Birmingham-based Furbnow has secured £2.5 million ($3.3 million) in seed funding to expand its home energy retrofit platform across the UK. The round was led by West Midlands Co-Investment Fund, with participation from Nesta, Wrightwood Investments, and SFC Capital. The climate tech startup acts as an independent advisor, conducting whole-house surveys and connecting homeowners with vetted contractors for heat pumps, solar panels, and insulation installations. Furbnow reported a 42% month-on-month surge in enquiries following increased interest in February. The company partners with English councils and participated in the UK government's Green Home Finance Accelerator pilots. Founded in 2022 through the Nesta and Founders Factory Mission Studio, Furbnow has helped nearly 900 customers begin home energy renovations. The funding will support team expansion and platform development as UK retrofit demand grows alongside government incentives running through 2027.

North West-based EdTech company Gaia Learning has secured £400,000 in equity investment from GC Angels, NESTA, and angel investors. Founded in 2019, the company provides an online platform supporting neurodivergent children unable to access mainstream education due to autism, ADHD, anxiety, or other additional needs. The funding follows a £550,000 round in 2024 led by NESTA Impact Investments and GC Angels. Since then, Gaia Learning has grown to 24 employees and partnered with Pearson Edexcel. The company is rolling out Bloom, a SEND infrastructure platform helping schools deliver and track support for children with additional needs. Pilot programmes are underway in Northern Ireland, with more school pilots scheduled for September. CEO Kate Heath said the investment will help accelerate expansion plans and support more neurodivergent learners across the UK.