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Zero Point Motion Ltd

Zero Point Motion Secures EIC Accelerator Funding to Advance Innovative Sensing Technology

United KingdomEIC Accelerator2023

Table of Contents

  1. The EIC Accelerator Project
  2. The Funding Rounds
  3. The Press Releases
  4. The Technology Advancements
  5. The Partnerships and Customers
  6. The Hiring and Company Growth
  7. The Media Features and Publications

1 The EIC Accelerator Project

The EIC Accelerator program is a cornerstone initiative under the European Innovation Council (EIC), aimed at supporting innovative startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with high growth potential. This program provides funding through a combination of grants and equity investments, specifically designed to facilitate the scale-up of groundbreaking technologies and business models.

Funding Structure

The EIC Accelerator offers two main types of funding: grants and equity investments.

1. Grants: Successful applicants can receive grants of up to €2.5 million. These funds are primarily allocated towards covering costs associated with the development, testing, and market introduction of innovative products, services, or processes. Grants are particularly valuable as they do not require repayment and allow companies to focus resources on innovation without the immediate pressure of financial returns.
2. Equity Investments: The equity component has undergone changes over the years. Until 2024, companies can access equity funding of up to €15 million. From 2025 onwards, this amount will be capped at €10 million. This equity investment is structured as a direct investment into the company, which can significantly enhance the financial capacity of startups, helping them to attract further private investment and scale their operations effectively.

Purpose and Role in the Ecosystem

The primary objective of the EIC Accelerator is to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the European DeepTech and startup ecosystem. By providing financial support tailored to the unique challenges faced by high-tech and innovative companies, the program aims to bridge the gap between research and market introduction.

The EIC Accelerator plays a crucial role in helping companies scale by:

  • Facilitating Access to Funding: By providing substantial funding, the program enables startups to develop their technologies further and prepare for market entry, thereby mitigating the financial risks associated with innovation.
  • Encouraging Private Investment: The backing from the EIC often acts as a signal of credibility and potential success, attracting additional private sector investments. This can create a multiplier effect, where the initial funding enables companies to secure further investment from venture capitalists and angel investors.
  • Providing Business Development Support: Beyond financial assistance, the EIC Accelerator also offers advisory services and mentorship, helping companies refine their business models, enhance their market strategies, and build valuable networks within the industry.

Overview of Zero Point Motion Ltd and the ZPM IMU Project

Zero Point Motion Ltd, a UK-based company, emerged as a winner of the EIC Accelerator for its innovative project, ZPM IMU. The proposal was submitted on March 22, 2023, as part of the Step 2 application process, which subsequently led to success in the Step 3 interview stage.

Project Description: ZPM IMU

The ZPM IMU (Zero Point Motion Inertial Measurement Unit) represents a groundbreaking advancement in inertial sensing technology. This project focuses on developing an IMU that leverages novel techniques to enhance precision and reduce the overall size and weight of the device.

Technology Basics and Background

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are critical components used in various applications, including aerospace, automotive, robotics, and consumer electronics. They typically consist of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes magnetometers to provide data on motion and orientation. Traditional IMUs, however, often face limitations in terms of accuracy, drift, and size, which restrict their application in more demanding environments.

Zero Point Motion Ltd's ZPM IMU aims to address these challenges by employing innovative technology to achieve higher performance metrics. The IMU is designed to leverage advancements in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and quantum sensing principles, focusing on minimizing errors and improving responsiveness. This can lead to significant enhancements in applications such as autonomous vehicles, drone navigation, and augmented reality systems, where precision and reliability are paramount.

The ZPM IMU project not only illustrates the potential for technological innovation in the field of inertial sensing but also aligns with the EIC Accelerator's mission to support transformative ideas that can reshape industries. By securing funding through the EIC Accelerator, Zero Point Motion Ltd is well-positioned to bring its pioneering technology to market, thereby contributing to the advancement of the European DeepTech ecosystem.

2 The Funding Rounds

# Zero Point Motion: Funding Journey and Financial Overview

Zero Point Motion, a Bristol-based sensor technology startup founded by Dr. Ying Lia Li, has secured significant funding through various rounds to develop its revolutionary motion sensing technology. The company specializes in developing ultra-sensitive, low-cost, miniaturized accelerometers and gyroscopes that are 100 times more sensitive than conventional MEMS sensors.

Funding Rounds and Timeline

Zero Point Motion has raised approximately $6.1 million across multiple funding rounds:

Pre-Seed and Early Grants (Before 2022) The company received initial funding through undisclosed pre-seed investments and early grants, helping establish its foundation in sensor technology development.

Seed Round (March 2022) Zero Point Motion raised a seed round in March 2022, with u-blox AG participating as a key investor. This investor has remained a strategic partner and customer in subsequent rounds.

Government and EU Funding (2023)

  • £1.3 million ($1.7 million) from the UK's Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) in 2023
  • €2.4 million ($2.6 million) grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program, awarded in September 2023

Pre-Series A (March 2025) The company recently closed a £4 million ($5.2 million) pre-Series A funding round in March 2025. This represents the company's latest major funding milestone as it emerges from "stealth mode".

