Agreka Build Joins PXN Ventures’ PraeSeed 2026 Cohort

We are delighted to announce that AGREKA BUILD has been selected as one of 13 innovative companies joining the PraeSeed 2026 cohort, an investor readiness programme delivered by PXN Ventures and backed by the British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Agreka Build's Co-Founder & COO - My Linh Nguyen (middle, front) and Production Lead - Christopher Ball (left, first row) at the PraeSeed Launch event on June 8th, 2026.

Now in its third year, PraeSeed supports some of the North of England’s most promising early-stage businesses, helping founders strengthen their investment readiness, refine their growth strategies, and connect with investors capable of supporting the next stage of their journey.

AGREKA BUILD joins a highly competitive cohort spanning deep technology, life sciences, clean technology, engineering, and consumer products. This year’s programme is also the most diverse to date, with three quarters of participating companies led by founders from diverse backgrounds and more than half having at least one female founder.

The six-week programme began on 8 June and includes practical workshops, one-to-one mentoring, specialist finance sessions, fundraising support, and investor-focused training. The programme will culminate in an Investor Showcase this September, where participating businesses will present to some of the North’s most active angel investors and venture capital firms.

As part of the programme, up to eight companies will be selected to receive a £200,000 equity investment through NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance.

For AGREKA BUILD, participation in PraeSeed represents an important milestone as we continue our transition from R&D into commercialisation. We are developing a new generation of low-carbon construction materials made from agricultural residues, transforming surplus wheat straw into healthy, natural insulation and construction products that support the decarbonisation of both the construction and agricultural sectors.

The programme comes at a pivotal time for the company as we prepare for our next phase of growth, expand pilot projects with industry partners, and raise investment to scale manufacturing capacity and accelerate market adoption.

We are proud to be recognised alongside an exceptional group of innovators addressing global challenges across healthcare, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, and deep technology. The strength and diversity of this year’s cohort demonstrate the remarkable entrepreneurial talent emerging across the North of England. Here is the 2026 cohort:

• AGREKA BUILD LTD (AgriTech/CleanTech, Cheshire)

• Antigonie Biosciences (BioTech, York)

• ARDHANN (Deep tech, Manchester)

• CASA Space Technologies (Deep tech, Manchester)

• #Chronotaxia (MedTech, Lancaster)

• Convergent Labs (DeepTech, Durham)

• Good Bubble (Consumer Goods, Manchester)

• Lutèo Medical (BioTech, Manchester)

• NexCAD.ai (Engineering, Bradford)

• PalmPro (BioTech, Manchester)

• RecoVolt (CleanTech, Newcastle)

• Sheba (Digital Health, Newcastle)

• TeraSort (CleanTech, Manchester)

We would like to thank PXN Ventures team, alongside the British Business Bank and NPIF II, for creating opportunities that help ambitious founders access the support, expertise, and capital needed to scale breakthrough innovations.

We look forward to sharing updates throughout the programme and connecting with investors, partners, and supporters as we continue building a more sustainable future for construction.

To follow our journey, check out our LinkedIn, subscribe to our newsletter or contact us to discuss collaboration opportunities at contact@agrekabuild.co.uk. Thank you for reading!