Sure Ventures is a London listed venture capital fund which invests in early-stage software companies in the rapidly growing technology areas of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (‘AR’), Virtual Reality (‘VR’) and the Internet of Things (‘IoT’).

The UK Government has now released its AI Opportunities Action Plan. This was presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the 13^th of January 2025.

The action plan was clear and sets out to secure the UK’s future with homegrown AI. It also highlighted how quickly AI has advanced, in such a short space of time. A small number of companies at the frontier of AI are set to have a disproportionate amount of global influence. The statement went on to say that the UK has a window of opportunity to secure and strengthen the Countries global leadership in AI. This will help protect economic security and help us be a part of the exponential growth of global AI.

The government is committed to building a cutting-edge, secure, and sustainable AI infrastructure. It wants to take forward the recommendations to expand its sovereign compute capacity. Computing needs could grow by at least 20x by 2030. This expansion is critical if the UK is to keep pace.

To seize this opportunity, the government will launch a new function with the mandate to strengthen the UK’s sovereign AI capabilities by supporting national champions at the frontier of AI. The function will operate with agility and draw on wider government functions to partner with AI companies. Methods will include-:

• Leveraging AI Growth Zones to support partnered companies and ensuring that new compute capacity is utilised strategically.
• Exploring making available high-potential data sets for partnered companies, in coordination with the National Data Library.
• Supporting top AI talent to relocate to the UK to work with UK-based partnered companies.
• Helping to build relationships between partnered AI companies and the UK’s national security community.

As the Action Plan sets out, the UK must maximise opportunities to crowd in private sector investment and facilitate close government-industry collaboration. The government will create AI Growth Zones (AIGZs), areas with enhanced access to power and support for planning approvals, to accelerate the build out of AI infrastructure on UK soil.

We believe that our Investment in the Sure Valley Ventures Enterprise Fund (ECF), founded by Barry Downes and Brian Kinane, which is a British Business Bank backed fund, sits right in the “sweet spot” of the Governments plan and we would like to highlight several portfolio companies that can assist the adoption and transformation of the UK’s technological AI infrastructure:

 

Stylus (Learncycle Ltd)

Stylus delivers an AI-powered marking solution aimed at reducing teacher workload and addressing the recruitment and retention crisis in education. By automating the marking of paper-based assessments, Stylus significantly cuts down the time teachers spend on grading. The platform provides detailed, personalized feedback for students, enhancing their learning experience. Teachers can easily scan completed assessments, which are then processed by Stylus’s AI to provide immediate feedback and follow-up questions, streamlining the evaluation process and helping to alleviate teacher burnout. This will provide much needed assistance and efficiency in a major UK Government spending area.

 

Purple Transform Limited

Purple Transform provides a cutting-edge SaaS platform, SiYtE™, designed to address data overload and enhance safety and security in large infrastructures like rail networks. By leveraging advanced AI and machine vision, the platform transforms existing cameras into smart sensors, delivering real-time alerts and predictive analytics. It seamlessly integrates with current IoT sensors and camera systems, optimizing operational efficiency and reducing costs for organizations managing extensive sensor networks. This technology has the potential to use AI to help revolutionise maintenance and drive efficiency across the UK’s ageing infrastructure.

 

Phinixt Robotics Ltd

Phinxt provides a decentralized edge computing software solution to automate warehouses by enabling real-time synchronization between robots from various OEMs, significantly enhancing automation efficiency. With 90% of warehouses still manual due to the high costs and complexity of current robotic options, Phinxt addresses this by offering a cloud platform that allows 10x simpler robotic deployments with zero upfront costs. Their robot-agnostic system ensures seamless integration and operation of diverse robots without on-premise IT infrastructure, making it adaptable and affordable. Amidst labour shortages and rising e-commerce demand, Phinxt enables autonomous robot operation with high flexibility, allowing easy swapping of different robot makes without software changes. For the UK Governments plan to work, its technology like Phinixt Robotics that use advanced AI technologies, to allow robots to communicate with each other, to revolutionise and drive efficiency throughout both public and private sectors.