Key Investors

Zero Point Motion's investor base includes:

  • SCVC: The official funding arm of Science Creates, led the pre-Series A round
  • Foresight Group: A key investor that initially backed Zero Point Motion in 2021 and participated in the pre-Series A round
  • Verve Ventures: Participated in the pre-Series A funding round
  • u-blox AG: Seed round investor that remains a strategic partner and customer

Use of Funds

The pre-Series A investment is fueling Zero Point Motion's:

1. Rapid scale-up and team expansion
2. Development of a scalable, volume-manufacturable process for next-generation positioning and navigation sensors
3. Advancement of their fusion of silicon photonics and MEMS technology

Dr. Lia Li, founder and CEO, mentioned: "We're working with two of the world's leading foundries to push MEMS performance beyond its limits. With top-tier investors and partners behind us, we're laser-focused on delivering our inertial sensors to customers who demand the highest precision and reliability."

Company Valuation and Exit Events

The current valuation of Zero Point Motion is not publicly disclosed in the available information. There is no information regarding exit events such as IPOs, buyouts, or acquisitions involving the company.

Market Position and Recognition

Zero Point Motion has gained notable recognition in the industry: - Named as one of Sifted's "16 Bristol-based Startups to Watch"

  • Dr. Lia Li has received several accolades, including being awarded Sensors Converge Woman of the Year 2023, the Institute of Physics Clifford Paterson Medal in 2021, and a 2022 Innovate UK Women in Innovation award

    • The company is targeting high-growth markets including defense, agritech, autonomous vehicles, consumer electronics, and industrial logistics with its innovative sensor technology.

    Sources: - Zero Point Motion closes £4million funding round to revolutionise motion sensing

    3 The Press Releases

    Zero Point Motion Ltd: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Developments Bristol-based Zero Point Motion Ltd, a 2023 EIC Accelerator grant recipient, has advanced its ultra-precise motion-sensing technology through strategic partnerships and funding milestones. The company secured a €2.4 million grant under the March 2023 EIC Accelerator call, followed by a £4 million pre-Series A round in March 2025 to scale production and expand its team.

    Technology Advancements

    Zero Point Motion’s sensors combine silicon photonics and MEMS, inspired by gravitational wave detection principles, to deliver accelerometers and gyroscopes 100x more sensitive than conventional MEMS devices. These sensors target GPS-denied environments for defense, space exploration, and autonomous systems. The company has accelerated R&D by bringing integration and packaging processes in-house, reducing iteration cycles from eight weeks to one day.

    Strategic Partnerships & Investors

    • u-blox AG: A key investor and customer providing positioning technology expertise.
    • SCVC (Science Creates Ventures), Foresight Group, and Verve Ventures: Led the £4 million funding round to support commercialization.
    • UK Government & EU Grants: Received £1.3 million from the UK’s Centre for Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) alongside the EIC Accelerator grant.

    Team & Patents

    CEO Dr. Lia Li emphasized advancements in patent filings during the March 2025 funding announcement, highlighting “newly granted patents” critical for maintaining technological leadership in inertial sensing. The team is expanding rapidly post-stealth mode to meet product qualification targets later in 2025.

    Sources

    4 The Technology Advancements

    Zero Point Motion Ltd: Post-EIC Accelerator Funding Advancements

    Since securing a €2.4 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator program in 2023, Bristol-based Zero Point Motion has accelerated its development of next-generation inertial sensors. The company’s progress includes technological refinements, strategic partnerships, and market-focused demonstrations.

    Core Technological Advancements

    Zero Point Motion has refined its fusion of silicon photonics and MEMS, inspired by Nobel Prize-winning gravitational wave detection principles[^1^][^3^]. This integration enables miniaturized accelerometers and gyroscopes with 100x greater sensitivity than conventional MEMS sensors, targeting GPS-denied environments[^4^][^7^]. The company has brought critical integration and packaging R&D processes in-house, reducing iteration cycles from eight weeks to one day[^5^][^6^].

    Market Demonstrations

    The company has partnered with u-blox AG, a leader in positioning technologies, to integrate its sensors into u-blox’s product offerings for urban navigation resilience[^3>][4>]. Additionally, Zero Point Motion collaborated with the University of the West of England (UWE) on the Digibeat project, funded by MyWorld (£144k), to demonstrate motion-sensing applications in virtual reality (VR) and healthcare[8>]. While specific customer deployments remain under wraps, CEO Dr. Lia Li confirmed their focus on product qualification and deployment as the next milestone[6>][7>].

    Intellectual Property Expansion

    Zero Point Motion reports an expanding patent portfolio alongside multiple newly granted patents, though specifics are undisclosed publicly. The company emphasizes its agility in IP development as part of maintaining a competitive edge[6>][7>]. No peer-reviewed scientific studies or whitepapers were identified in public domains post-EIC funding.

    Sources

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