Killer50 companies raise megabucks in Q1 2025
The figures were bolstered by CMR Surgical’s $200 million-plus raise to expand its surgical robot technology globally – notably in the United States.
Also in the Life Sciences sector, Maxion Therapeutics raised $72m in a Series A to underpin worldwide growth. The company is developing antibody-based KnotBody® drugs for ion channel and G protein coupled receptor (GPCR)-driven diseases.
Cambridge biotech TRIMTECH Therapeutics, which is harnessing targeted protein degradation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, closed an oversubscribed $31 million seed round which featured a number of US investors.
Breath biopsy pioneer Owlstone Medical raised $27m in addition to $2.3m from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation while its Cambridge Science Park neighbour Ignota Labs, an AI-driven drug turnaround company, secured $6.9m seed cash – led by US funders.
Two non-stop innovation stalwarts, Luminance and Cambridge GaN Devices, were big winners in terms of raising growth capital among The Killer50 Technology ranks.
Legal AI trailblazer Luminance clinched $75m to underpin global growth – particularly in North America – while Cambridge GaN, a trailblazer in gallium nitride (GaN) power electronics technology – closed a $32m Series C growth capital round and is set to play a transformational role across the globe.
Our Killer50 companies traditionally enjoy a strong start to a new year. In 2024, nine companies (six in the Life Sciences segment) raised a collective $711m. The big winners then were quantum computing specialist Quantinuum ($300m) and portfolio biotech Apollo Therapeutics ($260m).
Quantinuum is a unicorn many times over and continues to play a key role in engineering Quantum Computing world firsts.
Killer50 Life Sciences networking event
Nobel Prize winner Sir Greg Winter and representatives from some of the leading life science companies and organisations in the East of England biotech cluster will be in attendance for a groundbreaking Killer50 get-together in Cambridge on May 1.
Law firm Mills & Reeve, which has a strong reputation for its global life science expertise, has joined forces with financial powerhouse S&W – to co-host the event with Business Weekly.
More than 70 organisations have already fed back approval to attend the informal event at the Hills Road offices of law firm Mills & Reeve. There will be drinks and canapés and the opportunity to catch up with like-minded executives as companies face up to what we are billing ‘A New World of Trade.’
International trade advisers from Intralink will be on hand to suggest a range of global territories ripe for new life science solutions – notably in APAC – and there will also be bio property experts and general investors in the room if executives wish to informally chat about potential future pathways.
Stephen Drew, Regional Managing Partner, S&W said: “As sponsors and co-hosts of the Killer 50 Life Science and Tech events we think this is an incredible opportunity to champion innovation and collaboration.
“These events separately showcase the brightest minds and groundbreaking advancements that are shaping the future of science and technology. Supporting this platform aligns with our commitment to fostering growth, driving progress, and connecting with visionary leaders who are making a real impact in the world.
“Additionally, it highlights our dedication to providing professional expertise for growth and ambition. We work closely with our clients to understand their businesses, helping them navigate complexity and create opportunities for lasting success. This involvement underscores our belief in the power of innovation to transform industries and lives.”
James Fry, Partner, Head of Life Sciences for Mills & Reeve, commented: “We are delighted to support the Killer50 life sciences pantheon. UK life sciences is a powerhouse pioneering breakthroughs that will shape global health in years to come and we are delighted to play a small part in championing companies that are making a real difference.”
Business Weekly CEO Tony Quested added: “Business Weekly has been promoting the Killer50 showcase and its Ones2watch section for up-and-coming tech and life science companies for the best part of two decades.
“Life Sciences has so blossomed that it was logical for us last year to further enhance the format and carry Killer50/Ones2Watch rankings for each of the hi-tech and bio sectors.
“Within days of issuing the invitation for the Life Science networking event, major biotechs and leading executives got in touch to confirm places and express their support for the idea of an informal get-together of key players in the sector.
“Global giant AstraZeneca was among the first to commit to the initiative and the appetite for attendance has been brilliant across the board.”
While the event isn’t until May 1, Business Weekly is keen to confirm numbers as soon as possible. You can email Tony Quested: tquested@businessweekly.co.uk at any time to express your interest or confirm your place at the gathering.
Killer50 Technology networking event
A similar event for our Technology pantheon is being held at the same venue, with similar timings and agenda, on May 21. Key details are being circulated. Technology companies in our cohort will be invited along with key associate organisations. Again, you can email Tony Quested at any time to secure a place.
