Neuranics raises $8 million in seed funding to accelerate growth
Published: 9 April 2025
The investment round was led by Blackfinch Ventures, with participation from Archangels, and continued support from Par Equity, the University of Glasgow, and Old College Capital, the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fund.
Neuranics, the first-ever joint spinout from the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh, has raised $8 million (£6.25 million) in seed funding to accelerate global growth and the commercial adoption of its Tunnelling Magnetoresistance (TMR) magnetic sensing technology.
Founded in 2021, Neuranics has become an award-winning deep-tech semiconductor company pioneering the future of human-machine interaction, quickly establishing itself at the forefront of magnetic sensing innovation.
The investment round was led by Blackfinch Ventures, with participation from Archangels, and continued support from Par Equity, the University of Glasgow, and Old College Capital, the University of Edinburgh’s venture investment fund.
The funding will drive the company’s next phase—strengthening its team, accelerating innovation across core technologies, and enabling widespread integration of its TMR technology into emerging and high-tech markets, including XR, wearables, and digital health.
Neuranics’ ultra-sensitive, low-power, and scalable sensors detect tiny magnetic signals from the human body, enabling precise tracking of muscle activity for gesture recognition and heart signals—all without skin contact.
Compared to traditional methods, Neuranics’ magnetic sensing technology offers improved accuracy, reduced power consumption, and the potential for continuous monitoring. These advantages position Neuranics’ technology as a breakthrough for next-generation XR hardware and wearable technology.
Neuranics is actively collaborating with world-leading Tier-1 semiconductor and XR manufacturers to demonstrate its value in validating performance and production readiness for scaling into high-volume applications across consumer, industrial, and healthcare markets.
Noel McKenna, CEO of Neuranics, said: “This investment marks a significant step forward as we continue pioneering new applications for magnetic sensing. With the support of our investors, we are expanding our team, advancing our technology, and bringing our solutions closer to widespread adoption.”
Kimberley Hay, Senior Ventures Manager at Blackfinch Ventures, said: “The team at Neuranics has shown us that they can not only accurately detect finite movement, but do so whilst consuming low power, which clearly opens up a tremendous number of applications across business and industry. Neuranics have an exciting market for their technology and we look forward to working with the team.”
Oliver Johnston-Watt, Investment Analyst at Par Equity, which has supported Neuranics since its pre-seed round, said: “Neuranics is a perfect example of the type of innovative technology that Par Equity is keen to support.
"They are a fantastic representative of the world-class deep tech innovation emerging from Scotland’s universities, and we’re excited to help them continue to scale globally.”
Sarah Hardy, Director and Head of New Investments at Archangels, which is investing in Neuranics for the first time, said: "We look forward to supporting Neuranics as it seeks to capitalise on its leading-edge magnetic sensing solution. The company's high-calibre team and experienced leadership, provide an excellent foundation upon which to scale the business."
The company was co-founded by Hadi Heidari, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Professor of Nanoelectronics, and Lead Engineer Dr. Siming Zuo from the James Watt School of Engineering at the University of Glasgow, along with Kia Nazarpour, Professor of Digital Health at the University of Edinburgh and Neuranics’s Chief Strategy Officer (CSO).
“Glasgow is at the forefront of semiconductor technology, and Neuranics stands as a testament to the innovation emerging from this vibrant ecosystem,” said Professor Hadi Heidari, Co-founder and CTO of Neuranics. “Our work on ultrasensitive magnetic sensors is driving real-world impact across healthcare and consumer electronics, showcasing the strength of local research translated into global solutions.”
Helen Harkness, interim Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the University of Glasgow, said: “This major investment is great news for Neuranics and testament to the team’s hard work and dedication since the company launched.
“We are delighted to see this exciting and pioneering joint venture with the University of Edinburgh go from strength to strength.”
Image: L-R Kia Nazarpour Hadi Heidari and Noel-McKenna of Neuranics. CREDIT Stewart Attwood.
First published: 9 April 2025