A New Fund Is Betting Big on Imperial College's DeepTech and AI Startups

Jan de Vries · 2026-09-21

### A Fund Rooted in Community Project Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm with deep ties to Imperial College London, just announced its first fund. It's a $6.2 million pot of money dedicated to a very specific niche: pre-Seed and Seed-stage startups working where DeepTech and artificial intelligence intersect. This isn't just another fund announcement. They claim to be the first independent, alumni-powered VC fund solely focused on the Imperial startup scene. They're already putting their money where their mouth is, with three initial investments in the bag. ### More Than Money: An Alumni-Powered Model The real story here is the model. Think of it like the alumni networks you see backing startups around Stanford or MIT, but for a top UK university. It's a community-driven approach that's been hugely successful across the pond and is now taking root in London. Shahryar Barati, Founder and Managing Partner of Project Ventures, is a three-time Imperial alumnus himself. He says, "It's a proud moment to officially launch our debut fund which has the Imperial ecosystem at its heart. I'm excited to establish the alumni-backed venture model used to great success across leading US universities within the Imperial community." He adds that this is a pivotal time for DeepTech. AI is compressing development cycles that used to take years and is adding a new layer of intelligence to the physical world. With Imperial's strength in science, engineering, and medicine, Barati believes they're perfectly positioned to find and support the next generation of pioneers. ### The First Bets: From Smart Homes to NeuroTech So, who's getting backed? The fund typically invests between $125,000 and $375,000. Their first three portfolio companies give a clear picture of their thesis: - **Tewke**: An intelligent home operating system focused on energy optimization and decentralized energy infrastructure. - **NexusAM**: A real-time, AI-powered quality control platform for metal 3D printing that spots defects as they happen. - **Neubond**: A wearable NeuroTech platform that provides personalized, closed-loop therapy for stroke recovery. Rowan Dixon, co-founder of Tewke, highlighted why this model matters. "We've hired from Imperial's talent pool as we've grown," he said. "Partnering with an Imperial-rooted VC felt natural. While alumni-backed VCs are common in the US, they're rare in the UK. It's exciting to be backed by a fund building that model here." ### Riding a Wider European Wave This launch isn't happening in a vacuum. It's part of a significant surge in European investment targeting DeepTech, AI, and research-led companies. In 2026 alone, reports have highlighted nearly $840 million flowing into similar funds. This includes other notable players like London-based Transition Ventures' $137 million fund for AI-physical world companies and Paris-based 360 Capital's $91 million technology-transfer fund. Even at the earliest stages, Germany's Vanagon Ventures closed a $21.4 million fund for pre-Seed DeepTech and AI. ### Why This Matters for Startups For founders emerging from Imperial and similar institutions, this signals a shift. It's not just about finding any investor; it's about finding investors who understand the unique journey from lab to market. The deep community roots mean more than capital—they mean relevant networks, specific expertise, and patient support. With over 80% of the fund's limited partners being Imperial alumni, the incentive is clear: to strengthen and grow the ecosystem they came from. It's a long-term bet on homegrown innovation. For the broader European startup landscape, it's another piece of evidence that deep, specialized funding is becoming more available. The competition to back the next big thing in AI and DeepTech is heating up, and university ecosystems are the new front line.