Martech startup PolyBox raises £700k from Northstar Ventures and Innovate UK
This article covers PolyBox, a martech startup, which has closed a pre-seed funding round of £700k to accelerate the development of AI-driven reporting and analytics for marketing teams. The funding aims to automate routine reporting, reduce time spent on data wrangling and move the product from dashboarding to actionable forecasts and models to support marketers' decision making.
PolyBox, a martech startup, has closed a pre-seed funding round of £700,000 to accelerate the development of AI-driven reporting and analytics for marketing teams. The new capital aims to speed up automation of routine reporting, reduce time spent on data wrangling and push the product from dashboarding towards actionable forecasts and models — a practical shift for busy marketers.
Why it matters
Marketing teams increasingly juggle fragmented data across channels and tools. A platform that pulls real-time data together, automates routine reports and surfaces decision-ready insights can reduce operational friction and improve campaign agility. For martech vendors, embedding AI into analytics is becoming table stakes; investors are watching for products that lower the technical barrier for non-technical users.
The funding also signals continued investor appetite for tools that combine data engineering with user-centred analytics, especially those positioning automation to reduce headcount or outsourcing costs for marketing functions.
Inside the product
PolyBox presents itself as a real-time marketing platform designed for marketers rather than data scientists. Its functionality, as described by the company, covers data collection, reporting, forecasting and modelling in a unified interface. The stated goal is to let users move quickly from in-depth insights to strategic action without needing deep technical expertise.
With this round the company plans to prioritise AI features that automate reporting and generate critical insights. That work is intended to cut the time teams spend assembling and verifying data, while improving the speed and consistency of decision making. The product direction sits at the intersection of marketing automation, analytics and user experience — areas where many marketing teams still rely on spreadsheets or bespoke BI implementations.
Who are the investors?
The £700,000 round is a mix of regional venture capital, angel funding and grant support. Northstar Ventures — a North East VC that first invested in PolyBox in 2024 — provided £150,000 via the North East Innovation Fund, a vehicle supported by the North East Mayoral Combined Authority led by Kim McGuinness. Angel investors contributed approximately £250,000 and Innovate UK awarded a £300,000 grant through its Investor Partnership mechanisms.
PolyBox says the new funds unlock further Innovate UK Investor Partnership funding and form part of a longer trajectory: the company has now raised about £1.5 million in investment and grants since its pre-seed stage, including prior backing from Innovate UK, Creative UK and angel investors.
Northstar frames the investment as a bet on automation in marketing analytics and on PolyBox’s ability to scale its product beyond early adopters. The firm has a regional focus on technology that can change industry workflows and previously supported PolyBox as it developed its initial offering.
Tom O’Neill, Investment Manager, Northstar Ventures, said:
We’re very pleased to complete our latest investment in PolyBox which will help Rojin and the team to significantly grow the business and build on the solid progress made to date. As AI continues to significantly disrupt the marketing industry, PolyBox’s automated reporting solution saves time and money for busy marketing teams, whilst also supporting clear, strategic decision making. Congratulations to Rojin, Nick and the wider team.
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Founder perspective
Rojin Yarahmadi, Co-founder and CEO, framed the round as a step to accelerate product development and leverage the Innovate UK partnership to fund R&D.
Rojin Yarahmadi, Co-founder and CEO, PolyBox, said:
With the successful completion of our investment round and the support of the Innovate UK Investor Partnership grant, we're excited to be entering the next phase of PolyBox's journey. We're incredibly grateful to our angel investors and Northstar Ventures for their continued belief in our vision. Their investment has not only supported our growth but has also unlocked the Innovate UK Investor Partnership funding, enabling us to accelerate our roadmap. This next phase will focus on delivering even more advanced analytics and AI-powered insights, helping marketing teams make faster, smarter, and more informed decisions through their reporting.
The founder commentary stresses product acceleration and the practical value of combining private investment with grant funding to derisk AI development.
The bigger picture
PolyBox’s round highlights several broader trends in the UK ecosystem: regional funds and mayoral authorities continuing to back local tech, Innovate UK using grants to catalyse private investment, and a steady flow of angel capital into early martech plays. As vendors race to add AI-driven analytics, startups that can simplify data workflows for non-technical marketing teams will remain attractive to both customers and investors.
For the North East in particular, the deal underlines the role of regional VC and public funding in keeping early-stage companies local while they mature — a dynamic the UK ecosystem is prioritising as it seeks to broaden innovation beyond London.
They've invested in PolyBox
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