Project Ventures debuts €5.8 million fund targeting DeepTech and AI startups linked to Imperial College London

Project Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm linked to Imperial College London, has announced the launch of its inaugural €5.8 million (£5 million) fund dedicated to pre-Seed and Seed-stage startups at the intersection of DeepTech and AI. This marks the first independent, alumni-powered venture capital fund focused on the Imperial startup ecosystem, with the firm already completing three investments: Tewke, NexusAM, and Neubond.

Shahryar Barati, Founder and Managing Partner of Project Ventures, expressed pride in launching the debut fund, highlighting the Imperial ecosystem's integral role in his career. He emphasized that Imperial's depth in science, engineering, and medicine positions it as an exceptional environment for identifying and supporting companies at the intersection of DeepTech and AI. Barati added that the firm's roots within the Imperial community provide a strong foundation to support pioneering businesses from an early stage.

The launch of Project Ventures' fund aligns with a broader trend of European investment vehicles targeting DeepTech, AI, and research-led companies in 2026. Notable examples include EU-Startups' €783 million across ten relevant fund announcements, as well as London-based Transition Ventures' €128 million Fund II and Lansdowne Partners' €128.9 million first close for university IP commercialization.

Project Ventures has also hired from Imperial's pool of graduate and PhD talent, with positions ranging from interns to technical leads. Co-founder and CEO Rowan Dixon noted that partnering with an Imperial-rooted VC felt like a natural next step, as alumni-backed venture networks in the UK are rare.

The firm targets DeepTech x AI companies emerging from and connected to Imperial College London, with a focus on sectors including energy and climate, advanced manufacturing, robotics, and healthcare. Three investments have already been made: Tewke, an intelligent home operating system; NexusAM, a real-time AI-powered quality assurance platform for metal 3D printing; and Neubond, a wearable NeuroTech platform for stroke rehabilitation.

Patrick Sagastegui Alva, co-founder of Neubond, expressed gratitude for the investors' understanding of the company's unique challenges, including IP, clinical evidence, regulation, technology transfer, and scientific development. The firm aims to close its debut fund by summer 2027, while continuing to build its pipeline of Imperial-linked startups and potentially extending its alumni-powered model to other leading technical university ecosystems in Europe.