Parveen Dhanda, March 27, 2019 8 min read
Following a record number of exceptional applications last year and a rigorous judging period, we can now reveal the 24 fast-growing late-stage tech companies joining Tech Nation’s Future Fifty programme for 2019.
Each year a number of companies graduate from the programme, making way for a number of new companies to join.
The new companies selected represent some of the finest late-stage talent from across the UK, many of which are leaders in the global tech economy.
While 84% of the new companies are based in London, this year’s cohort features five new businesses headquartered in regional cities: Cambridge, Bristol, Glasgow, Nottingham, and Watford.
The 24 new companies reflect key trends in UK technology sectors. Fintech – currently attracting very high levels of investment – is an especially strong presence, with 10 out of 24 on the list offering technology-driven financial services. Other sectors represented include: Hardware & Internet of Things, Cyber Security, Software as a Service, Digital Media, Marketing & Adtech, Data Analytics, Ecommerce, and Healthcare. Around 60% of the ventures target B2B sales.
Note: These figures reflect all 50 companies on the Future Fifty programme in 2019
Future Fifty was established in 2013 to champion and support British tech businesses as they scale up their operations nationally and internationally – offering a window into the UK’s digital future. The programme supports these companies in turbocharging their ambitions, creating jobs and opportunities across the UK, and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Each company chosen for the 2019 cohort will benefit from the programme’s world-class connectivity – with an exceptional peer network to support and inspire, troubleshoot and collaborate, a tailored package of workshops and masterclasses to help them build their profile and move to the next level, and direct contacts to senior decision-makers in Government. Meanwhile, access to the best global talent is made easier by a dedicated Tech Nation visa team which provides expert assistance with Tier 1 visa applications.
Companies singled out for membership of the latest Future Fifty cohort must have gained considerable traction within their chosen markets and shown the potential to become global technology leaders of tomorrow.
Since its launch in 2013, 127 businesses have taken part in the Future Fifty programme and the list of alumni includes some of the highest profile names in the technology sector, such as Skyscanner, Deliveroo, Farfetch, Funding Circle, Transferwise, Just Eat, Shazam, Made.com and dozens of other household names.
The programme has an enviable track record of helping young and new entrepreneurs fulfil their ambitions. Future Fifty alumni have been strikingly successful at raising funds. Figures compiled by Tech Nation indicate that companies participating in the programme between 2013 and 2018 have raised a combined $8bn via VC funding and capital markets. The sums raised each year have grown steadily over the lifetime of the programme, from $199m in 2013 to $2.5bn last year. In addition to a total of 29 M&A/trade sale deals, nine of the Future Fifty alumni have successfully taken their companies to the market via IPOs (Initial Public Offerings).
This year’s programme kicked off last night with a launch dinner at Mansion House in London where 24 new companies and founders got to meet each other and hear from the speaker the Lord Mayor of the City of London Peter Estlin.
Parveen Dhanda, Future Fifty Programme Lead at Tech Nation, said: “The companies we’ve selected are already established in their chosen markets and are at the point where they can look forward to scaling up rapidly. These are incredibly talented and visionary entrepreneurs. The peer connections, mentoring and coaching that is on offer will help them fully deliver on their potential.”
Aire: Aire exists to enable access to credit, while stopping the burden of debt for people. London | Fintech | @AireScore
Behavox: Behavox is the people analytics company that gathers and interprets employee data in a corporate environment to understand the behavior of an organization. London | Data Analytics | @Behavox
Bizuma: Bizuma’s core goal is to empower any business, of any size, to trade globally. London | Ecommerce and Marketplaces | @BizumaHQ
Blockchain: Blockchain is the largest software provider for digital currency and distributed ledger technology and provides the world’s most popular digital wallet with over 34 million customers. Through the use of new technology, we are revolutionizing the $14T financial services industry to build a more open, accessible, and fair financial future. Founded in 2011, Blockchain has raised over $70 million in funding from leading investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners and Google Ventures. London | Fintech | @Blockchain
Bulb Energy: The UK’s fastest growing energy supplier, providing affordable renewable energy to more than 1 million members across the UK. London | Hardware Devices and Internet of Things | @bulbenergy
Culture Trip: A global startup merging travel, media and entertainment, producing location-based inspiration from around the world, including articles, videos, photography, illustration and animation. London | Digital Entertainment | @CultureTrip
Currencycloud: Currencycloud‘s enterprise-class, global platform is the power inside countless businesses, driving the transformation of the global payments landscape. London | Fintech | @currencycloud
ENSEK: ENSEK provide leading SaaS software to create a unique combination of tailored solutions in the energy industry. We focus on removing stifling complexities in the energy supplier market by enabling better: market entry, data management, and customer engagement. ENSEK empower market entrants, growing mid-markets and enterprise companies to meet their customer needs and deliver their commercial ambitions. Nottingham | Software as a Service
