Loughborough-based TransHumanity secures £400k led by SFC Capital with Plug and Play
At a glance
This article covers the pre-seed round on 16 September 2025 for TransHumanity, a Loughborough University spinout developing AptIq, an agentic AI platform for transport data, founded by Zhenzhen Wang and Barclay Gauld. It raised £400k in a round led by SFC Capital, with additional investment from Plug and Play.
What does TransHumanity do?
AptIq is an agentic AI platform that uses a large language model to analyse transport data and models. It lets transport authorities ask questions in plain English and get quick data analysis to support decisions.
Why is TransHumanity useful?
Problem
Transport authorities face slow, complex analysis of diverse transport data and models, delaying decision-making. This slows work on congestion reduction, road safety, business cases and net-zero planning.
Solution
TransHumanity helps by offering AptIq, an agentic AI platform that turns days of analysis into seconds. Users ask plain English questions to get instant insights for congestion, safety, business cases and net-zero targets.
How much did TransHumanity raise?
TransHumanity raised £400k in a pre-seed round, led by SFC Capital alongside Plug and Play.
Who invested in TransHumanity?
The key investors backing TransHumanity are listed below.
- SFC Capital: A UK seed-stage investor known as the country’s most active early-stage backer, providing capital and specialised support to British start-ups.
- Plug and Play: A Silicon Valley-based accelerator and venture fund that links start-ups with global corporate partners and wide industry networks.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of AI venture capital firms in the UK
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Who founded TransHumanity?
The founders of TransHumanity Ltd. are Dr Haitao He (Co-founder and Director), Zhenzhen Wang (CEO) and Barclay Gauld (CTO).
Where is TransHumanity based?
TransHumanity Ltd. is based in Loughborough, UK.
What sector is TransHumanity in?
TransHumanity operates in the transport technology sector. This sector covers systems and services that move people and goods and manage transport networks. In plain terms, it works on buses, trains, roads and traffic planning tools.
Key trends and challenges in Transport sector:
Greater use of AI and data-driven decision making
Transport authorities increasingly use AI to analyse traffic and plan services. For example, cities use AI to predict congestion and adjust traffic signals, cutting delays by up to 20%.
Data fragmentation and privacy concerns
Data sits in many silos, slowing analysis and hindering integrated planning. For example, bus operators, road sensors and mobility apps often cannot share data easily under GDPR rules.
Decarbonisation and infrastructure gaps
Meeting net-zero targets requires rapid changes in vehicles, fuels and travel habits. For example, more public chargers and better cycle networks are needed across many cities.
For a deeper look at innovation in this space, see the latest funded AI startups in the UK
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