Nvidia backs five UK startups as CNBC puts wider investment at $1.16 billion

Nvidia’s latest UK startup investments are part of a $1.16 billion funding total covering both named and unnamed recipients, CNBC reported October 16. The five disclosed companies work on drug discovery, infrastructure planning, algorithm design and quantum computing. Nvidia’s October 13 announcement confirmed planned investments but disclosed no individual amounts or financing terms.

The company’s announcement identified Boltz, Foresight, Hiverge, Prima Mente and Riverlane as the intended recipients. Chief executive Jensen Huang discussed taking stakes in the five startups at a London appearance on October 14, addressing politicians, investors, technology executives and journalists in a converted church in West London.

From molecules to project deadlines

Nvidia’s descriptions show a group spanning scientific research and business operations, rather than five versions of the same AI application:

• Boltz, based in London and founded by MIT researchers, builds AI models and agents for molecular research. Its tools are designed to predict molecular structures and interactions, and help scientists design potential medicines.
• Prima Mente, also based in London, is developing biological foundation models to decode complex diseases and identify new therapeutic targets. Its initial focus is Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS.
• Foresight helps owners of major infrastructure projects predict when construction will finish. The London startup serves projects including large data centers, with tools intended to manage risks and bring forward the point when projects generate revenue.
• Hiverge, based in Cambridge, was founded by researchers from Google DeepMind and the University of Cambridge. It is building an AI discovery engine that automatically writes and improves algorithms, including for faster AI training and complex logistics planning.
• Riverlane, another Cambridge company, builds hardware and software for real-time quantum error correction across major qubit types. The aim is to make quantum computers reliable enough to perform useful work.

Riverlane also has a technical relationship with Nvidia. Nvidia says the startup has shown how graphics processors can speed up recalibration of the decoders used in quantum error correction. That work is intended to help decoder performance keep pace as quantum hardware behavior changes.

A faster investment pace

The UK commitments come during a sharp increase in Nvidia’s investment activity. Citing Dealroom, CNBC said the company had participated in 116 investment rounds in 2026 so far, compared with 12 in 2022. Those figures count rounds, not dollars invested, and describe Nvidia’s wider activity rather than this UK announcement alone.