Cambridge Innovation Capital

About Cambridge Innovation Capital

Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) is a UK preferred venture capital investor for the University of Cambridge ecosystem with approximately £600 million of assets under management as of December 2024, headquartered in Cambridge. The firm was founded in 2013 as the strategic partner of the University of Cambridge, anchored in the Cambridge cluster spinout pipeline. CIC remains a partner-owned independent VC platform with exclusive scale-up investor status across Cambridge spinouts.

Investment thesis

CIC deploys capital through three plus active vehicles (Fund I, Fund II, Fund III early-stage £250 million 2025 plus £100 million Opportunity Fund 2025), targeting early-stage and growth venture investments in deep-tech and life sciences spinouts from the Cambridge cluster. The Opportunity Fund enables late-stage follow-ons up to £20 million per round, addressing the UK growth-financing gap that historically constrained Cambridge spinout scale-up. Sector focus spans artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, therapeutics, medtech and diagnostics, digital health and genomics. Geographic deployment is anchored on Cambridge ecosystem with broader UK reach.

Recent activity

Recent investments include Pragmatic Semiconductor (chips, 2025), Riverlane (quantum computing, 2024-2025) and commitments to multiple Cambridge spinouts under Fund III (2025). Realised exits across the 2024-2025 period emphasised follow-on rounds over secondary realisations, with gene therapy and biotech exits forming the historical baseline. The platform continues active deployment across the Cambridge spinout pipeline and Opportunity Fund late-stage strategy. Detailed buyer names and multiple data available on Pro at €29/month.