Cerca Magnetics Secures £3.3m to Advance Wearable Brain Imaging Technology

Cerca Magnetics Limited, a Nottingham-based innovator in medical equipment manufacturing, has successfully raised £3.3m in a recent funding round. The company specialises in developing and commercialising a wearable, quantum-enabled magnetoencephalography (MEG) system, designed to measure human brain activity without the need for traditional cryogenic cooling. This latest capital injection, with an allotment date of 26 March 2026, is set to further propel the company's mission to provide advanced brain-imaging devices to global research institutions and neuroscientists.

Founded on 24 July 2020, Cerca Magnetics addresses a significant challenge in functional brain imaging. Conventional MEG systems rely on cryogenic sensors, which require cooling to extremely low temperatures of -269 °C using liquid Helium. This necessity for cryogenic infrastructure severely limits the usability and performance of such systems, often resulting in half-tonne, one-size-fits-all machines with fixed sensors. Cerca Magnetics has pioneered a solution by developing the world’s first commercial, fully integrated brain imaging device based on optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs).

These new OPM sensors exploit the quantum properties of atoms to measure minute magnetic fields generated by the brain. Crucially, OPMs do not require liquid helium cooling and are compact, approximately the size of a Lego brick. This technological breakthrough allows the sensors to be mounted directly on the head within a helmet, creating a lightweight, flexible, and wearable system. The adaptability of the Cerca OPM-MEG System means helmets can be custom-fitted for individuals of any age, from adults to babies, using the same core technology. Furthermore, the wearable nature of the system allows participants to move during a scan, offering an unparalleled window into human brain function in both health and disease. The company's LinkedIn profile indicates a team of 20 employees, while its latest accounts reported 18 employees. Financial metrics such as revenue, profit, or loss were not disclosed in the available data.

The £3.3m funding round, filed and allotted on 26 March 2026, represents a significant boost for the company. While a specific valuation for this round was not publicly disclosed, the capital infusion underscores investor confidence in Cerca Magnetics' innovative approach to neuroimaging. This investment will likely support further research and development, scaling of manufacturing, and expansion into new markets for its integrated brain-imaging devices, which are vital for fundamental neuroscience and the study of neurological conditions such as epilepsy. In terms of corporate governance, Ashley Caleb Abrahams was appointed as a director on 26 March 2026.

This funding round for Cerca Magnetics aligns with broader positive trends observed in the UK's HealthTech and deep tech sectors. In 2025, UK startups and scaleups collectively raised $23.6 billion in venture capital funding, marking a 35% increase from 2024 and the third-highest year on record for UK startup funding. The Health sector emerged as the second most funded sector in the UK in 2025, attracting $4.2 billion in new investment. HealthTech companies in the United Kingdom specifically saw a 59.71% rise in equity funding in 2025 compared to the previous year, securing $1.61 billion across 127 rounds.

Early-stage funding, particularly seed rounds, demonstrated robust activity in 2025. Seed-stage funding in the UK reached approximately $1.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2025, representing a 31% increase compared to the same period in 2024. The median seed round in the UK typically falls between £500k and £800k, with a range extending up to £2m. Cerca Magnetics' £3.3m round, while exceeding the typical median seed round, reflects investor appetite for novel science and deep tech at early stages, especially where valuations are considered reasonable.

Looking ahead to 2026, MedTech investment is increasingly focused on scientific progress, new commercialisation channels, and heightened technical expectations from investors. There is a clear prioritisation of companies that can demonstrate tangible progress and solid clinical evidence. The rise of precision medicine and artificial intelligence is creating significant opportunities in precision diagnostics and targeted therapies. Cerca Magnetics' quantum-enabled MEG system, with its focus on precise brain activity measurement and application in neurological conditions, positions the company well within these accelerating trends in the UK's vibrant HealthTech landscape.