Born out of decades of friendship and investing, NAC was created to identify and support ground breaking innovation in the pursuit of a better world. We invest early and quickly, build relationships with founders and love to get our hands dirty to help our partners achieve their goals. Our fundamental investment philosophy has two tenets: 1) We believe that identifying and investing behind change - especially fundamental shifts in how the world works or what is possible - is key to capturing exponential returns 2) We believe that while early-stage investing can appear to be little more than random to the casual observer, subject matter expertise properly applied to evaluate uncommon opportunities tilts the power law in our favor As a result we like to stick to our knitting: we have had success and we continue to find incredible opportunities to work with smart and driven executive teams operating in markets that are going to be big in the consumer-touching space. Our approach is deliberately sector and vertical agnostic, and we've invested in businesses ranging from IoT to ice cream to space tourism to secure crypto wallets (and everything in between) but we believe our best investments come when we can understand the impact on the person at the end of the value-chain and what it's worth to them, and that the combination is much, much bigger than the market understands. We evaluate hundreds of opportunities annually from sources public and private: private placements, portco spinoffs, syndicates, friendly VCs, accelerators, founder referrals, and plain old fashioned networking and shoe leather. We look for the combination of a team + product that is positioned to win the future as well as an access + opportunity that we believe gives asymmetrical upside - and then look to share the best of the best with partners who can contribute more than just capital.

Nucleus Adventure Capital

Founded by Nicole Junkermann, an entrepreneur and investor who has previously raised her own significant private equity fund. NJF Capital brings a deep understanding of business strategy, entrepreneurial know-how and a wide network across business and government. They use that experience in disciplines including brand building, recruitment, admin and legal and regulatory environments, to help their portfolio companies on their growth journey.

NJF Capital

Upscale helps the UK’s most promising tech companies to accelerate their growth and unlock the key to scaling successfully. Based on the values of honesty, intimacy and trust, this established, curated programme is designed to reflect companies’ scaling journeys, exploring fundamental growth challenges, such as hiring, maintaining company culture and international expansion. Companies on the Upscale programme will benefit from open conversations, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, meetups and workshops, delivered by expert scale coaches and seasoned entrepreneurs who have been through it all. It’s free to join, and they don’t take an equity stake in your business either.

Upscale

Octopus Ventures is a venture capital firm that offers support to companies at various stages of their journey, from idea conception to IPO. They allocate over £200 million annually to invest in sectors such as health, fintech, deep tech, consumer, and B2B software, with a focus on making a positive impact. Their experienced team assists portfolio companies in scaling rapidly. Octopus Ventures' investment philosophy extends beyond monetary support, involving time, energy, and focus to work closely with founders for success. Notable companies they have backed include ManyPets, Cazoo, Depop, Elvie, and WaveOptics. Their operations span London and New York, with a network of partners in the U.S. and Asia.

Octopus Ventures

AllBright is a funding and education network designed to provide the support and finance needed for female-led businesses to launch and scale.

AllBright

IPGL

Impact Ventures UK (IVUK) is a growth capital impact fund managed by LGT Venture Philanthropy (LGT VP) and launched in partnership with Berenberg.  They have seen the emergence of innovative and competitive business models being developed to improve the quality of life of disadvantaged individuals in the UK. IVUK was founded to invest in and support these enterprises.   They are focused on delivering and measuring social impact through a professionalised framework established over the last seven years by LGT VP across the globe.

Impact Ventures UK

Business Growth Fund is an influential investor in small and mid-sized businesses. It was set up in 2011 to offer growing companies and ambitious entrepreneurs patient capital and strategic support. With 14 offices, they are close and relevant to the businesses they invest in. They have grown to a team of 150+ and a network that’s made up of one of the largest pools of board-level executives. Collectively, the companies in their portfolio employ close to 50,000 people. They want to see more entrepreneurs using their capital not only to scale-up their own business but also, collectively, to drive economic activity and with it increase employment, exports, and growth.

