Climate tech startups Utopi and Materials Nexus raised a combined $9 million. Here’s the pitch decks they used to win over investors.

• British climate tech startups Materials Nexus and Utopi have both raised funds recently.
• London-based Materials Nexus raised $2.8 million while Glasgow-based Utopi secured $6.3 million.
• We got a look at the pitch decks both companies used to win over investors.

Materials Nexus and Utopi, two British climate tech startups, recently raised a total of $9.1 million.

Materials Nexus, based in London, is utilizing artificial intelligence to reduce the green transition’s reliance on mining metals. Ada Ventures led its first institutional funding round, which raised £2 million ($2.8 million).

The startup, which was founded in 2020 in Cambridge before relocating its headquarters, is using AI and quantum mechanics to improve the efficiency of the discovery and development of sustainable materials. The green energy transition currently relies on material extraction, which can have negative environmental consequences.

Materials Nexus claims that discovering sustainable materials is time-consuming and expensive, which is exactly what the company hopes to change with its modeling platform. The platform can predict the properties of new materials, reducing the need for physical tests and thus saving money.

“Materials such as concrete, steel, and glass contribute an overwhelming proportion of all CO2 emissions; the fact is, we’re only going to net-zero if there is a radical rethinking of the materials we use,” Insider founder and CEO Jonathan Bean explained.

“Finding next-generation materials that are sustainable, cost-effective, and ultra-high performing is critical, particularly in the advancement of sustainable energy generation and use.” Our innovative technology uses artificial intelligence to reduce the time it takes to discover new materials from years to months, and it is applicable to almost all industries.”

The additional funds will be used to increase the company’s headcount from 10 to 17 as Materials Nexus proves its technology in real-world projects.

Utopi plots US expansion with new funds

Utopi, a Glasgow-based startup founded in 2019, recently received £5 million (approximately $6.3 million) in funding from the Scottish National Investment Bank.

The company, which provides an ESG software platform for real estate such as apartment buildings and student housing, will use the new funds to expand into the US market while also strengthening its presence in the UK.

Utopi collects data from residents in order to report on the ESG performance of a building. Customers can also set goals and track their progress across a range of ESG metrics, similar to and including carbon accounting. The platform primarily assists building managers and owners in taking action on issues such as emissions, resident alerts, and space utilization.

Its headcount will also increase to 60 by the end of the year, with significant additions across all departments, including operations, commercial, compliance, engineering, customer success, and product.