Northstar invest in innovative, high growth businesses and social enterprises across the North East England region
From £100k to £1 million
Late Seed to Series A
Northstar Ventures is a leading venture capital firm based in Newcastle upon Tyne, supporting high-growth companies tackling global challenges in climate tech, healthy ageing, and digital innovation. Founded in 2004, Northstar Ventures invests in early and later stage businesses across the North East of England and beyond, helping founders access capital, expertise, and networks to scale their impact and achieve commercial success. The firm is committed to driving positive change by backing mission-driven entrepreneurs and transformative technologies.
Mission
Northstar Ventures’ mission is to empower entrepreneurs and drive positive societal change by investing in and supporting innovative companies that tackle global challenges across climate tech, healthy ageing, and digital solutions. The firm is committed to building a better future by backing mission-driven founders whose solutions deliver measurable impact for people and the planet, while fostering economic growth and resilience in the North East of England and beyond.
Goals
Northstar Ventures aims to:
Values
Northstar Ventures’ core values are rooted in collaboration, integrity, and a long-term perspective. The firm believes that sustainability and commercial viability must go hand in hand, and only supports companies whose solutions have the potential to deliver real-world impact by addressing societal and environmental challenges. Internally, Northstar Ventures fosters a culture of openness, fairness, and entrepreneurial thinking, uniting its team around the shared goal of driving meaningful change for society and the environment. The company upholds the highest standards of ethical and responsible conduct throughout its operations, ensuring robust governance and a commitment to responsible investment.
Northstar Ventures was established in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2004 by a group of experienced professionals with a shared vision to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the North East of England. The founding team, including Alasdair Greig and Ian Richards, brought together extensive expertise in venture capital, business development, and investment management. Their combined experience spanned both the private sector and public sector innovation, drawing on backgrounds in finance, technology, and regional economic development.
Alasdair Greig played a central role in shaping Northstar Ventures’ investment strategy and operational direction, building on his experience in the region’s financial and innovation landscape. Ian Richards contributed a strong background in corporate finance and entrepreneurial support, helping to establish Northstar’s focus on scalable, high-impact ventures.
Together, the founding team recognised the need for patient capital and hands-on support to help ambitious founders turn pioneering ideas into successful businesses. Their shared commitment and vision shaped Northstar Ventures into a leading regional venture capital firm, dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs addressing challenges in climate technology, healthy ageing, and digital innovation.
Their long-standing professional relationship and shared values fostered a strong collaborative culture at Northstar Ventures, supported by a wide-reaching network across the North East and beyond. Their leadership continues to guide the firm’s mission to deliver positive societal impact and economic growth through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Explore the founders professional journeys: Alistair Greig LinkedIn
Northstar Ventures invests in early and later-stage companies developing technologies and solutions that address global challenges, with a strong focus on climate tech, healthy ageing, and digital innovation. The firm’s primary objective is to support innovations that deliver measurable social and environmental impact, enabling positive change for communities and the planet.
Geographic Scope:
Northstar Ventures primarily invests in businesses with a meaningful presence in the North East of England. Its network and deal flow are rooted in the region, supporting local innovation and economic growth. While the investment focus is regional, many of the technologies and solutions backed by Northstar have broader relevance and scalability across the UK and internationally.
Sectors of Interest:
Northstar Ventures invests across a wide range of sectors, prioritising companies that tackle complex social and environmental challenges at scale. Key areas include:
To be considered for investment, companies must meet the following criteria:
These criteria ensure that Northstar Ventures backs scalable, impactful companies capable of delivering both commercial success and meaningful benefits for society and the environment.
Northstar Ventures employs a rigorous, multi-stage assessment process to identify and support the most promising high-impact ventures in the North East of England and beyond. The process begins with an initial review of each company’s business plan, focusing on the strength of the management team, the maturity of the product or technology, and the clarity of the business model and market opportunity. Founders are typically expected to have a minimum viable product and a clear growth strategy. Following this, Northstar engages directly with the company to discuss its plans, assess fit, and agree on investment terms in principle.
If an opportunity progresses, Northstar conducts comprehensive due diligence, including technical validation, market fit analysis, and review of financial projections and legal considerations. The investment committee then evaluates the proposal to ensure alignment with Northstar’s mission to deliver both social impact and financial returns. Throughout the process, Northstar benchmarks each opportunity against sector trends and, when necessary, consults external experts to validate technology and scalability. This thorough approach ensures that investments are well-positioned to deliver lasting impact and commercial success, supported by Northstar’s deep local roots and extensive professional network.
Northstar Ventures has invested in a diverse range of early and later stage companies tackling global challenges, with a strong focus on climate tech and healthy ageing. Each portfolio company is selected for its potential to deliver measurable social and environmental impact, as well as commercial success. Some of the most notable portfolio companies include:
Low Carbon Materials: Low Carbon Materials develops innovative, carbon-negative aggregates for the construction industry. Their products, such as OSTO® and ACLA®, replace traditional materials in concrete and asphalt, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of infrastructure projects. The company was a finalist for the prestigious Earthshot Prize in 2022 and has received international recognition for its work in decarbonising the built environment. Visit Low Carbon Materials.
Advanced Electric Machines (AEM): Advanced Electric Machines designs and manufactures the world’s most sustainable electric powertrain technologies. AEM’s products eliminate the need for copper and rare earth metal magnets, making them greener to produce and fully recyclable. The company’s technology delivers market-leading performance while reducing the environmental impact of electric vehicles. Visit Advanced Electric Machines.
Magnitude Biosciences: Magnitude Biosciences is a life sciences company focused on drug discovery and disease detection using advanced biological models. Northstar Ventures has supported Magnitude Biosciences with significant funding, enabling vital research into disease mitigation and advanced drug development. Visit Magnitude Biosciences.
