Don't invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
- You could lose all the money you invest
- If the business you invest in fails, you are likely to lose 100% of the money you invested. Most start-up businesses fail.
- You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong
- Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here.
- Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
- You won’t get your money back quickly
- Even if the business you invest in is successful, it may take several years to get your money back. You are unlikely to be able to sell your investment early.
- The most likely way to get your money back is if the business is bought by another business or lists its shares on an exchange such as the London Stock Exchange. These events are not common.
- If you are investing in a start-up business, you should not expect to get your money back through dividends. Start-up businesses rarely pay these.
- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
- Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
- A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
- The value of your investment can be reduced
- The percentage of the business that you own will decrease if the business issues more shares. This could mean that the value of your investment reduces, depending on how much the business grows. Most start-up businesses issue multiple rounds of shares.
- These new shares could have additional rights that your shares don’t have, such as the right to receive a fixed dividend, which could further reduce your chances of getting a return on your investment.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here.
| Type: | Single Company EIS |
|---|---|
| Sector: | Biotech |
| Target return: | 10x |
| Funds raised / sought: | £800k / £1.3m |
| Minimum investment: | £11,998 |
| Next application deadline: | 13 Nov 2026 (5pm, cleared funds) for first close |
Important documents
| Type: | Single Company EIS |
|---|---|
| Sector: | Biotech |
| Target return: | 10x |
| Funds raised / sought: | £800k / £1.3m |
| Minimum investment: | £11,998 |
| Next application deadline: | 13 Nov 2026 (5pm, cleared funds) for first close |
Important documents
| About this deal | What to expect post-investment |
|---|---|
| This is a co-investment alongside OnePlanetCapital, which has reviewed the opportunity. Please read the offer documents carefully. | OnePlanetCapital will produce initial and ongoing shareholder documents. |
This overview is provided to make it easier for you to form your own view about the opportunity.
Collaborating with Unilever and L’Oréal: innovative biotech company turning industrial CO₂ into premium skincare ingredients
Biotechnology startup Deep Blue BioTech Ltd (“DBB” or “the Company”) genetically engineers ocean-sourced cyanobacteria to produce high-value chemicals through photosynthesis, using carbon dioxide, water and sunlight.
DBB’s initial product is hyaluronic acid – an important ingredient in the cosmetics, personal care and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries – the Company’s high-value target markets. DBB is now looking to commercialise the technology and is in discussions with Unilever and L’Oréal about supplying its hyaluronic acid.
The problem
The chemicals industry remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, both as raw materials and as a source of energy. It is estimated to contribute around 8% of global CO2 emissions.
Demand for more sustainable alternatives is growing, particularly in cosmetics and personal care, where the ‘Blue Beauty’ trend is driving interest in marine-based ingredients and more environmentally friendly formulations.
However, greener alternatives have struggled to gain traction because they can be more expensive or perform less well than the products they replace. Low-emission production currently accounts for just 2% of primary chemical production worldwide.
Deep Blue BioTech’s solution
DBB has developed a proprietary method of chemical manufacturing using photosynthesis. The Company estimates the process could be up to 7x cleaner than existing methods while using 30%-70% less energy.
Applying AI-driven metabolic modelling, DBB has genetically engineered cyanobacteria to act as microscopic chemical factories. Fed with little more than carbon dioxide and water, and powered by sunlight, they can be programmed to produce specific high-value chemicals.
This has two potential advantages:
- The process uses carbon dioxide as a raw material rather than fossil fuels. DBB believes the cyanobacteria could ultimately consume more CO₂ than the production process emits.
- Unlike other forms of biomanufacturing such as precision fermentation, the cyanobacteria do not need to be fed sugar, potentially reducing both resource use and production costs.
DBB’s cutting-edge green technology has won the Company several innovation awards – including the L’Oréal Sustainability Challenge 2025, the 2024 Blue Bio Value Award (an award for innovative marine technologies) and the 2026 Silver Award for the Best Start-up at the Sustainable Beauty Awards, as well as two Innovate UK grants.
DBB has chosen hyaluronic acid as the first product it will produce at scale – to serve the high-value beauty, personal care and pharmaceutical markets.
Why invest?
DBB has moved beyond the initial technology development stage and is now working towards commercial-scale production. The Company believes it is approaching an inflection point, having reached the following milestones:
- A high-yielding, chemical-producing cyanobacteria strain successfully created and patented
- Product samples manufactured
- CMO scale-up underway (as a ‘contract manufacturing organisation’, DBB would produce chemicals on behalf of another company)
DBB is also in commercial discussions about supplying its ocean-derived hyaluronic acid to some of the world's largest personal care companies.
It has Letters of Intent and Material Transfer Agreements signed with the likes of Unilever, L’Oréal, Puig (a global premium beauty group whose portfolio includes brands such as Rabanne, Carolina Herrera, Jean Paul Gaultier, Charlotte Tilbury, Byredo and Penhaligon’s) and Natura (a major Brazilian beauty group focused on Latin America).
According to the Company, they have introduced DBB to existing chemical suppliers, potentially providing a route into the wider chemical manufacturing industry.
DBB’s plan is to initially manufacture and sell directly to the personal care industry. In the long term, it plans to license its IP to chemicals companies.
