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Empirical Ventures Fund I

United Kingdom
Pre Seed
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About Empirical Ventures Fund I

Empirical Ventures' deeptech fund reached £15M in total commitments, including a further £10M from the British Business Bank announced March 2026. The Bristol-based firm backs "Venture Scientists" — founders applying rigorous scientific methodology outside London hubs like Bristol, Manchester and Edinburgh. Led by co-founder and GP Dr Johnathan Matlock, the fund targets novel energy generation, advanced materials and next-generation life sciences. Portfolio includes Delta g and Basecamp Research.

Investment Focus

Location / RegionUnited Kingdom
Funding StagePre Seed
Industry Focus
Biotech
Deep Tech
Energy Tech
Med Tech
Therapeutics

Investor Signals Profile

active

Sweet Spot

Scientist-founders outside London building IP-defensible deeptech in energy, advanced materials or life sciences

deeptech
advanced-materials
energy-generation
life-sciences
regional-uk

Bullish Signals

British Business Bank increased its commitment to £10M, bringing total fund size to £15Mweb
Clear regional sourcing edge outside London-centric deeptech competitionweb
Portfolio already includes Basecamp Research, a category-recognized biodiversity-data deeptech nameweb

Contrarian Signals

Fund remains small (£15M) relative to capital-intensive deeptech and hardware development needsweb
Narrow scientific-founder thesis limits addressable deal flow versus generalist seed fundsweb

Founder Do's

Emphasize rigorous scientific methodology and IP defensibility over growth-hacking metrics
Highlight a base outside London — Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and similar hubs are a strong fit
Show a credible path from lab-grade science to a fundable, de-risked product

Founder Don'ts

Dont pitch consumer apps or thin software wrappers with no scientific IP core
Dont assume London-centric positioning helps — regional deep-science roots are the sourcing edge

Key GPs & Partners

JM
Dr Johnathan Matlock
Co-Founder / General Partner
scientist-turned-investorregional-focusdeep-tech-specialist

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Fund Overview

Fund Size£15M
Saves0
Website
LinkedIn

Key People

Dr Johnathan Matlock

Dr Johnathan MatlockCo-Founder / General Partner

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