The Northern Universities Venture Fund is a growth EIS Fund, providing tax benefits under the Enterprise Investment Scheme. The Fund is a collaboration between the UK’s leading university spinout investor Parkwalk Advisors and specialist fund manager Northern Gritstone, offering investors access to leading science and IP-rich businesses from the Northern Arc Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. Investors will receive a diverse portfolio of 5-10 university spinout companies from the Northern Arc Universities, from Seed to Series B.
Since 2009, Parkwalk has backed cutting-edge innovation developed by some of the brightest minds in the UK, across sectors such as quantum computing, AI, digital health and life sciences. Parkwalk is the UK’s leading growth EIS Fund manager, having invested in over 180 companies, with over 70 exits to date and consistent deployment.
Northern Gritstone invests in innovative businesses in the North of England, primarily spinning out from the Universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield — institutions that are pushing the envelope of research and evolving new technologies. The Fund has attracted co-investor funding of over £360m, and is chaired by Lord Jim O’Neill.