As the fastest-growing research partnership* in the UK, SETsquared combines shared assets, complementary capabilities, and proven best practice at a scale that no single institution could deliver alone.

Our collective strengths span the frontier sectors identified in the Modern Industrial Strategy, including health and life sciences, digital and technologies, clean energy industries, advanced manufacturing and defence. This breadth gives founders access to sector-specific knowledge, facilities, networks and investment connections throughout their growth journey.

The result is a powerful pipeline of ambitious deep tech ventures equipped to start-up, scale and stay in our regions, attracting investment and delivering wider economic and societal impact.

* The collective annual R&D budget across all six universities is approximately £1.1bn, rising by 42% since 2019 (HESA-derived data). 

We help ventures become investment-ready while giving investors the knowledge, insight and confidence to engage with emerging technologies.

By shaping credible investment opportunities, translating investor expectations into practical guidance, and supporting meaningful connections between innovators and funders, we help bridge the gap between groundbreaking ideas and commercial success. We also encourage greater participation from new and non-specialist investors, making innovation more accessible and understandable.

In doing so, we are helping to broaden and strengthen the UK investment base, creating a more diverse, resilient and dynamic innovation ecosystem.