 

Director Gareth Burchell commented:

 ” The UK Governments AI Opportunities Action plan is a very positive development for a number of the Investments made by Barry Downes and Brian Kinane as founders of Sure Valley Ventures. AI technology is set to revolutionise most Industries throughout the world and the UK is one of the world’s leaders in this space. The foundations laid and the support shown by the UK Government today, will resonate and assist innovators and founders across the nation for decades to come.

Stylus has the AI technology to assist with administration/marking and allow teachers to focus on personalised teaching for their pupils, whilst also driving the cost savings and efficiencies the UK education system desperately needs. Purple transform can assist the rail, ports and general transport infrastructure across the UK to enhance safety, drive down costs and improve its services. AI technology will be vital in the evolution of industries such as robotics and Phinixt is a great example of that. The Uk Governments action plan is welcomed and provides support at a critical time in this new industry which is growing at a ferocious pace. The help can make a significance difference to the economic relevance of the country for years to come.

 

Download the RNS here.

 

For further information, please visit www.sureventuresplc.com or contact:

Gareth Burchell

Sure Ventures plc

+44 (0) 20 7186 9918

Sure Ventures PLC would like to draw attention to a public announcement made by Infinite Reality (“iR”) on the 8^th of January 2025. The key information in the announcement is as follows:

• iR has raised additional equity of $3bn in cash, increasing iR’s indicative valuation to $12.25bn
• Execution of a 5 year deal with Google Cloud.
• Launch of FIM SGP-Verse in collaboration with Warner Bros Discovery Sports

 The first Sure Valley Ventures fund (“SVV1”) has an equity shareholding in iR as a result of  iR’s acquisition of SVV1’s portfolio company Landvault in July 2024, in a US$450 million all-share transaction. At the time of the acquisition, SVV1 had a 7% shareholding in Landvault.

This Investment round is a further significant uplift to the valuation and therefore the value of Sure Valley Ventures holding in infinite Reality. Sure Ventures PLC has a 25.9% holding in Sure Valley Ventures Fund 1.

SVV1 is a venture capital fund, investing in a range of software companies with a focus on companies in AI and machine learning, Immersive Tech, Metaverse and Cybersecurity sectors. SVV1 is one of a number of funds managed by Sure Valley Ventures whose sovereign-backed investors include the British Business Bank and Enterprise Ireland.

 

Gareth Burchell, Director, commented:

“The fundraise and valuation achieved by Infinite Reality is very pleasing, with a significant “war chest” for the Business to maintain its growth strategy. This news bodes well for the future realisation of our investment.

It also serves as a reminder to investors that the portfolio of fund 1 is now in exit mode as the companies begin to mature. We look forward to updating the market on further exits in the future and rewarding long-term and loyal shareholders”.

 

Download the RNS here.

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Gareth Burchell-Director : Tel: 0207 186 9950

Getvisibility is an AI data visibility and security company and is part of the Sure Valley Ventures portfolio (Sure Valley Ventures Fund 1 ICAV) and as a reminder to investors, Sure Ventures PLC owns 25.9% of the fund, as part of its portfolio.

As previously announced, Getvisibility has developed an AI-powered platform for data discovery, classification, security and governance. The technology is underpinned by Artificial Intelligence models (AI) and the strength of the technology forged a partnership with Forcepoint back in 2022, to launch a joint product powered by the Getvisibility platform.

Forcepoint is a global leading American multinational software company, headquartered in Austin Texas, that develops security software & data protection, cloud access security, firewall and cross-domain solutions. Forcepoint has revenues in excess of US $680m , has 2,000 plus employees and is owned by Francisco Partners (US $41.9bn AUM).

On the 18^th of July 2024 Forcepoint announced a new GenAI Security Solution and a collaboration with OpenAI, using Getvisibility’s cutting-edge AI technology. The new launch is set to transform the data security landscape by providing end-to-end visibility into how and where sensitive data is being used. The technology will integrate with some of the top Large Language Model (LLM) providers and puts Getvisibility and its partners in a unique position in the market to help organisations gain control of their GenAI security.

AI’s widespread use and data demands, coupled with cyber threats like ransomware, make privacy and regulatory compliance increasingly complex. This newly launched solution empowers businesses and government agencies to securely leverage GenAI innovations, accelerating their AI transformation while maintaining stringent data security and compliance standards.

