Applications open for Reading Tech Cluster Investment Summit July 2025

The Reading Tech Cluster (RTC) is here to help Reading and the Thames Valley be the best place to start, grow or locate a technology firm in the UK. RTC’s mission is to connect tech firms with the vital help they need for success.

Investment is a key factor in helping start-up and scale-up firms to grow. As is supporting them to raise their profile and showcase their technology to other companies and stakeholders who can help them secure customers and partners.

For these reasons, the RTC is hosting its first Investment Summit on 4 July 2025 at the Henley Business School, University of Reading Whiteknights campus.

This full day event will see 12 pre-qualified scale-up and growth tech companies present investment proposals to an audience of invited venture capital firms, business angel investors, banks, professional service firms and other stakeholders. 

This opportunity is open to growth tech firms from any of the very diverse range of sectors found in the region including AI, deeptech, med and biotech, agritech, pharma, robotics, software, cyber-security etc. Qualifying companies will be seeking Series A or B venture capital, but requests for start-up funding will also be considered.

Dr Keith Arundale, co-founder and director, Reading Tech Cluster “The RTC Investment Summit is the ideal opportunity for exciting, potentially high growth tech firms in the region to find the finance and advice they need to scale-up faster. We’re looking for those companies with extraordinary potential that could become the unicorns of the future.”

To be eligible companies must meet the following core requirements:

• Headquartered (or have significant operations) in Reading, Berkshire or the Thames Valley.
• Seeking £500,000 to £5million+ of scale-up capital.
• Show evidence of customer traction having generated significant revenues.
• Expect to achieve a return of ten times or more for investors within a 5 to 7 year period.

The Summit will be opened by our leading academic partner the University of Reading’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Robert Van de Noort CBE, DL. Additional guest speakers will include:

• Yuan Yang MP for Earley and Woodley.
• Dan Williams, CEO, measurable.energy (a successful Reading-based scale-up eliminating wasted energy in buildings).
• Chris Elphick, Head of Venture Capital, British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA).

Plus we’ll hear from a panel of experts on growth strategies from local VC, law and accounting firms, and other successful tech companies.

If you want to get involved in the work of the Reading Tech Cluster, are interested in the Investment Summit and/or becoming a member please contact us here.