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Startup Companies in the UK: 2,700+ Active Firms (2026)
Startup companies in the UK build early-stage products and services for scalable markets across technology, regulated and general sectors.
Buying centres tend to sit in product, finance, operations and compliance teams rather than a single startup procurement lane. B2B startups sell workflow software, data services, specialist marketplaces and managed platforms into SMB and mid-market buyers; consumer-facing firms usually monetise through subscriptions, transactions or embedded services; public-sector routes are slower and more evidence-led. Engagements often begin as paid pilots, departmental subscriptions or limited service contracts, then move towards annual agreements once revenue, usage or headcount can be evidenced. The common thread is lifecycle: recent formation, lean staffing, venture-style expansion and enough trading activity to separate operating businesses from dormant shells.
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Across the UK, 2,767 startup companies are actively trading. Reported employment is modest in absolute terms, with 1,485 employees across the cohort, pointing to a market weighted towards lean operating teams rather than mature employers. Its age and revenue profile reinforces that reading: 690 companies were incorporated since 2022, while 33 report turnover above £5M. For researchers, this gives a narrower and more operational view than a general count of new incorporations, because the emphasis falls on companies with current trading status, revenue signals or employment evidence.
Startup status gives no separate regulatory perimeter in the UK; it is a lifecycle and size label, not a licence. Incorporated firms still face ordinary company-law administration, including confirmation statements and identity checks for some filers before submissions to the UK company registrar. The sharper compliance questions come from the activity being carried out. Financial services, energy supply, aviation, healthcare and legal services each bring their own permissioning routes, so a young firm cannot treat early-stage status as a substitute for authorisation. That makes sector classification unusually important when comparing this cohort.
Future development appears tied less to startup formation itself than to the passage from pilot revenue into repeatable sales. Many firms tend to stay small while they test product-market fit, hire selectively and choose between bootstrapped trading, grants, debt or equity funding. Scale-up scarcity may persist where procurement cycles are long, regulated permissions are costly or customer acquisition relies on high-touch sales. Consolidation is likely to come through trade purchases and team acquisitions rather than public market exits for most of the cohort, with better-capitalised buyers taking on products, customer books and specialist staff.
2,767
Active firms
2026
33
Above £5M turnover
In this cohort
690
Recent incorporations
Since 2022
Key facts
About 1% of the trading cohort reports turnover above £5M (33 of 2,767 firms) — the rest sits below that revenue band.
24% of the cohort was incorporated since 2022 (690 firms), so a sizeable share is in its first few filing cycles.
Startup is a lifecycle tag, not a separately regulated UK industry; sector permissions still apply for financial services, energy supply, aviation, healthcare and legal activities.
Companies House administration still applies, including confirmation statements and identity verification through GOV.UK One Login where required.
DBT estimated 5.5 million private-sector businesses at the start of 2024, including 5.45 million small businesses with 0 to 49 employees.
ONS reported 2.725 million UK businesses registered for VAT and/or PAYE in March 2024, down 0.1% from March 2023.
A 2024 global ecosystem ranking put London and New York City tied at #2 behind Silicon Valley, with North America holding 18 of the Top 40 tech startup ecosystems.
