#UK Paragraf boosts Series A to £16.2m in commercialisation surge

//

Cambridge UK graphene electronics technology company Paragraf has added £3.4 million to its series A round with Draper Esprit joining as significant investor, bringing the total haul to £16.2m. 

The round was led by Parkwalk and included investment from IQ Capital, Amadeus Capital Partners, Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University of Cambridge, and Partners Investment Company, as well as several angel backers. 

The extra funding will enable Cambridge University spin-out Paragraf to significantly accelerate the delivery of its first graphene-based electronics products to market, transitioning the business into a commercial, revenue-generating entity.

As graphene appears to be reaching its tipping point in many low-cost applications such as road surfacing, paint and clothing where its improved wear resistance properties are offering benefits, the widely speculated, high-performance electronics applications have remained tantalisingly out of reach. 

Paragraf’s patent-protected break-through approach to graphene synthesis has enabled the company to develop some of the first graphene electronics devices using standard mass production scale approaches.

Paragraf has achieved very early delivery to market of its first product, a super-high sensitivity magnetic field detector with order of magnitude performance enhancements over existing sensors. 

The technology also provides operational capabilities over temperature, field and power ranges that no other device can currently achieve. On the back of this success the company has made a strategic decision to take on additional financing, enabling the business to super charge its development roadmap. 

Dr Simon Thomas, CEO and co-founder of Paragraf, said: “By accepting additional investment Paragraf is demonstrating its drive and commitment to rapidly productising its game changing graphene technologies, accelerating the timeframe in which these devices can be developed and, importantly, delivered to market.”

David Cummings, Partner at Draper Esprit, added: “Graphene is known to be a material with huge potential, but Paragraf’s approach takes this into the realm of the commercially possible. 

“We’re delighted to be able to support this dynamic company in accelerating the delivery of its first graphene-based electronics products and are looking forward to working closely with them as they continue to develop their technology.” 

Paragraf is a spin-out from the Centre for Gallium Nitride group of Professor Sir Colin Humphreys in the Department of Materials Science at the University of Cambridge. 

Building on significant know-how and IP, Paragraf has developed atom-layer-thick two-dimensional materials, with a focus on graphene. Through its growing IP portfolio, Paragraf is applying these materials to a range of advanced electronic, energy and medical devices to benefit society. 

from Business Weekly https://ift.tt/2PgjPUs

This entry was posted in #UK by Startup365. Bookmark the permalink.

About Startup365

Chaque jour nous vous présenterons une nouvelle Startup française ! Notre pays regorge de talents et d'entrepreneurs brillants ! Alors partons à la découverte des meilleures startup françaises ! Certaines d'entre elles sont dans une étape essentielle dans la vie d'une startup : la recherche de financement, notamment par le financement participatif (ou crowdfunding en anglais). Alors participez à cette grande aventure en leur faisant une petite donation ! Les startups françaises ont besoin de vous !