The Killer50 initiative is sponsored by S&W, Mills & Reeve, Visa company Featurespace, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst and design & development specialist Identity Creative.
Retaining a place in TheKiller50 hinges on our best companies continuing to progress their propositions – not standing still – so the respective cohorts are dynamic and liable to change if we suspect any company of resting on past glories.
The current Killer50 Life Science companies (in alphabetical order):
4basebio, Abcam, Alchemab, Altos Labs, AnthroTek, Apollo Therapeutics, Artios Pharma, Astex Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Bicycle Therapeutics, Biofidelity, BIOS Health, bit.bio, Broken String Biosciences, CellCentric, Cellular Origins, Cerevance, CMR Surgical, CN Bio, Constructive Bio, Cresset Group, CS Genetics, DNA Ascendancy, Domainex , Endomag, Epitopea, ExpressionEdits, Healx, Lightcast Discovery, LinkGevity, LoQus23 Therapeutics, Mestag Therapeutics, Microbiotica, Mosaic Therapeutics, Nuclera, Nxera Pharma, Opto Biosystems, OutSee Ltd, Owlstone Medical, PhoreMost, Quotient Therapeutics, Qureight, RxCelerate, Sano Genetics, Semarion, Sphere Bio, SPT Labtech, STORM Therapeutics, T-Therapeutics, ViaNautis Bio.
Killer50 Life Science Ones2Watch:
Abzena, Amphista Therapeutics, Arecor, Axol Bioscience, biomodal, BioTryp Therapeutics, BugBiome, Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge Nucleomics, Camena Bioscience, CardiaTec Biosciences, Cell Guidance Systems, Charco Neurotech, clock.bio, Closed Loop Medicine, Congenica, Cyted, Decorte Future Industries, DefiniGen, Dunad Therapeutics, Eleven Therapeutics, Genestack, Glyconics, Harness Therapeutics, Heartfelt Technologies, HutanBio, Ieso Digital Health, Ignota Labs, Isogenica, IsomAb, Isomerase Therapeutics, Lucida Medical, Maxion Therapeutics, Metrion Biosciences, Mission Therapeutics, Mogrify, Mursla Bio, Neobe Therapeutics, NodThera, OBRIZUM, Optibrium, PartitionBio, PlaqueTec, Proteotype Diagnostics, Psyomics, Qkine, Sareum, Scientific Digital Imaging plc, Shift Bioscience, SolasCure, Sortera Bio, Sparxell, Transition Bio, TRIMTECH Therapeutics, Zetta Genomics.
The current Killer50 Technology companies:
1Spatial, 42 Technology, Arm, AVEVA, Bango, Cambridge Consultants, Cambridge GaN Devices, Cambridge Mechatronics, Darktrace, Domino Printing, Echion Technologies, Featurespace, FlexEnable, Flusso, FocalPoint, Forefront RF, Frontier Developments, Gearset, Intellegens, IQGeo, Jagex, Johnson Matthey, Levidian, lowRISC, Luminance, Marshall Aerospace, Monumo, Nu Quantum, Nyobolt, Paragraf, Porotech, PowerMatrix, PragmatIC, Quantinuum, Raspberry Pi, Redgate, Riverlane, Secondmind, Sepura, Speechmatics , Superdielectrics, Thermoteknix Systems, Trustonic, TTP, VividQ, VNC Automotive, VyperCore, Wave Photonics, Xaar, Xampla.
Killer50 Technology Ones2Watch:
Adder Technology, Advanced Infrastructure, Aferian Plc, Agile Analog, Arcus Global, Blighter, Cambridge Electric Cement, Cambridge Intelligence, Cambridge Kinetics, Cambridge Pixel, Cambridge Touch Technologies, Cambrionix, Checkit Plc, CorrosionRADAR, CRFS, CyanConnode, Deepform, Evoralis, Frontier Smart Technologies, GraphEnergyTech, Illumion, Immaterial, InferSens, IntelliSense.io, Linaro, Molyon, myrtle.ai, Neutreeno, Orca Scan, Pavegen, Plextek, Prospectral, Quixant, RedBite Solutions, Risilience, Robok, SKC Games Studio, Spark EV, Spotta, Stratospheric Platforms, techspert.io, Telensa, Tenkys, Teraview, Undo, xWatts.