4T2 Sensors, has secured a £796,000 seed round to assist Food and Beverage (F&B) manufacturers in meeting ESG requirements. The capital comes from a £249,965 investment from the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund (WMCO),alongside Waterpoint Lane and a group of angel investors. The funding will enable 4T2 Sensors to secure certifications for hazardous environments and hire key positions moving forwards. The WMCO is managed by Midven, part of Future Planet Capital,
The F&B industry faces a challenge of balancing diverse product offerings with efficient production. Switching between products requires the cleaning of equipment via a Clean-in-Place (CIP) process which uses harsh chemicals and large volumes of water. Optimising CIP is crucial in reducing downtime, costs, and water wastage – a key sustainability concern for F&B companies.
4T2 Sensors is a Birmingham-based company that has developed an innovative fluid analysis and monitoring sensor. The sensor enables real-time control and optimisation of the CIP process, outperforming alternatives on the market with users experiencing on average a 20% reduction in CIP time.
The funding will support 4T2’s market expansion through efforts with obtaining certifications like ATEX for hazardous environments. They will be able to expand their team by hiring product managers, application engineers, and hardware engineers to accelerate product development and market reach.
Midven’s investment goes beyond just providing capital. With Midven’s support, 4T2 Sensors is well-positioned to become a leader in sustainable F&B production solutions. Their innovative technology has the potential to significantly improve efficiency and environmental sustainability within the food and beverage industry.
The WMCO was launched by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the West Midlands Pension Fund last year to help expand SMEs that offer high-growth potential and the ability to help supercharge the regional economy. Managed by Midven, part of Future Planet Capital, the fund provides innovative SMEs with equity of up to £1 million matched on a 1:1 basis by private co-investment.
Max Swinbourne, CEO of 4T2 Sensors said, “This investment is a major step forward in empowering F&B manufacturers to achieve significant sustainability gains. With this investment, we can expand our team and obtain key certifications, positioning 4T2 Sensors to become a leader in sustainable F&B production solutions. We’re excited about the future and the positive impact our technology can have on the industry.”
Rupert Lyle, Investment Director at Midven and Fund Principle of WMCO said, “We’re delighted to support 4T2 Sensors as they play a crucial role in revolutionising sustainable practices within the F&B industry. Their innovative sensor technology has the potential to significantly reduce water waste and energy consumption, directly addressing a key environmental challenge.”
Midven
About 4T2 Sensors
Founded in 2018, 4T2 Sensors is a Birmingham, UK-based company established by Max Swinbourne and Dr. Alexander Smith. They specialise in innovative sensor technology designed to analyse fluids in real-time using electrical signals. This allows for highly accurate detection of a fluid’s concentration, contamination, and mixture components. By providing real-time analysis of fluid properties like concentration and contamination, 4T2 sensors allow for finer control over industrial processes. This can lead to increased efficiency and reduced waste.
About Midven
For more than 25 years, leading Birmingham-based venture capital firm Midven has been supporting Midlands SMEs, investing more than £90m into the region and raising over £200m co-investment into its portfolio. Midven’s ‘more than money’ approach helps to build strong and successful companies and support businesses every step of the way. Midven continues to extend its reach to invest in the Midlands’ most ambitious entrepreneurs through its appointment to manage the £25 million West Midlands Co-Investment Fund. Midven was acquired by Future Planet Capital in April 2021. For more information about Midven, please visit www.midven.co.uk.
About Future Planet Capital
Future Planet Capital Limited is a global venture capital and impact investor, connecting the world’s largest investors to the best minds in order to address global challenges. The firm is focused on providing growth capital to leading entrepreneurs and businesses from the world’s top universities and has deployed over $100M on behalf of institutional investors to date. Future Planet Capital’s goal is to profitably solve the world’s greatest challenges in climate change, education, health, sustainable growth & security. For more information about Future Planet please visit www.futureplanetcapital.com.
About the West Midlands Co-Investment Fund
In March 2023 Midven was appointed the fund manager for the £25m West Midlands Co-Investment Fund. The fund has been set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in partnership with the West Midlands Pension Fund to invest equity of up to £1m
in innovative high growth SMEs in the WMCA area. Operating over a 10-year period, the fund will also focus on bringing new private investor money to the region, and using a co-investment model will invest alongside business angels and other private sector investors on a minimum £1 to £1 basis.