Discover more successful investments: Northstar Ventures Portfolio.
Northstar Ventures is supported by a combination of private investors, institutional partners, and public sector funding programmes. The firm manages a range of investment funds, including the Northstar EIS Growth Fund for individual investors, the Innovation Fund, and the Social Investment Fund, each targeting high-growth, high-impact ventures in the North East of England and beyond.
Key funding sources include the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the British Business Bank, and other government-backed initiatives, which provide matched capital and grant support to amplify Northstar’s investments in early-stage and scaling businesses. Northstar also raises capital from a diverse base of private investors, family offices, and high net-worth individuals, enabling a blended funding approach that strengthens its ability to support impactful innovation across climate tech, healthy ageing, and digital sectors.
Northstar’s network of experienced investment professionals and its deep roots in the North East’s innovation ecosystem play a crucial role in sourcing deals, providing specialist expertise, and mobilising additional funding for portfolio companies.
Stages:
Northstar Ventures invests in companies from pre-seed and seed through to later growth stages, supporting ventures at the earliest stages of development and helping them scale through follow-on funding rounds.
Equity:
The firm typically invests on an equity basis, with individual deal sizes usually ranging from £50,000 to £500,000 for early-stage companies and larger amounts for scaling businesses. Investments in qualifying companies are eligible for EIS and SEIS tax relief, providing additional benefits to investors.
Funds:
Northstar manages several funds, including the Northstar EIS Growth Fund, which is open to individual investors and focuses on technology scale-up companies in the clean tech and healthy ageing sectors. The fund invests in a diversified portfolio of high-potential businesses with proven business models and revenue traction, aiming to supercharge their growth and deliver both financial returns and positive impact.
Recent Developments:
The launch of the Northstar EIS Growth Fund has enabled the firm to expand its support for technology scale-ups in the North East, with a particular focus on clean tech and healthy ageing. Northstar continues to lead and co-lead funding rounds for high-impact ventures, most recently demonstrated by its involvement in significant investments such as Advanced Electric Machines’ £23 million funding round and a £1.7 million investment in pioneering battery recycling technology.
Northstar’s partnership with public sector programmes and its growing base of private investors have further strengthened its ability to back impactful early-stage and scaling innovation, both regionally and nationally.
Northstar Ventures is deeply committed to delivering measurable social and environmental impact alongside financial returns, embedding responsible business practices across its investments and operations. The firm’s core mission is to support high-growth companies that address pressing global challenges, with a particular focus on climate tech and healthy ageing, while contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive future.
Northstar measures and reports the impact of its portfolio companies using a robust framework, mapping each investment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over 75% of the North East Innovation Fund’s portfolio contributes directly to the SDGs, reflecting the firm’s focus on positive societal and environmental outcomes. In the past five years, Northstar Ventures has invested £36 million in venture capital, leveraging over £100 million in additional funding from co-investors and supporting the creation of more than 2,000 jobs.
The firm maintains a strict investment policy, only backing companies whose solutions deliver clear, quantifiable social or environmental benefits. Northstar does not invest in sectors or companies that conflict with its mission, such as those involved in fossil fuels, unsustainable resource extraction, or activities that violate human rights or environmental regulations. Northstar also encourages its portfolio companies to adopt best practices in sustainability, governance, and social responsibility, ensuring that every investment supports both commercial success and a positive impact on society and the planet.
Northstar Ventures actively cultivates a vibrant community of mission-driven investors, founders, and innovators across the North East of England and beyond. The firm brings together a network of experienced professionals, advisors, and non-executive directors who share a commitment to tackling global challenges through investment and collaboration.
Northstar hosts regular events, including pitch sessions, educational webinars, networking opportunities, and sector-focused discussions. These gatherings foster knowledge sharing, peer learning, and direct connections between investors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts. Members of the Northstar ecosystem can participate in deal selection, due diligence, and portfolio support, leveraging their specialist backgrounds to add real value to early-stage companies.
The firm also offers a platform for passive investors through its EIS Growth Fund, enabling broader participation in impact investing without the need for active involvement. The community extends its reach through public communications, newsletters, and impact reports, keeping subscribers updated on portfolio news, investment opportunities, and the latest developments in climate and social innovation.
By bringing together like-minded individuals and fostering an environment of collaboration and support, Northstar Ventures empowers its network and portfolio companies to drive meaningful progress in the fight against climate change and other global challenges.
Northstar Ventures is led by an experienced team with deep expertise in venture capital, investment management, and business development. United by a shared commitment to supporting companies that address global challenges, the team combines backgrounds in finance, technology, and entrepreneurship to provide founders with strategic guidance and access to a broad industry network.
Leadership and Key Team Members:
Additional Team Members:
The Northstar Ventures team also includes investment professionals, portfolio managers, accountants, and sector specialists with backgrounds in science, technology, finance, and operations.
Learn more about the team on the Northstar Ventures team page.
You can contact the Northstar Ventures team or submit your pitch through the firm’s official website contact form or by emailing the address provided on their contact page. Northstar welcomes enquiries from founders of innovative, high-impact businesses seeking early-stage or growth funding in the North East of England and beyond. Stay updated with Northstar’s latest news and opportunities by following them on LinkedIn.
Are you an innovative founder developing climate tech, healthy ageing, or digital solutions that address global challenges? Discover how Northstar Ventures can support your journey by visiting: Northstar Ventures Website.
Stay updated with the latest news, events, and opportunities by following Northstar Ventures on LinkedIn: Northstar Ventures LinkedIn.
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