Business Growth Fund

BlackRock Private Equity Partners is a venture capital firm specializing in direct and fund investments. The firm offers a range of solutions for institutions, financial professionals, and individuals from all walks of life. It was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

BlackRock Private Equity Partners

Hiro Capital is a Luxembourg / London technology Venture Capital fund which invests in European and UK innovators in Games, Esports and Digital Sports. Hiro Capital generally invests at the post-seed Series A and B stages. We invest both in front-end Content creators in Games, Esports and Digital Sports and in deep tech sector-specific applications of Cloud, Mobile, Streaming, Big Data, AI, Wearables, AR and VR technologies.

Hiro Capital

Westerly Winds was launched to address the challenges that many entrepreneurs face when building companies and specialised asset management businesses in their formative years. We back and invest in dynamic visionary founders and companies that have the potential to become an integral part of the ‘new economy’.    Working as partners with the executive teams on a round the clock basis, we assist with financing, business development, stakeholder management and business strategy activities, thus adding muscle to some of the business’ critical functions.

Westerly Winds

Blume Equity is a climate-tech growth equity firm investing in companies driving sustainable outcomes for planet and people. We back outstanding founders and teams who share our conviction that value creation and purpose go hand-in-hand.    We provide both financial and human capital to support pioneering companies that are solving the climate emergency scale profitably, with positive impact.

Blume Equity

Samsung NEXT Ventures is an investment arm of Samsung NEXT, a multifaceted innovation group within Samsung Electronics dedicated to identifying new growth opportunities that will define the next decade. The firm prefers to invest in artificial intelligence, fintech, blockchain, health technology, infrastructure, and media technology sectors.

Samsung NEXT

Elvie

Elvie is a health and lifestyle brand developing smarter technology for women. They are committed to building extraordinary products that improve the health and lives of women everywhere and at all stages of life. Their first product, Elvie Trainer, is an award-winning app-connected Kegel trainer that helps women strengthen the pelvic floor via fun, five-minute workouts. Launched in October 2015 to great acclaim, they took the wellness industry by storm! Our street cred includes more than 12 awards for innovation and design, including the prestigious CES Innovation Award, the IDA Design Award, and the Red Dot Award. As a business, Elvie has been recognized as one of Wired’s ‘hottest start-ups'' and named one of the 15 start-ups ''to watch'' by The Sunday Times, and both products have been featured in the Oscar nominee gift bags. They recently launched a second innovation: Elvie Pump, the world’s first silent wearable breast pump, which is making it possible for new mothers to pump anytime, anywhere. Elvie Pump received international praise following its unveiling on the catwalk at London Fashion Week and at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. In April 2019, Elvie announced a $42 million Series B led by IPGL and supported by Octopus Ventures and Impact Ventures. This represented the largest ever fundraise in femtech. This new round of financing will accelerate Elvie’s research and development efforts as well as help grow brand awareness and distribution for Elvie Pump and Elvie Trainer across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Headquartered in London, UK, with offices also in New York City, the company has received numerous awards and raised more than $52 million in investment.

Elvie is a pioneering femtech company that develops innovative technology products designed to address women's health and wellness needs across various life stages. Founded in 2013 by Tania Boler, Elvie is at the forefront of revolutionizing the femtech industry through its groundbreaking solutions.

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Wearable Tech

FemTech Brand Elvie Launches Newest Breast Pump

Elvie is a pioneering femtech company that develops innovative technology products designed to address women's health and wellness needs across various life stages. Founded in 2013 by Tania Boler, Elvie is at the forefront of revolutionizing the femtech industry through its groundbreaking solutions.
Elvie's flagship products include the Elvie Trainer, an award-winning pelvic floor exerciser, and the Elvie Pump, the world's first silent, wearable, and hands-free breast pump. These products leverage cutting-edge technology, such as bio-feedback and connected mobile apps, to provide superior solutions for issues like pelvic floor weakness and breastfeeding challenges.
In addition to the Trainer and Pump, Elvie has expanded its product portfolio to include the Elvie Stride, a hospital-grade electric breast pump, the Elvie Curve, a manual silicone in-bra breast pump, and the Elvie Catch, secure milk collection cups. These products cater to various breastfeeding needs, offering convenience and freedom for nursing mothers.
Elvie's products have received numerous accolades, including TIME Magazine's 100 Best Inventions for the Elvie Pump and Elvie Stride, as well as multiple Red Dot design awards. The company's commitment to innovation and user-centric design has disrupted the femtech market and empowered women to take control of their health and wellness.
In April 2024, Elvie released its first-ever report, "The Motherload: The weight of limited postpartum support," highlighting the challenges faced by mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This report aimed to raise awareness and drive change in maternal health support systems.

