Meet The UK’s Top Scale-Ups

Every year across the UK, thousands of entrepreneurs launch new businesses, designed to disrupt the startup world. 

But at what point do these businesses stop being startups and start becoming scaleups?

Scale-ups are businesses that not only grow, but become real, profitable, scalable businesses. As Iberdrola puts it, ‘it’s when an entrepreneur turns into a CEO.’

This year, Tech Nation have pulled together their 25 top UK scale-ups to watch, and the results are incredibly interesting.

 

How Do You Know If A Startup Is A Scaleup?

 

It’s a good question – and an important distinction.

In general, scaleups are companies that started off as startups but have scaled at pace.

Usually, scaleups are defined by the following criteria:

• 20% growth over 3 years
• Wide and engaged customer base
• Plans for expansion (both nationally and internationally)
• Big focus on growth

In short, scaleups are companies that have come through the startup phase and have grown into industry leading businesses.

 

Who Are Some Of The World’s Most Famous Scaleups?

 

If you think about some of the most famous, innovative companies in the world – then you’re probably thinking of scaleups.

Companies like SpaceX, ByteDance, Anthropic, OpenAI, Klarna, Canva, Grammarly and more are all considered scaleups.

When it comes to scaleups in the UK, household names like Octopus Energy, Monzo, Brewdog and Revolut are all companies that are top of the list.

 

 

How Many Scaleups Are In The UK?

 

According to the Scaleup Institute, the number of high-growth, scaling businesses in the UK hit 34,180 in 2022. These businesses represented half of all SME turnover output, despite making up less than 0.6% of the SME population, showing just how valuable they are economically.

However these companies were not only contributing revenue, but also playing a huge role in employment too. According to the same research, scaleups employed 3.2 million people and contributed £1.4 trillion to the UK economy.

 

Do Scaleups Become Unicorns?

 

As soon as a privately-owned scaleup reaches a $1 billion valuation, it officially becomes a unicorn. Many scaleups do go on to achieve this accolade, mainly because they grow fast, retain profit and attract big investors.

However, in order for scaleups to become unicorns, they must not be listed on a public stock exchange.

According to the Founders Forum, the UK is currently home to 104 unicorns. And who knows, one of the companies in the list below might be next!

 

Why TechNation’s Future Fifty Is One To Watch

 

Tech Nation has announced the latest cohort of high-growth scaleups joining its Future Fifty programme. The Future Fifty is a list of the 25 UK scaleups with the highest potential for expansion.

These businesses are innovating in a number of areas, including in sectors like AI, aerospace, healthtech and climatetech.

With a combined raise of over £1.4 billion, this Future Fifty cohort employs more than 2,100 staff. 92% of the cohort are expanding internationally, and 28% of the scaleups are based outside London, with innovation hubs in Cambridge, Glasgow, and Edinburgh continuing to attract talent.

Johnny Mayo, Future Fifty Lead at Tech Nation, commented: “This cohort showcases the diverse and high-impact ventures emerging from the UK’s  thriving tech scene. We are committed to equipping these ambitious founders with the tools and networks needed to scale their businesses and make a significant impact on the global stage.”

 

Meet The The Future Fifty 2025

 

BioOrbit – Pharmaceuticals factory to change the way in which cancer treatments can be given to patients.

Cambridge GaN Devices – Semiconductor company that develops a range of energy-efficient GaN-based power devices to make sustainable electronics possible.

Carmoola – D2C car finance lender that addresses the challenges of traditional car financing by providing a digital platform that delivers instant budget approval through a user-friendly app.

Converge.io – Optimises and decarbonises concrete using AI, sensors and data.

DeepCytes.io – Setting a new standard in Cyber Tradecraft by combating the menaces of spywares, espionage and cyber bullying to solve a $9.2T issue through Forensics, AI Engines and Smart Toolkits.

Definely – An AI-powered LegalTech company that enables lawyers to efficiently and accurately draft and review complex contracts.

Elixr – Smart regeneration for towns & places – driven by data and technology.

Granola.ai – AI notepad for people in back to back meetings.

Greywolf Therapeutics – Clinical-stage biotech company advancing novel antigen modulation technology to guide the immune system.

Hived – Tech-enabled logistics.

Metaview – AI Platform for Recruiting.

Naked Energy – Helping commercial and industrial clients get off gas and reduce their energy bills through the integration of our solar heat and power technology.

Nodes & Links – AI Software for Construction Project Management.

Nory.ai – Restaurant Management Software.

Remedy Health / Nourished – Remedy Health is a pioneering health tech company using patented 3D printing and AI to create personalised, sustainable nutrition solutions at scale.

proSapient – Tech-led expert network.

Raycast – Intelligent productivity tool for professionals that centralizes all workflows into a single, fast user interface.

Raylo – New tech leasing model for consumers and businesses.

Shop Circle – Scales enterprise software products, using AI and automation to help over 120,000 businesses operate smarter and grow faster.

Simple Online Healthcare – Digital health platform offering affordable, clinically-led care across weight, men’s, and women’s health, combining medicated treatments with ongoing clinical support.

Skin Analytics – Builds AI skin cancer pathways for health systems.

Ultromics – AI diagnostics company transforming cardiovascular care by enabling earlier, more accurate detection of heart failure and its phenotypes from routine echocardiograms.

Unlikely AI – A deep tech startup building fundamental technology that addresses issues of trust in AI.

Urban Jungle – InsurTech using AI to stop fraud, and help consumers get cheaper, better insurance cover.

Wordsmith.ai – Legal AI for in-house teams.