Upscale
Helping the UK’s leading scaleups grow into the tech giants of tomorrow
What is Upscale?
Upscale helps the UK’s most promising tech companies to accelerate their growth and unlock the key to scaling successfully.
Based on the values of honesty, intimacy and trust, this established, curated programme is designed to reflect companies’ scaling journeys, exploring fundamental growth challenges, such as hiring, maintaining company culture and international expansion.
Companies on the Upscale programme will benefit from open conversations, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, meetups and workshops, delivered by expert scale coaches and seasoned entrepreneurs who have been through it all. It’s free to join, and we don’t take an equity stake in your business either.
Take a look at our current cohort…
What does Upscale involve?
Companies selected to join Upscale will get:
- 12 in-depth workshops tackling fundamental growth barriers: Dedicated workshops for founders and the c-suite will explore the biggest scaling challenges, from culture, talent, product and leadership, to international expansion, finance and fundraising.
- Access to leading scale coaches: Sessions will be delivered by our scale coaches, seasoned entrepreneurs and experts who have been through it all.
- Peer-to-peer learning with other scaling companies: The opportunity to network with and learn from other leading UK tech scaleups, founders and leadership teams, as well as scale coaches.
- Exposure to our alumni network: The chance to join our network of over 100 successful UK tech companies, including Monzo, Bloom & Wild and Bulb, who have collectively raised over $1.4bn since joining the programme.
- Marketing and PR support: Positioning as a successful, fast-growth UK tech company, through marketing and press via Tech Nation.
Upscale in numbers
$1.4bnraised by cohorts since joining programme
$8.6maverage raise by Upscale 3.0 companies
100companies who’ve joined Tech Nation Upscale
How does the programme work?
Upscale is six-month growth programme designed exclusively for the UK’s leading and most ambitious tech scaleups.
Companies from all sectors are welcome to apply for the programme, and we choose around 30 to join us each year.
Please note that the latest round of applications closed on 14 November 2018, but applications will open again later in 2019.
Events Search and Views Navigation
April 2019
CPO Meetup
Free
This meetup session will tackle the most common functional challenges faced by CPOs.
Find out more »May 2019
Mid-Programme Off-Site
Free
The mid-programme off-site will take place over two days, Thursday 16th and Friday 17th January 2019.
Find out more »CMO Meetup
Free
Led by a seasoned scale coach, this meetup session will tackle the most common functional challenges faced by CMOs.
Find out more »June 2019
International Expansion: Gaining momentum beyond the UK
Free
This session will explore the complexities of moving into overseas markets, with insights from founders who have taken somewhat turbulent journeys whilst expanding.
Find out more »CTO Meetup
Free
Led by a seasoned scale coach, this meetup session will tackle the most common functional challenges faced by CTOs.
Find out more »July 2019
Finance and Fundraising: Planning for financial growth
Free
This session will explore best practices to become financially robust including; key elements to consider when deciding whether to take debt versus equity, raising your next round of funding, working with and selecting the right VC, getting your books in order ahead of exit and any other financial pitfalls to consider.
Find out more »CFO Meetup
Free
This session is an opportunity for you to meet like-minded CFOs and finance leads.
Find out more »
The Upscale judges…
Anthony Fletcher, Graze 
Aron Gelbard, Bloom & WIld 
Camilla Dolan, Burda Principal Investments 
Cherry Freeman, Lovecrafts 
Dominic Jaquesson, Index Ventures 
Giovanni Nani, Frog Capital 
Jon Bradford, Motive Partners 
Jos Smart 
Josh Bell, Dawn Capital 
Laura Turkington, Vodafone 
Lesley Eccles, FanDuel 
Katy Turner, We Are Multiple 
Megumi Ikeda, Hearst Ventures Europe 
Suranga Chandratillake, Balderton Capital 
Suzanne Ashman, Local Globe
Our partners
Upscale is made possible with the support of our programme partners, who act as advisors to some of the best known fast-growth companies in the world. They help to support companies on their scaling journeys through strategic advice, information and workshops.
Upscale, the book
What it takes to scale a startup. By the people who’ve done it.
Hear from some of the UK’s leading technology entrepreneurs and investors who between them have built or backed companies worth billions, in Upscale the book. Available to order now.
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