Greater Manchester firm Gennate raises £550k seed funding

Gennate Ltd, a Greater Manchester-based deep-tech company developing next-generation plant nutrition nanomaterials, today announced the successful close of a £550,000 seed funding round.

The investment was led by SFC Capital, with participation from the GM Advance Fund, (managed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)), and the Salonica Infinity Fund (part of Salonica Group).

The round reflects a strong collaboration between private capital and public-sector partners to accelerate the commercialisation of UK-developed scientific innovation. Based in Stockport and with laboratory space at Manchester Science Park, Gennate is emerging from the region’s growing life sciences and advanced research ecosystem.

The funding will underpin the creation of up to 15 new jobs over the next three years and accelerate Gennate’s transition from laboratory development to pilot-scale manufacturing, enabling productisation of its proprietary platform and early commercial deployment. Key milestones include fabrication, technology maturation and launch of initial industrial pilots with leading agritech partners.

Gennate is led by its CEO and founder, Dr. Imad Naasani and co-founder Dr. Farid Khan, who are experienced biotech entrepreneurs, and have formed a team of nano-formulation scientists. The team has moved into Kilburn House, Manchester Science Park, part of Bruntwood SciTech which provides the ecosystem that allows biotech companies to form, scale and grow.

Joseph Venables, Associate Commercial Direct at Bruntwood SciTech said:  “Gennate is a fantastic example of the kind of pioneering, science-led business we’re proud to support at Manchester Science Park.

“By providing access to specialist lab space, a collaborative community of likeminded businesses and connections into our academic, clinical and investment partner network, we’re able to help innovators like Gennate accelerate their growth from early-stage research through to commercialisation.

“It’s great to see this latest funding milestone, which is a strong endorsement of both the business and the wider innovation ecosystem here in Manchester.”

Gennate has created a continuous-flow nanoreactor platform for low-cost, scalable production of nano-sized macro- and micronutrients. This technology overcomes manufacturing and cost barriers, enhancing the adoption of nanofertilisers while improving nutrient delivery and minimizing environmental losses. Gennate’s formulations have demonstrated a 30% increase in wheat seed germination and over 50% yield increases in crop growth and biomass.

The power of nanonutrients on wheat growth: conventional micronutrient formulation (left) versus nano-formulation (right) showing 30% increase in germination and 98% increase in biomass index.

Dr Imad Naasani, Founder and CEO of Gennate, added:

“This funding is a strong validation of our scientific breakthrough and our vision to make nanotechnology commercially viable at industrial scale. It enables us to move decisively toward pilot production and sets the company for early product deployment and global growth.”

£150,000 of funding was provided through the GM Advance Fund, a £10m revolving investment fund managed by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to support the growth of companies in the advanced manufacturing and materials sector. The Fund is open to new start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises based in Greater Manchester, and those with tangible plans to relocate or expand operations in the city region.

Councillor David Molyneux, Leader of Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Lead for Resources and Investment, said:

“The GM Advance Fund was set up to support companies like Gennate, businesses that can turn world‑class research into real economic opportunity for Greater Manchester. Advanced materials is one of our frontier sectors, with huge potential to create good jobs, attract private investment and build long‑term strength in the regional economy while supporting more sustainable ways of producing and using resources.

“By backing businesses at this stage, we’re helping innovation take root here and making sure growth delivers for local people and communities across Greater Manchester.”

The Salonica Infinity Fund focuses on backing pre-revenue and early-revenue, science-led companies emerging from the UK’s leading innovation clusters, investing across life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and sustainability-driven technologies. In addition to capital, the Fund provides hands-on strategic and commercial support to help founders bridge the gap between world-class science and real-world application.

Omar Majid, MD of Salonica Group, commented:

“Gennate is an excellent example of the kind of science-led business the Infinity Fund was established to support. Investing alongside SFC Capital and GMCA demonstrates how aligned public and private capital can accelerate promising technologies from the lab into real-world impact.”