Mid-Week Tech News Roundup – April 28th to May 2nd 2025

Nottingham IT Firm Secures £500k to Accelerate Data Centre Expansion

A Nottingham-based IT company has announced plans to scale its data centre operations after securing a £500,000 funding boost from the British Business Bank’s Midlands Engine Investment Fund II.

CompuWeb Communications Services, which provides hosting and colocation services across sites in Nottingham, Manchester, and London, says the investment will enable it to meet growing demand for energy-efficient and cost-effective infrastructure solutions. The funding was delivered by Maven Capital Partners, one of the fund’s appointed managers for the East and South East Midlands.

Founded in 1999, CompuWeb works with a mix of private and public sector clients, including SMEs, the NHS, Hillarys Blinds, and Jonas Sports. The company also maintains a presence in North America and has seen a notable uptick in demand for colocation hosting—where businesses rent space within a data centre to house their servers and hardware.

CEO Karl Mendez described the funding as a key enabler for future growth, stating that the company would now be able to expand its footprint while maintaining service quality. “We are seeing increasing demand for colocation hosting, driven by businesses seeking flexible, cost-efficient and energy-conscious solutions,” he said.

Maven partner Jonathan Lowe praised the firm’s reputation and growth potential, while British Business Bank’s David Tindall pointed to the broader economic benefits of the expansion for the Midlands region.

The announcement comes amid continued investment in regional tech infrastructure, with colocation services playing an increasingly critical role in digital transformation strategies across sectors.

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Ovo Labs Launches with £4M Backing to Tackle Egg Quality and Reproductive Longevity

A new biotech entrant is aiming to shift the landscape of fertility science, as Ovo Labs emerges from stealth with £4 million in seed funding to address age-related egg quality decline and improve outcomes in IVF treatment.

The London and Munich-based company is built on pioneering research from Professor Melina Schuh, one of the world’s foremost fertility experts. Ovo Labs is developing novel therapeutics to reduce aneuploidy — genetic abnormalities in eggs — which significantly contribute to fertility challenges in women over 35. The aim: to increase the number of viable eggs and, in turn, boost the chances of conception from a single IVF cycle.

The seed round was co-led by Creator Fund and LocalGlobe, with support from Blue Wire Capital, Ahren Innovation Capital, and Antonio Pellicer, the founder of global fertility group IVI.

With a founding team that includes Dr Agata Zielinska and Dr Oleksandr Yagensky alongside Professor Schuh, Ovo Labs is targeting what it describes as a “critical unmet need” in reproductive medicine. Data from the company highlights that over 70% of a woman’s eggs are genetically abnormal by the age of 40, and that IVF fails in the majority of cases for women in their late 30s.

Early studies by the team have shown promising results in restoring egg quality in older mice, as well as in treating isolated human eggs. The next phase of product development will take place at the Life Science Factory in Munich, as the startup looks to translate its lab success into clinical progress.

Professor Schuh, now scientific advisor to the company, says the mission goes beyond fertility: “Our goal is to help more people become parents on their own terms, and potentially address wider demographic trends such as falling birth rates across many developed nations.”

The launch of Ovo Labs adds to the growing momentum in fertility-focused innovation, where scientific advances and investor interest are aligning to tackle one of modern medicine’s most persistent challenges.

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Spotlight Pathology Raises £425K to Tackle Blood Cancer Diagnosis with AI

A North West startup developing artificial intelligence tools to support faster and more accurate blood cancer diagnosis has raised £425,000 in fresh funding, with the round forming part of a broader £1.125 million investment campaign.

Spotlight Pathology, led by CEO Dr Sam Perona, is tackling the global shortage of pathologists and the high failure rate in early diagnosis of blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukaemia. Its platform uses AI-driven computer vision models trained on NHS datasets to speed up and enhance the accuracy of biopsy assessments - an innovation it hopes will reduce delays in treatment and save lives.

The raise attracted backing from several notable investors, including EHE Ventures, which contributed via its AI Growth Fund. The fund, launched in 2024, is focused on supporting UK-based startups applying AI in sectors with significant real-world impact. DeepBridge Capital and Lyva Labs also joined the round, continuing their commitment to UK healthtech innovation.

While EHE’s capital is significant, its hands-on approach may prove equally crucial. Through its Venture Studio, EHE plans to support Spotlight in refining the platform, achieving UKCA regulatory approval, and preparing for market entry in the UK, Europe, and the US.

“This isn’t just about funding,” said EHE CEO Neil Vose. “Spotlight is founder-led, mission-driven, and tackling a healthcare challenge that affects millions. We’ll be working shoulder-to-shoulder with them to deliver real impact.”

Founded by Dr Martin Fergie and Professor Richard Byers, Spotlight is one of a small number of female-led innovations in the AI MedTech space. It joins a growing wave of UK startups applying deep tech to address challenges in diagnostics, a market worth over £15 billion globally.

Spotlight’s model has already shown promise in clinical trials, and the team hopes this funding will position the company to launch pilot programmes later this year. Its backers believe the technology could redefine how clinicians approach early cancer detection in hospitals worldwide.

DeepBridge’s Andrew Round commented: “Spotlight embodies the kind of disruptive potential we look for. Having supported them through both our SEIS and EIS funds, we’re excited to see their next phase of growth.”

This latest investment marks the fourth deployment from EHE’s AI Growth Fund, following deals with SUBJCT, Scooch, and Fotenix as the fund continues to carve out its role as a key backer of UK-based applied AI ventures.

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SupplyWell Named Among Liverpool’s Top Tech Climbers for 2025

EdTech firm SupplyWell has once again secured a spot on the prestigious Tech Climbers Liverpool 2025 list, celebrating standout tech companies driving innovation and impact across the region.

The Liverpool-based business, co-founded by Michael Heverin (CEO) and Raina Heverin (Strategy Director), has been recognised for its continued efforts to evolve its platform technology and deliver smarter staffing solutions for schools. The company provides a tech-enabled service aimed at transforming how schools manage teacher absences—reducing costs, improving retention, and placing staff wellbeing at the heart of its approach.

The recognition follows a year of significant progress, with SupplyWell expanding its offering to further support educators and school leaders through more efficient tools and real-time insight. By prioritising long-term sustainability in education staffing, the company is tackling widespread challenges in a sector facing increasing pressure.

Speaking at the Tech Climbers reveal event, SupplyWell celebrated the strength of Liverpool’s growing tech ecosystem and reaffirmed its commitment to creating technology with purpose. The business continues to scale its impact, with a focus on improving outcomes for both educators and students.

The 2025 Tech Climbers list showcases the fastest-growing and most impactful tech businesses in the Liverpool City Region, highlighting those using innovation to address real-world problems. SupplyWell’s inclusion cements its status as a key player in the EdTech space and a driving force behind a more resilient and supportive education system.

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