Biostrap is a company that provides scalable and customizable biosensor-based precision health monitoring solutions. Their innovative wearable devices, such as the Biostrap Kairos launched in July 2023, offer advanced autonomic nervous system analysis and quantification of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches through wrist-worn devices. Kairos utilizes a high-sensitivity CMOS optical sensor to capture raw photoplethysmography (PPG) data, enabling accurate computation of biometrics like heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), beat-to-beat intervals, respiratory rate, and sleep-related parameters.
Biostrap's key differentiator lies in its commitment to delivering clinically reliable nervous system analysis through detailed and transparent biometric measurements. The Spot Check feature provides real-time visualization of the underlying PPG signal, signal quality, and R-R intervals, granting untethered access to every data point captured. This configurability and data integrity attracted clients like the National Police Wellbeing Service (NPWS) in the UK for their sleep, fatigue, and recovery program.
Kairos underwent extensive testing by HRV experts and achieved impressive accuracy levels, comparable to ECG chest straps. The launch marked Biostrap's pivot from the consumer wearable market to offering configurable hardware and software solutions for enterprise and research purposes.

Biostrap

Caeden is a wearable technology company that develops smart bracelets focused on promoting mindfulness and reducing stress. Their flagship product, the Sona smart bracelet, combines fashion and technology by integrating an advanced heart rate sensor into a genuine leather bracelet design. Launched in May 2016, the Sona retailed for USD 200 and offered a unique "Resonance" program, consisting of various breathing exercises tailored for different moments throughout the user's day.
The Sona aimed to provide a reprieve from the fast-paced city life by enabling users to start their day with a moment of zen, find calm and focus before important meetings, and unwind after workouts through concentrated breathing exercises. Caeden's founders, Nora Levinson and David Watkins, believed that regular use of the Resonance program could help build the user's resistance to stress, addressing a significant health issue faced by many.
Differentiating itself from step-tracking devices like Fitbit and smartwatches acting as smartphone extensions, the Sona positioned itself as a luxury item powered by technology designed to improve the wearer's overall quality of life through mindfulness. With its discreet design concealing the technology, the Sona aimed to offer mindfulness without drawing attention to the wearer's use of a device for that purpose.

Caeden

MyKronoz is a Swiss company that specializes in producing innovative hybrid smartwatches. Their flagship product, the ZeTime, was first launched in 2017 after a successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. The ZeTime features a unique design that combines traditional mechanical watch hands with a full-color touchscreen display, allowing it to function as both an analog watch and a smartwatch.
The watch offers activity tracking capabilities, including monitoring steps, calories burned, and sleep patterns using built-in sensors such as an accelerometer and optical heart rate monitor. It also provides smartwatch functionalities like displaying notifications, controlling music playback, and viewing incoming calls. The ZeTime's mechanical hands intelligently adjust their position to avoid obstructing the touchscreen display when interacting with the device.
One of the key advantages of the ZeTime is its impressive battery life. In watch mode, the battery can last up to 30 days on a single charge, while the smartwatch mode offers around 3-4 days of usage. The device also allows users to customize watch faces, either by selecting from pre-set options or creating their own designs using templates or personal photos.
The ZeTime received praise for its innovative concept and strong battery life. Some reviews, however, criticized its half-baked operating system, unresponsive touchscreen, and inconsistent activity tracking. Despite these drawbacks, MyKronoz's hybrid smartwatches garnered global recognition for their unique approach to wearable technology.