 

Forcepoint has also been announced as one of the first security vendors to integrate with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise Compliance API. Available today, Forcepoint DSPM, which is powered by Getvisibility, uses this API to give businesses unparalleled visibility into how ChatGPT Enterprise is being used throughout their organisation.  This compliance integration with OpenAI is a significant achievement, as it demonstrates Forcepoint and Getvisibility’s capabilities in the AI security space.

Getvisibility has experienced significant traction in the last six months, reaching the milestone of 250 customers across 39 countries with multi-million ARR. They recently launched their GenAI readiness suite which allows organisations to test and contextualise and protect their data before they share it with large language models. Working with some of the top LLM provides to integrate into their platforms puts Getvisibility in a unique position in the market to help organisations gain control of their GenAI security. Sure Valley Ventures initially invested in Getvisibility in March 2020.

 

Gareth Burchell-Director quote:

“This is significant news, and I would like to congratulate the Getvisibility team for the progress made in the fast growing and exciting space of AI cyber security. Partnering with Forcepoint, which is a multibillion-dollar company and now the integration with OpenAI, who are an US $80bn company, is testament to the sophistication of the technology they have developed”.

For further information, please visit www.sureventuresplc.com or contact:

Gareth Burchell

Sure Ventures plc

+44 (0) 20 7186 9918

RNS Number : 1673S | Sure Ventures PLC | 12 July 2022

TR-1: Standard form for notification of major holdings

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR HOLDINGS (to be sent to the relevant issuer and to the FCA in Microsoft Word format if possible) ⁱ

1a. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which voting rights are attached ii:

Sure Ventures plc

1b. Please indicate if the issuer is a non-UK issuer (please mark with an “X” if appropriate)

Non-UK issuer

2. Reason for the notification (please mark the appropriate box or boxes with an “X”)

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights
	X

3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation iv

Name	Pires Investments plc
City and country of registered office (if applicable)	UK

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) v

Name
City and country of registered office (if applicable)
5. Date on which the threshold was crossed or reached vi:	10/06/2022
6. Date on which issuer notified (DD/MM/YYYY):	12/07/2022

7. Total positions of person(s) subject to the notification obligation

	% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 8. A)	% of voting rights through financial instruments(total of 8.B 1 + 8.B 2)	Total of both in % (8.A + 8.B)	Total number of voting rights held in issuer (8.A + 8.B) vii
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed or reached	23.3%	Nil	23.3%	1,501,000
Position of previous notification (if applicable)	28.0%	Nil	28.0%

8. Notified details of the resulting situation on the date on which the threshold was crossed or reached viii

A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type ofsharesISIN code (if possible)	Number of voting rights ix	% of voting rights
Direct(DTR5.1)	Indirect (DTR5.2.1)	Direct(DTR5.1)	Indirect(DTR5.2.1)
GB00BYWYZ460	1,501,000	Nil	23.3%	Nil
SUBTOTAL 8. A	1,501,000	23.3%

B 1: Financial Instruments according to DTR5.3.1R (1) (a)

Type of financial instrument	Expirationdate x	Exercise/Conversion Period xi	Number of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised/converted.	% of voting rights
		SUBTOTAL 8. B 1

B 2: Financial Instruments with similar economic effect according to DTR5.3.1R (1) (b)

Type of financial instrument	Expirationdate x	Exercise/Conversion Period xi	Physical or cash Settlement xii	Number of voting rights	% of voting rights
			SUBTOTAL 8.B.2

9. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation (please mark the applicable box with an “X”)

Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer xiii	X
Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or thefinancial instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity (please add additional rows as necessary) xiv

Name xv	% of voting rights if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	% of voting rights through financial instruments if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold	Total of both if it equals or is higher than the notifiable threshold

10. In case of proxy voting, please identify:

Name of the proxy holder
The number and % of voting rights held
The date until which the voting rights will be held

11. Additional information xvi

Place of completion	UK
Date of completion	18 July, 2022

RNS Number : 7744L | Sure Ventures PLC | 7 May 2022

 

Portfolio Update Q1 2022 and Director commentary