus

We invest in early stage companies from university affiliated founders. We don't shy away from solutions to hard problems across life sciences, climate tech and industry 4.0.

Life Sciences

Biology is becoming programmable, but translation still breaks on validation and deployment. We invest in teams that can bridge lab and clinic.

What we look for:

  • Enabling platforms (computational biology, lab automation, new modalities).

  • Diagnostics and devices that change clinical pathways and fit reimbursement.

  • Biomanufacturing and quality systems that scale reliably.

Why Now:

Falling costs in automation and better modelling are compressing discovery cycles. The bottleneck is execution, designing for real clinical use and regulated environments from day one.

Life Sciences

Biology is becoming programmable, but translation still breaks on validation and deployment. We invest in teams that can bridge lab and clinic.

What we look for:

  • Enabling platforms (computational biology, lab automation, new modalities).

  • Diagnostics and devices that change clinical pathways and fit reimbursement.

  • Biomanufacturing and quality systems that scale reliably.

Why Now:

Falling costs in automation and better modelling are compressing discovery cycles. The bottleneck is execution, designing for real clinical use and regulated environments from day one.

Life Sciences

Biology is becoming programmable, but translation still breaks on validation and deployment. We invest in teams that can bridge lab and clinic.

What we look for:

  • Enabling platforms (computational biology, lab automation, new modalities).

  • Diagnostics and devices that change clinical pathways and fit reimbursement.

  • Biomanufacturing and quality systems that scale reliably.

Why Now:

Falling costs in automation and better modelling are compressing discovery cycles. The bottleneck is execution, designing for real clinical use and regulated environments from day one.

Life Sciences

Biology is becoming programmable, but translation still breaks on validation and deployment. We invest in teams that can bridge lab and clinic.

What we look for:

  • Enabling platforms (computational biology, lab automation, new modalities).

  • Diagnostics and devices that change clinical pathways and fit reimbursement.

  • Biomanufacturing and quality systems that scale reliably.

Why Now:

Falling costs in automation and better modelling are compressing discovery cycles. The bottleneck is execution, designing for real clinical use and regulated environments from day one.

Climate Tech

A transition to a sustainable future must be cost-competitive and bankable. We back physics- and chemistry-led innovations that fit industrial reality.

What we look for:

  • Materials and electrochemistry (storage, catalysis, separations, circularity).

  • Grid and industrial systems (controls, electrification, thermal, resilience).

  • MRV and market infrastructure that unlock financeable projects.

Why Now:

Policy is aligning with industrial demand. The gap is scaled deployment. We back solutions that fit existing supply chains, with clear unit economics and measurable impact.

Climate Tech

A transition to a sustainable future must be cost-competitive and bankable. We back physics- and chemistry-led innovations that fit industrial reality.

What we look for:

  • Materials and electrochemistry (storage, catalysis, separations, circularity).

  • Grid and industrial systems (controls, electrification, thermal, resilience).

  • MRV and market infrastructure that unlock financeable projects.

Why Now:

Policy is aligning with industrial demand. The gap is scaled deployment. We back solutions that fit existing supply chains, with clear unit economics and measurable impact.

Climate Tech

A transition to a sustainable future must be cost-competitive and bankable. We back physics- and chemistry-led innovations that fit industrial reality.

What we look for:

  • Materials and electrochemistry (storage, catalysis, separations, circularity).

  • Grid and industrial systems (controls, electrification, thermal, resilience).

  • MRV and market infrastructure that unlock financeable projects.

Why Now:

Policy is aligning with industrial demand. The gap is scaled deployment. We back solutions that fit existing supply chains, with clear unit economics and measurable impact.

Climate Tech

A transition to a sustainable future must be cost-competitive and bankable. We back physics- and chemistry-led innovations that fit industrial reality.

What we look for:

  • Materials and electrochemistry (storage, catalysis, separations, circularity).

  • Grid and industrial systems (controls, electrification, thermal, resilience).

  • MRV and market infrastructure that unlock financeable projects.

Why Now:

Policy is aligning with industrial demand. The gap is scaled deployment. We back solutions that fit existing supply chains, with clear unit economics and measurable impact.

