From Manchester breakthrough to global deep tech company: how FACT3 helped Imperagen build for scale
When Imperagen spun out of the University of Manchester, its founders had a goal: to solve how to engineer enzymes reliably faster and with more certainty to make better products, faster. Imperagen is working toward a future shaped by Large Catalytic Models, an AI-native approach to catalytic biology that could help scientists design, optimise and apply enzymes with a step-change in speed, precision and scale.
To move from promising spinout to investable scale-up, Imperagen needed the financial discipline, operating rhythm, and investor-readiness expected of a company with far greater ambitions than its early-stage infrastructure. It needed a finance partner that could support the basics while also helping the company prepare for the scrutiny, pace, and complexity of future growth.
That is where FACT3 came in. Imperagen's founders already knew FACT3 through a previous business, so the relationship began with trust. The initial requirement was practical but critical: establish the financial foundations needed for a young company to operate with confidence.
FACT3 provided a start-up finance package covering bookkeeping, payroll, monthly management accounts, and early-stage budgeting. That gave Imperagen structure at a formative moment, allowing the team to stay focused on science, product development, and commercial opportunity while knowing the financial engine was being properly managed.
As Imperagen grew, FACT3's role evolved with the business. The company needed not only accurate reporting, but also forward-looking financial planning, investor-ready forecasting, and a clear financial narrative that could support serious fundraising conversations. Working closely with Imperagen's leadership, FACT3 helped strengthen the company's business planning and prepare it for investor scrutiny.
That support contributed to a successful fundraise completed in summer 2025, a key milestone in Imperagen's journey from university spinout to high-growth deep tech business.
Since then, Imperagen has continued to build momentum. With a new US-based CEO joining to drive global growth, the company is entering a new phase defined by deeper investor engagement and the operational maturity needed to scale.
FACT3 has remained a trusted partner through that transition.
Most recently, FACT3 has been supporting Imperagen as it strengthens its financial and operational foundations ahead of a second multimillion raise backed by investors including Northern Gritstone, IQ Capital, and PXN.
The scope of the relationship has also expanded beyond finance. As Imperagen prepares for scale, FACT3 has begun supporting early-stage people and organisational development, helping the company think about structure and the operating model needed to support growth.
This is exactly the kind of partnership Imperagen needs - practical to handle the day-to-day, sophisticated enough to support fundraising and board-level decision-making, and flexible enough to evolve as the business grows.
“The companies that win in deep tech are not only the ones with the best science. They are the ones that can turn scientific advantage into commercial execution. FACT3 has helped Imperagen build the financial and operational foundations we need to move with confidence, engage serious investors, and scale globally.”
Guy Levy-Yurista, CEO, Imperagen
Imperagen’s journey is a North West success story: world-class science emerging from Manchester, backed by serious ambition, and supported by a network of partners who understand what it takes to build something at scale. FACT3’s role in that journey is simple but critical: helping businesses like Imperagen get investment-ready, stay investment-ready, and grow in a way that’s built to last.
Author biography
Laura Brogden, Partner, FACT3