Pop Idol backer to invest in UK start-ups Ingenious Ventures, part of Patrick McKenna's Ingenious Media, is to set up a seed investment programme to back companies in a range of sectors from consumer technology to fashion and publishing. The firm, led by Ingenious Ventures" chief executive Patrick Bradley, plans to make initial seed equity investments of £150,000 in 15 start-ups by September. It will then decide if they are suitable for further funding of as much as £1m per company. The investment could grow to £17.25m if all 15 firms received maximum funding, however this is thought unlikely. The funds will come from the launch of its Ingenious Seed Investment Programme, to be set up this week, with further funding from its enterprise investment scheme fund. Ingenious, which has been responsible for investing more than £8bn in creative industries, is to travel to cities including Manchester, Sheffield and Belfast to source suitable investments.