Industry 4.0

Modern industry needs better tools, from design, through the production line, to maintenance. We invest in the stack that makes engineering faster, safer, and cheaper.

What we look for:

  • AI-native engineering tools, simulation, and data infrastructure.

  • Robotics and automation with clear payback in real environments.

  • Real-time sensing and edge computing that turn machine signals into on-line decisions and actions.

Why Now:

We’re in the infrastructure phase of AI, the platforms, data, and tooling have more enduring value than early applications. The rails are more valuable than the train right now.

Industry 4.0

Modern industry needs better tools, from design, through the production line, to maintenance. We invest in the stack that makes engineering faster, safer, and cheaper.

What we look for:

  • AI-native engineering tools, simulation, and data infrastructure.

  • Robotics and automation with clear payback in real environments.

  • Real-time sensing and edge computing that turn machine signals into on-line decisions and actions.

Why Now:

We’re in the infrastructure phase of AI, the platforms, data, and tooling have more enduring value than early applications. The rails are more valuable than the train right now.

Industry 4.0

Modern industry needs better tools, from design, through the production line, to maintenance. We invest in the stack that makes engineering faster, safer, and cheaper.

What we look for:

  • AI-native engineering tools, simulation, and data infrastructure.

  • Robotics and automation with clear payback in real environments.

  • Real-time sensing and edge computing that turn machine signals into on-line decisions and actions.

Why Now:

We’re in the infrastructure phase of AI, the platforms, data, and tooling have more enduring value than early applications. The rails are more valuable than the train right now.

Industry 4.0

Modern industry needs better tools, from design, through the production line, to maintenance. We invest in the stack that makes engineering faster, safer, and cheaper.

What we look for:

  • AI-native engineering tools, simulation, and data infrastructure.

  • Robotics and automation with clear payback in real environments.

  • Real-time sensing and edge computing that turn machine signals into on-line decisions and actions.

Why Now:

We’re in the infrastructure phase of AI, the platforms, data, and tooling have more enduring value than early applications. The rails are more valuable than the train right now.

Where we invest

University of Cambridge

World's #3 deep tech hub, after Boston and the Bay Area.
Accounts for 18% of the UK’s tech value, with 24 native unicorns.

University of Oxford

300+ research-based companies, which raised £6B.
More than half founded in the last decade, generating £3.4B annually.

Imperial College London

World's #3 technical university, after MIT & ETH.
+30 deep-tech spinouts founded every year.

How We Invest

1. First Look

Most promising startups sourced and engaged by trained investment teams

2. Diligence

Structured review of core tech, team, regulatory path, and business model.

3. Decision

An Investment Committee of rotating technical and commercial specialists makes the call.

4. Investment

We fund via the Proximo Ventures Syndicate and support post-investment.

Build with us, as an Angel

Join our deep-tech angel community that contributes expertise as well as capital. We share clear technical diligence, connect you with founders early, and give you first look at companies from Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial. Invest with conviction and help build the next decade’s infrastructure.

Join as Investor

First look

Be among the first to meet founders and join pre-seed rounds; we typically syndicate £50–150k.

First look

Be among the first to meet founders and join pre-seed rounds; we typically syndicate £50–150k.

Invest from £ 1K per deal

Review our full diligence and choose companies you want to invest in.

Invest from £ 1K per deal

Review our full diligence and choose companies you want to invest in.

No membership fees

Invest selectively and stay engaged through updates and events.

No membership fees

Invest selectively and stay engaged through updates and events.

Simple Process

Commit, sign, and track your investment in one place with a straightforward, secure platform.

Simple Process

Commit, sign, and track your investment in one place with a straightforward, secure platform.

Connect in person

Small-group dinners, partner events, and lab tours with founders.

Connect in person

Small-group dinners, partner events, and lab tours with founders.

Investment Committee

Contribute to investment decisions on companies in your sector by joining our investment committee.

Investment Committee

Contribute to investment decisions on companies in your sector by joining our investment committee.

