How Mutha Cuva is changing clean energy and proving you can raise investment in the North East
For years, many founders have believed that raising equity in the North East is next to impossible – particularly for women and those in emerging sectors like climate tech. But Amy Mooney, Founder of Mutha Cuva, is turning that assumption on its head.
From sceptic to champion
Amy is no stranger to building businesses. She co-founded, scaled, and sold a digital agency before investing in and growing a renewable heating company. But when it came to launching her third venture – a subscription-based heat pump servicing platform – she faced a new challenge: raising equity investment for the first time.
Amy explains: “I didn’t know anything about equity and angel investment, and thought it wasn’t for me. I’d always bootstrapped and reinvested profits. Everyone told me raising in the North East would be impossible, especially as a female founder in climate tech, so I went to London for my first investor.”
It was through conversations with James Robson MBE that Amy was introduced to the Pathways to Funding programme and Northern Investor Hub, delivered by Innovation SuperNetwork and powered by UMi. That introduction, she says, changed everything.
The right support at the right time
The programme provided expert input from advisors like Andrew Hodgson, who helped sense-check Amy’s business plan, pitch deck, and financial model, adding the crucial investor lens. Amy was also invited to pitch at a Womble Bond Dickinson event, where she connected with investor Victoria Taylor, who went on to introduce her to further networks.
Behind the scenes, UMi’s financial experts helped extend Amy’s forecasts, building an integrated five-year model covering P&L, balance sheet, and cashflow. And when complex negotiations came up, she had a team she could turn to for advice and confidence.
“I felt I wasn’t alone. As a solo founder new to raising, that made all the difference. The support has been incredible, and it’s helped me secure the majority of my investment here in the North East – something I never thought possible.”
Fuel for growth – and the region’s future
Amy has now closed her £250,000 SEIS pre-seed round, with most investors coming from the region. The funding will enable Mutha Cuva to onboard its first 1,000 homes, build a brilliant small team, and scale the platform to launch nationally. More broadly, she says, it will contribute to reduced carbon emissions, supporting the UK’s transition to net zero and demonstrating the North East’s potential to lead the clean growth economy.
Lead Investor, Advisor and Non-Executive Director, Simon Moyle, said:
“Mutha Cuva will become a pioneer showing the way forward. It is exactly the kind of tech-enabled business, rooted in customer need and delivering tangible outcomes, that I believe has the potential to scale rapidly and make a lasting impact.
“There is also something very powerful about building this from the North East. The region has an incredible tradition of engineering, innovation and resilience, and Mutha Cuva is showing that climate tech start-ups don’t need to be based in London to attract investment or talent. That is one of the reasons I was so keen to get involved.”
Investor Victoria Taylor, CEO of Probe Industries, said:“Mutha Cuva is exactly the kind of innovative, high-potential business we want to see thriving in the North East. Amy’s vision, combined with her deep sector knowledge and execution skills, made investing in her business an obvious choice. Her success demonstrates that the North East has a strong community of investors ready to back ambitious founders, and that this region is a place where equity funding can succeed.”
Looking back, Amy reflects on how far her perspective has shifted:
“If I hadn’t been introduced to Pathways to Funding and the Northern Investor Hub, I’d never have thought raising in the North East was worth my time. Now, I know it absolutely is, and I’m proud to say the majority of our backers are from right here.”
As Mutha Cuva gears up to scale, Amy’s story shows what’s possible when the right support, networks, and ambition come together – not only for one founder, but for the future of investment across the region.
“Amy’s success demonstrates perfectly why the Pathways to Funding programme exists,” said Karl Murray, Specialist Adviser at UMi. “Her raise shows there is strong appetite among investors to back North East businesses, and the Northern Investor Hub is here to help connect ambitious founders with these active investors.”
Phil Witcherley, Director of Economic Growth and Regeneration North East Combined Authority, said:
“Amy’s success with Mutha Cuva reflects the ambition, innovation and talent we’re proud to see across the North East. It also shows the strength of our region’s investment ecosystem, which is creating real opportunities for businesses to scale and thrive here. We want the North East to be the home of the green energy revolution, and we’re committed to supporting entrepreneurs like Amy who are driving clean energy, creating jobs and making a positive difference to communities.”
The Pathways to Funding project is funded by the North East Combined Authority and is currently available to businesses and socially trading enterprises headquartered in Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside.
Find out more at https://supernetwork.org.uk/support/pathways-to-funding/