Grant Aarons

Something has shifted in the ecosystem over the last year. I've felt it, and the women I speak to have felt it too. Freya Pratty from Sifted put words to it this week. Tech bros are back. And while many might say - “Did they ever go away?” - i've definitely seen a subtle but significant increase in public 'bro' language that signals to people this industry isn't for them. Social media posts reinforcing what success looks and sounds like. Podcasts going months without a female guest. And yes, the rollback of DEI pressure has given some people permission to retreat to their boys' clubs. That's the uncomfortable truth. But here's what I keep coming back to: the alpha is on the other side of this. If the industry is narrowing, the gap it leaves behind is huge. And that gap is where the real opportunity sits - for anyone willing to think differently. It's exactly why unlock VC exists - not to apologise for thinking differently, but to show there's another way to build, invest and lead. One that works too. Check out the full article: https://lnkd.in/eXCQYQSM

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📣 Great to see this announced! 👏 Our portfolio company iGii has secured £22.7m, including follow-on funding from PXN Ventures Scotland, to scale its proprietary carbon nanomaterial Gii, which shares the properties of graphene.   The funding includes an £11.7m Series B raise, led by the The Scottish National Investment Bank, and with co-investment from Archangel Investors Limited, ESM INVESTMENTS LIMITED and Techstart Ventures and a further £11m from our partners at Scottish Enterprise (Adrian Gillespie & Gordon Culfeather).    The funding will support iGii as it moves towards industrial adoption and seek adoption from the world's largest manufacturers, in line with the government's modern industrial strategy and core focus on advanced manufacturing.    One of many benefits of Gii – which has widespread use cases in areas ranging from environmental engineering to healthcare diagnostics – is that it is grown not mined, which is particularly pertinent at a time when global supply chains are more volatile, leading to material shortages and delays.   Having invested in iGii initially in 2020 and worked with the team over the last few exciting years of growth, we're proud to continue our support at this juncture. This latest investment also reflects our ability to support businesses over multiple rounds, from early-stage funding to later-stage capital.    Congratulations to co-founders Marco Caffio and Claus Marquordt, CEO Jean-Christophe Granier and the team on this latest milestone. And a big thank you to Elizabeth Young, Clara Baltay and Robert H. for all their work on the deal. It’s been great working with the team, board and our co-investors over the years (Andrew Lacey, Chris Gauld, Ewan McLellan, Jane Stewart, Helen Adams, Alastair McMillen, Andrew Clapp, Niki McKenzie, Daniel McKiddie and more) - excited for what else is in store!   🗞️ Subscribers to The Times can read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/e8HA8bx4   The news has also been covered by The Herald Scotland (£22.7m boost for iGii comes with a promise to grow in Scotland), and you can read the release in full on our website: https://lnkd.in/eMZA9FQf

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