UAP gears up for growth with private investment, CERN funding, and global recognition

Lancashire based tech business Universal Atmosphere Processing (UAP), which has developed a pioneering carbon reduction and gas recovery system, has closed a significant funding round.

As part of the raise — which involved institutional, public, and private investors — UAP utilised the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), a government-backed initiative offering tax relief to early-stage startup investors.

By leveraging SEIS, UAP successfully secured a six-figure sum in funding from angel syndicates, including Lancashire County Council’s Fhunded Angels network.

With the new investment, UAP will accelerate production of its Mk1 Atmospheric Processor — a proprietary unit capable of capturing high-value noble gases and CO₂ directly from ambient air.

To oversee development of the Mk1 system, UAP has appointed Dr James Myers, former head of aerospace R&D at Victrex, as its new head of engineering.

Founded by Brendan Cornthwaite in 2022 and headquartered at LCC’s Fraser House innovation hub, UAP has attracted attention from global scientific institutions.

Its patented technology recently secured a research grant through CERN’s Venture Connect programme, supporting the co-development of sensor components which are integral to UAP’s system.

In further recognition of its breakthrough technology, UAP was recently selected as one of the top 100 startups in the world by SLUSH, the prestigious global tech summit held annually in Helsinki.

The company will present at the event in November, joining an exclusive cohort of startups considered to have significant global impact potential.

Brendan is also a recipient of the UK Space Agency’s Visionary Award, which led to UAP’s inclusion in the UKSA’s C-LEO programme.

Brendan Cornthwaite, UAP founder and chief executive said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the backing we’ve had — including the investment secured from the Fhunded Angels community — which will allow us to take this technology to the next stage.

“But for me, this round isn’t about celebration. It’s about execution. It’s about finally building the hardware that’s been in my head for over two years — and proving that atmospheric separation can be done differently.

 “Support from CERN, the recognition from SLUSH, and having colleagues like James joining the team gives me the confidence that we’re on the right track. And I want to thank Fraser House for being the foundation — it’s where UAP started, and where I found the belief to keep going.”

Rory Southworth, LCC’s early-stage equity finance lead who manages the Fhunded Angel network, said: “Brendan has been fully engaged with the Fhunded programme since its inception, and we were confident from the outset that we could help him raise the investment needed to turn UAP’s vision into reality.

 “It’s a great story of local entrepreneurship gaining international traction — and being selected for SLUSH 100 this year underlines just how much global interest there is in what Brendan is building.”

Coun Brian Moore, cabinet member for economic development and growth at Lancashire County Council, said: “Brendan embodies everything that Fraser House and the Fhunded programme were set up to support - an ambitious, resilient entrepreneur building high-value technology with global relevance. He is a fantastic ambassador for Lancashire innovation.”

In addition to its funding success, UAP will join the UK government’s upcoming trade mission to South Korea and Japan, followed by attendance at COP30 in Brazil.