MyKronoz

Ringly is a company that produces fashionable smart jewelry, primarily rings and bracelets, aimed at the female market. Their devices are designed to discreetly notify wearers of incoming calls, messages, and app notifications through vibrations and LED lights. The rings are made from materials like 14k gold, sterling silver, and semi-precious gemstones like onyx, labradorite, and moonstone.
Ringly's core product is a smart ring that connects to the user's smartphone via Bluetooth. Through the Ringly app, users can customize which notifications trigger the ring's vibrations and colored LED lights. The app supports over 100 apps like calls, texts, emails, calendar alerts, and social media platforms. The rings are water-resistant and have a battery life of 2-3 days.
While technologically simple, Ringly's rings prioritize a fashionable and discreet design over advanced features. The idea is to provide a stylish alternative to smartwatches that seamlessly blends into the user's wardrobe and lifestyle without being obtrusive. Ringly has focused on creating fashionable jewelry pieces that also offer practical notification capabilities.

Ringly

Healbe Corporation is a technology company that develops wearable devices and associated software for health and wellness monitoring. The company's flagship product is the Healbe GoBe, a smart band that utilizes proprietary FLOW Technology to automatically track various body parameters. The GoBe device employs a combination of sensors, including an accelerometer, piezo pressure sensor, and impedance sensor, along with advanced algorithms to provide insights into users' overall health.
The GoBe smart band is designed to automatically measure calorie intake through the skin, eliminating the need for manual food logging. It also tracks calories burned, hydration levels, stress levels, sleep quality, heart rate, blood pressure, and physical activity. In November 2015, Healbe introduced automatic hydration level monitoring to the GoBe device, making it the first wearable to offer this feature without requiring manual input of fluid consumption.
Healbe's technology adapts to individual body characteristics, providing personalized insights and recommendations. The device monitors hydration levels continuously and alerts users when they need to drink more water. It also tracks emotional stress and helps users correlate it with their body's physical responses. The GoBe smart band measures energy expenditure throughout the day, including basal metabolism, regardless of physical activity levels.
The company's latest model, the GoBe3, incorporates additional features such as EDA-based Neuroactivity tracking and physiological stress estimation. It also offers improved sleep tracking capabilities, including detailed analysis of sleep phases and smart alarm functions designed to wake users during optimal sleep stages.
Healbe has developed a companion mobile application that synchronizes with the GoBe device in real-time, allowing users to view and analyze their data. The app provides detailed information on various health parameters and offers integration with Google Fit for a more comprehensive health data ecosystem.

Healbe

Wearable devices in form factors, such as wristwear and rings, designed to monitor and track various aspects of a person's physical activity, health, and wellness

Wearable entertainment devices designed primarily for entertainment and leisure purposes. These come in the form of hearables, wearable cameras, personalized smart devices, etc.

Apparel that incorporate electronic components, sensors, and connectivity features to provide functionalities beyond traditional clothing and accessories

Specialized wearable devices designed for use in industrial and work settings. These include safety wearables that come in the form of head-mounted devices, smart gloves, exoskeletons, etc.

Wearable devices, which are designed to monitor, collect, and transmit various health-related data, and wearable assistive devices. These come in the form of cardiac monitoring devices, glucose monitors, wearable pulse oximeters, hearing impairment aids, visual aids, etc.

Enhances the user experience by enabling language translation, contextual awareness, and personalized recommendations, making wearables more versatile and user-centric

Leveraging technology to collect data about the user's activities, preferences, and health metrics before using this information to provide personalized experiences

Industrial wearables contribute to increased efficiency, safety, and productivity in industrial settings by providing real-time data and connectivity solutions for workers and equipment

Empowers wearable devices to continuously improve and adapt to user preferences, offering personalized insights and recommendations based on user data

Enhances the functionality of wearables and allows users to access and interact with data through various devices and services in the broader IoT ecosystem

Elvie

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