DBB was established in 2023 by third-time founder Tim Corcoran (previously EMMAC Life Sciences, exited in a $320 million acquisition, and synthetic biology Clean Food Group) and chemical engineer/business strategist Manuel Rios (ex-Unilever and a consultant to Fortune 500 companies like Coca Cola, Nike and IKEA). Tim and Manuel are supported by an experienced team of molecular biologists and biotechnologists, and advised by experts from The University of Edinburgh, University of East Anglia, Imperial College London and Unilever.
The opportunity
DBB is now seeking to raise £1.3 million under EIS in a bridge round to accelerate its technology commercialisation. £800k has already been secured, including from OnePlanetCapital, the introducer of this offer.
A £500k allocation is available to Wealth Club investors – the minimum investment is £11,998 and you can apply online. Based on the Company’s forecasts, OnePlanetCapital believes the target return for this private offer is 10x – high risk and not guaranteed.
DBB plans to reach profitability by 2029. The ambition is to grow revenue from £31k in 2027 to £918k in 2028, over £24 million in 2029 and over £150 million in 2030 – high risk and not guaranteed.
As can be expected when investing in a pre-revenue, early-stage biotech business, the potential rewards are significant, but so are the risks. Please carefully read all investment documents prepared by the Company and OnePlanetCapital to form your own view.
Important: The information on this website is for experienced investors. It is not advice nor a research or personal recommendation to invest. If you’re unsure, please seek advice. Investments are for the long term. They are high risk and illiquid and can fall as well as rise in value, so you could get back less than you invest.
What does Deep Blue BioTech do?
Tim Corcoran, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Deep Blue Biotech, presenting at Undaunted's Greenhouse accelerator – May 2025. Video produced by Grantham Institute, Imperial College London.
The deal at a glance
| Type | Single-company EIS private offer |
| Stage | Seed |
| Date started trading | Founded/incorporated: 2023 |
| Notable current and previous investors | Sustainable Ventures, OnePlanetCapital, SFC Capital |
| Fully diluted pre-money valuation | £6 million |
| Business / revenue model | Sustainable chemical production and technology licensing |
| Market size | $13bn global hyaluronic acid market, $9bn initial skin & hair care market |
| Revenue last full financial year | n/a (pre-revenue) |
| Forecast revenue* | £0.9m (2028); >£24.1m (2029); >£150m (2030) |
| Forecast EBITDA positive* | 2029 |
| Expected use of funds | R&D, commercialisation, production scale-up, team and IP/compliance |
* Forecast and not guaranteed.
Note: the Company is currently pre-revenue and loss-making. Capital is at risk: you could lose your investment.
Risks – important
This is a single company offer with no diversification. It involves investing in an early-stage, pre-revenue, loss-making business, which is by nature high risk and prone to failure. There is a risk that the capital raised may not be sufficient to achieve the Company’s objectives. You could lose all the amount you invest.
Like all investments available through Wealth Club, it is only for experienced investors happy to make their own investment decisions without advice.
There is no ready market for unlisted EIS shares: they are illiquid and hard to sell and value. There will need to be an exit for you to receive a realised return on your investment. Exits are likely to take considerably longer than the three-year minimum EIS holding period; equally, an exit within three years could impact tax relief.
To claim tax relief, you will need an EIS3 certificate, normally issued once shares have been allotted. This can take several months: please check the deployment timescales carefully. Tax reliefs depend on company maintaining its EIS-qualifying status. Remember, tax rules can change and benefits depend on circumstances. Before you invest, please carefully read the Company and introducer's documents which contain further details on the considerable risks – alongside the Wealth Club Risks and Commitments.
Private offer structure and fees
Investors will invest directly in Deep Blue BioTech Limited at the same price and on the same terms as the other investors in this round, at a share price of £2.3996, equivalent to a fully-diluted pre-money valuation of £6 million.
Investors will pay no direct initial or ongoing charges to invest. Fundraising costs are being met by the Company. Wealth Club will be entitled to a performance fee on exit.
Wealth Club investors will invest using a nominee structure. This service is provided by Wealth Club’s subsidiary companies Wealth Club Asset Management Limited (authorised and regulated by the FCA) and Wealth Club Nominees Limited. Wealth Club Nominees Ltd will be completing the share subscription documentation on investors’ behalf.
Please refer to the Schedule of Charges for more details on charges (may vary for different rounds).
All the services Wealth Club and, where applicable, its subsidiaries provide are governed by the Terms and Conditions of the Wealth Club Services.
About the introducer of this offer, OnePlanetCapital
OnePlanetCapital is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on businesses tackling environmental challenges, particularly climate change. It was founded in 2020 by a team of three successful entrepreneurs who have between them founded and exited businesses worth £162.6 million.
The firm invests in companies developing technologies and products that can reduce emissions or make the use of resources more sustainable, spanning areas such as clean energy, transport, food and agriculture, the circular economy and sustainable materials.
The team made its first EIS investment in late-2021 and has to date invested a total of over £13 million in 54 companies across its EIS and SEIS funds.
This financial promotion has been communicated and approved by Wealth Club Ltd on 29 October 2026
Wealth Club aims to make it easier for experienced investors to find information on – and apply for – investments. You should base your investment decision on the offer documents and ensure you have read and fully understand them before investing. The information on this webpage is a marketing communication. It is not advice or a personal or research recommendation to buy any of the investments mentioned, nor does it include any opinion as to the present or future value or price of these investments. It does not satisfy legal requirements promoting investment research independence and is thus not subject to prohibitions on dealing ahead of its dissemination.