Garrison Technology: Providing ultra-secure browsing. London | Cyber Security | @garrison_tech
GlobalWebIndex: A market research platform that provides audience insight across 45 countries to the world’s largest brands, marketing agencies and media organizations. London | Adtech and Marketing | @globalwebindex
Ieso Digital Health: A world-leading digital therapeutic company tackling mental illness. Cambridge | Biotech and Healthcare | @iesohealth
Kimble Applications: The global leader in professional services automation (PSA) software – helping professional services organisations run their project-based businesses better. London | Software as a Service | @KimbleApps
M Squared Lasers: A photonics and quantum technology company, designing and manufacturing advanced laser systems and applications. Glasgow | Hardware Devices and Internet of Things | @m2lasers
MarketInvoice: MarketInvoice is a business finance company. They are the are Europe’s largest online invoice finance platform, helping businesses take charge of their cash flow – quickly and easily. London | Fintech | @marketinvoice
Mediatonic: Leading mobile game developer and independent PC game publisher. London | Digital Entertainment | @mediatonic
Monzo Bank: Mobile-first personal and business banking. London | Fintech | @monzo
Nested: The modern estate agent, reinventing how we buy and sell homes by offering smarter service and the ability to move chain free. London | Fintech | @nested
Perkbox: Perkbox is an employee experience platform, creating a better society by helping employees succeed, in life and at work. London | Enterprise Software | @perkbox
Quantexa: An enterprise intelligence company, empowering organisations to drive confident decisions from their data and better understand their customers. London | Enterprise Software | @quantexa
Reach Robotics: Combining robotics, augmented reality and gaming to build a new entertainment and education platform. Bristol | Hardware Devices and Internet of Things | @ReachRobotics
Revolut: App-based current account, with fee-free foreign spending, currency exchange and international transfers.London | Fintech | @RevolutApp
Salary Finance: Salary Finance is an employee financial wellbeing strategy and solutions provider helping millions of people around the world become financially healthier and happier. London | Fintech | @salaryfin
StarLeaf: StarLeaf is a pioneering leader in engineering intuitively intelligent solutions that help organizations seamlessly collaborate through superior video conferencing, secure app-based messaging, and integrated cloud-based meeting room systems. Watford | Fintech | @StarLeafCo
Starling Bank: Mobile personal, business and joint accounts on Android and iOS, and marketplace allowing customers to access to a wide range of complementary financial products through its app. London | Fintech | @StarlingBank
BigChange Apps: paperless planning, management, scheduling and tracking for any mobile workforce.
Biosite Systems: integrated solutions to manage, monitor and maximise construction site safety and security.
Captify: consumer search behaviour analysis for media and brands.
Checkout: online payment solutions and consulting services.
Click Travel: reducing the cost and complexity of business travel management with technology.
CloudSense: connected, digital-first customer experiences that increase speed and reduce cost.
Darktrace: machine learning and AI algorithms to detect and respond to cyber-threats across diverse digital environments.
EDITED: analytics for fashion retailers.
Egress Software Technologies: on-demand collaboration service enabling secure information sharing.
Featurespace: real-time fraud and risk management using anomaly detection to analyse complex behavioural data.
Firefly: online tool that brings together teachers, students and parents.
Infectious Media: partners with global brands to deliver effective and efficient media campaigns.
Ixaris: enables businesses to profit from the payments they make.
LendInvest: technology that makes the process of getting a mortgage simpler, faster and more efficient.
Masabi: London-based global leader in mobile ticketing and innovative fare collection for public transport.
Memrise: teaching languages with games, humorous chatbots and over 30,000 native speaker videos.
MPB Group: revolutionising the experience of selling unwanted photographic equipment.
OakNorth: UK bank that provides fast, flexible and accessible debt finance (from £500k to £20m) to small and medium-sized enterprises.
OpenSignal: mobile analytics company modernising how the wireless industry measures network performance.
Paddle: a single platform for software companies that solves every part of the sales process.
Semafone: software for contact centres so they can take personal data securely over the telephone.
SIMBA: disrupting the global sleep market with a direct-to-door omnichannel retail model and award-winning one-type-fits-all hybrid mattress.
SportPursuit: showcases the best specialist sports and outdoor brands in week-long sales at prices that are not available anywhere else.
Trouva: destination for shopping the world’s best independent shops, enabling customers to discover homeware and accessories you cannot find elsewhere.
UKCloud: provides a wide range of the multi-cloud platforms for the exclusive use of organisations within the public and healthcare sector in the UK.
Zappi: the most transformative, automated platform for buying cost-effective research services at lightning speed.
Future Fifty is made possible with the help and support of our programme partners, who share their expertise and experience, and advise companies on a range of issues. We’d like to thank our partners Barclays and Macfarlanes.
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