Founding Team

Imperial

Aurelia Liechtenstein

Co-Founder

Deep-tech AI founder and operator with 7+ years of startup and consulting experience across Europe. Built and scaled an impact-driven microplastics company to six-figure revenue and Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition; MSc Cleantech Innovation, Imperial College London.

Cambridge

Zuzanna Kossobudzka

Co-Founder

Quantum physicist turned founder and deep-tech investor with experience across climate, industrial, and quantum technologies. Built an award-winning wearables company and supported Series A investment in green hydrogen, currently pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Imperial

Rina Bogdanović

Co-Founder

Biomedical scientist and venture builder with research experience across Imperial and Cambridge in immunology, cancer, and stem cells. Experienced in biotech startups, founder of a clinical trial recruitment venture, and healthcare lead at Sigma Squared Society.

Investment Team

Our investors are based at our target universities and selected for proximity to founders, deep technical knowledge, and experience in startups and investing. They gain hands-on experience by sourcing companies, running due diligence, and working directly with founders. They are remunerated through carry, with the opportunity to build an investing track record and move into venture capital post-graduation.

Our investors are based at our target universities and selected for proximity to founders, deep technical knowledge, and experience in startups and investing. They gain hands-on experience by sourcing companies, running due diligence, and working directly with founders. They are remunerated through carry, with the opportunity to build an investing track record and move into venture capital post-graduation.

Become an Investor at Proximo

Become an Investor at Proximo

Join our investor program and help us discover the next generation of breakthrough startups while gaining invaluable experience in venture investing.

Join our investor program and help us discover the next generation of breakthrough startups while gaining invaluable experience in venture investing.

Join our Team

Oxford

Joseph Cutteridge

NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in Vascular Surgery & MSc Health Data Analytics and Machine Learning

Works at the intersection of clinic, ML, and health-tech to bring research to market.

Cambridge

Isabelle Zane

PhD, Genomics

Interest in BioTech and Sustainability

Imperial

Chloe Lambert

MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering with Biotechnology · Master’s in Patent Law · BSc Neuroscience & Mathematics

Experience includes computational neuroscience research with patent-law experience across litigation and consulting.

Cambridge

John McGinty

PhD, Biotechnology

Exploring novel theragnostics for age-related diseases.

Oxford

Jude Popham

PhD, Medical Science, MSc in Computational Biology, BSc in Biochemistry

Works at the intersection of ML, bioinformatics and genomics, with industry experience in biotech and venture analysis

Oxford

Giulia Garcia

PhD, Extracellular Vesicles & Immunology

Works at the intersection of immunology and computational research, with an interest in translating emerging biological insights into new biotech ventures

Oxford

Haruna Inuwa

PhD, Engineering Science (Energy)

Experience in energy, climate, and deep tech.

Imperial

Lynton Sutton

BEng Mechanical Engineering, MSc Cleantech Innovation

10 years experience in Nuclear, including 8 years in Nuclear Fusion reactor construction

Oxford

Anse Arif

Medical Doctor

Clinician with an interest in healthcare innovation and applied AI.

Imperial

Sara Sousi

PhD, Digital Health & AI

Works on digital health and applying ML to large-scale clinical datasets. Ex-health and life-sciences consultant.

Oxford

Ege Havlucu

BA (Hons) Economics and Management

Published researcher in health policy; interested in fintech and healthtech

Oxford

Anton Naumenko

MSc Applied Digital Health

Experience in Digital Health, Pharma & Life Sciences consulting; worked in pre-seed VC and early-stage startups

Imperial

Sissi Wang

BSc Economics, Finance and Data Science

Experience in fintech; interest in venture capital and private equity

Cambridge

Dilyara Sabirova

PhD, Cancer Immunology

Focused on innovation across BioTech and Oncology

Cambridge

Daniel Aguilar

LLB Law · PhD, Criminology

Three+ years work experience in public and private law

Oxford

Vanessa Kan

BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Experience in growing startups; interested in venture capital

Stay Updated!

Subscribe to our Newsletter

hello@proximo-ventures.com

© PROXIMO VENTURES LTD

© PROXIMO VENTURES LTD

Get in touch!

Get in touch!