LifeCellsNI, a Derry/Londonderry-based health and life sciences start-up developing Northern Ireland’s first Human Tissue Authority (HTA)-licensed stem cell storage and contingency biobank facility, has raised £590,000 in pre-seed funding to advance the creation of a regulated cryogenic storage and laboratory processing hub. The investment marks a key step in addressing a long-standing regional infrastructure gap that has required patients, clinics, and research institutions to send biological samples to mainland UK for secure storage and processing.

The funding round was led by The AMP Angel Syndicate, with participation from Co-Fund III, which is managed by Clarendon Fund Managers. Together, these investors supported LifeCellsNI’s early-stage buildout of its facility at Ebrington Square in Derry, where the company is developing a cleanroom-enabled laboratory designed to meet strict Human Tissue Authority governance standards for handling and storing human cells and tissues.

Founded in 2022, LifeCellsNI was established to create a locally based biobanking infrastructure capable of supporting both clinical and research needs in regenerative medicine and advanced therapies. The company’s platform focuses on cryogenic storage of stem cells, controlled laboratory processing, and secure chain-of-custody systems to ensure compliance, consent management, and separation between patient-owned samples and commercial research activity. According to company information, its facility is being designed as Northern Ireland’s first dedicated HTA-licensed stem cell storage and contingency biobank, with the aim of reducing reliance on external storage providers.

The investment comes at a time when demand for regulated biobanking services is increasing, driven by the growth of cell and gene therapies and expanding interest in regenerative medicine. LifeCellsNI’s infrastructure is intended to serve healthcare providers, universities, and private life sciences companies, offering local access to compliant storage and processing capabilities that were previously unavailable in the region. This is expected to reduce logistical complexity and costs associated with transporting biological materials across jurisdictions.

Operational development of the facility is already underway, with cleanroom installation progressing and validation and licensing steps planned ahead of regulatory approval. The company is working toward achieving full HTA licensing, a critical requirement for handling human tissues in the UK. Once operational, the facility is expected to provide long-term storage services for stem cells and other therapeutic tissues, alongside contingency biobanking solutions for clinical use.

Founder and CEO Catherine King has positioned LifeCellsNI as a response to structural limitations in Northern Ireland’s healthcare infrastructure, particularly the absence of locally regulated long-term storage options. The company’s model integrates clinical-grade compliance with commercial scalability, aiming to support future applications in regenerative medicine, donor cell sourcing, and advanced therapeutic research.

With its £590,000 pre-seed round, LifeCellsNI joins a growing cohort of early-stage life sciences companies in Northern Ireland benefiting from angel investment networks and regional co-investment programs aimed at strengthening the local innovation ecosystem. The backing from The AMP Angel Syndicate and Clarendon Fund Managers highlights continued investor interest in infrastructure-driven biotech ventures that support long-term healthcare system capabilities rather than purely therapeutic development.

As the company moves toward operational launch, it is expected to continue expanding its technical capabilities, regulatory approvals, and service offerings, positioning itself as a foundational infrastructure provider in Northern Ireland’s emerging advanced medicine and biobanking sector.

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