Phase Focus marks Ombu Group’s fourth investment

Sheffield-based Phase Focus has secured £3 million of fresh capital as it looks to expand in the UK and overseas.

Nanotech business Phase Focus has developed a new lensless imaging technology, the Phase Focus Virtual Lens, which it is now commercialising. Phase Focus' technology gets rid of the need to 'conventional' focusing devices in microscopy and then transfers the image-producing step to a computer programme.

The end result, the company says, is high definition of an object without the need for high quality lenses that it says amount to a 'significant' element of the cost of high-performance microscopes.

Phase Focus technology is now used in markets such as optical, life sciences and semiconductors and in processes such as x-ray.

The transaction marks the fourth investment Ombu has made since its launch in May 2011 and has come about after the firm tracked Phase Focus for a number of years.

Back in April Ombu clubbed together with Hermes GPE Environmental Innovation Fund to lead a £22.5 million investment into Bluewater Bio. Also that month the firm backed nano-coating technology business P2i.

Ian Pykett, CEO of Phase Focus, says the business has achieved a 'huge amount' with its technology which is now developed, proven and selling in the market.

He adds, 'The opportunities for our technology are enormous so we are incredibly excited about what lies ahead for our company.

'We only wanted to bring in another partner if we felt they could clearly help us to accelerate our specific growth plans and are pleased to have found such a partner in Ombu.'