Top UK startup companies
Addresscloud Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides geospatial data and software APIs for insurers to assess geographic and property risk. Platform offers address validation, geocoding, property data, peril and climate risk scores, and…
Serves B2B insurance organisations, including insurers, underwriting teams, insurance brands, coverholders and price comparison websites, with customers referenced worldwide.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Profitable, Growing, Hiring · 35% CAGR over 4y
Location
Nossa Data Ltd
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides software for corporate ESG reporting and data management. The platform collects, manages and validates environmental, social and governance data, supports disclosures across frameworks such…
Serves B2B ESG, sustainability and investor relations teams at UK and EU companies facing regulatory reporting and disclosure requests from investors, rating agencies, procurement teams and other…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 70% CAGR over 5y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides a digital platform for employment and income verification. Uses integrations with HMRC, payroll systems, Open Banking and other data sources to deliver verified work history and earnings…
Serves B2B customers that need employment and income checks, including background screening providers, recruiters, employers, tenant referencing providers and financial services firms.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 47% CAGR over 2y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops workforce management software for shift‑based organisations, providing tools for employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, mobile clock‑in, payroll data export, incident reporting,…
Serves shift-based organisations with hourly workforces, including live events venues, security firms, temporary staffing agencies and fire departments, targeting shift, operations, finance and HR…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 13% CAGR over 4y
Location
Novoville Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops cloud-based software platforms for local governments to manage citizen service requests, payments and engagement, administer parking and mobility systems, and coordinate building repairs and…
Serves local governments, municipalities and public authorities seeking digital citizen services, civic engagement, urban mobility and housing repair programmes, with related platforms used by…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 41% CAGR over 4y
Location
RED BEAR SOFTWARE LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops cloud‑native billing and customer management software for energy suppliers. Provides API-based operational tools for payments, ledgers, dataflows and invoicing, plus consultancy and bespoke…
Serves UK energy suppliers, including new entrants and established providers replacing legacy technology, with buyers in operations, billing, compliance and development teams.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 17% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a subscription-based HR and payroll software platform with tools for employee onboarding, applicant tracking, time‑off management, learning management, document management, analytics and…
Serves B2B customers, mainly small teams and growing companies with 2–500 employees, targeting HR, people, finance and operations leaders responsible for workforce management, payroll, hiring,…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 52% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops software platform for financial institutions to measure and analyse carbon emissions linked to transactions and portfolios, providing data analytics, reporting tools and APIs to support…
Sells to financial institutions, including banks, fintechs and other finance-sector organisations needing sustainability and carbon-related data capabilities for their customers, products or…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 9% CAGR over 3y
Location
ENISTIC LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a software platform for sustainability and carbon management. Tools calculate Scope 1–3 emissions, track environmental data, and generate compliance reports such as ESOS, SECR and carbon…
Serves B2B sustainability, ESG and compliance teams at businesses and major brands needing carbon reporting, supply chain emissions visibility, product footprint data and regulatory compliance…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 46% CAGR over 4y
Location
ADVANTIQ SOLUTIONS LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops software that converts unstructured business content such as documents, emails and forms into structured data and automated workflows, enabling organisations to process information and run…
Serves businesses and organisations with document-heavy operations, particularly teams handling high volumes of documents, emails and forms that need structured workflow data.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 82% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops software and data services that measure carbon, energy and water emissions from cloud and AI usage across platforms such as AWS, Azure and GCP, enabling organisations to analyse cloud…
Serves B2B organisations using AWS, Azure or GCP, particularly FinOps, sustainability, IT leadership and compliance teams seeking cloud sustainability data and GreenOps training.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 7% CAGR over 3y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides software and managed services for global indirect tax compliance. Platform automates sales tax, VAT and GST registration, calculation, filing and remittance, integrating with e‑commerce and…
Serves B2B eCommerce, SaaS, tech and marketplace businesses, including Shopify-led brands and global companies, with founders, CFOs, accountants and operators as key buyers.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 134% CAGR over 2y
Location
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops software platform for private capital firms to manage fund and deal operations, including cap table tracking, waterfall calculations, investor reporting, document management, compliance…
Serves private capital firms and related law firms, targeting fund investment, legal, finance, audit and compliance teams, plus portfolio company managers and limited partners involved in private…
Financial Health
StableStable
Location
Goldilock Secure Limited
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops cybersecurity hardware and software that physically connects or disconnects networks and devices from the internet. Provides network connection controllers and remote management technology…
Serves enterprise and public-sector cybersecurity, network and operational resilience teams, especially in critical infrastructure, OT, defence, security and organisations managing sensitive digital…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 141% CAGR over 3y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a contract management service that collects, organises and maintains digital repositories of business contracts. Processes uploaded agreements, extracts key data, and creates searchable…
Serves B2B legal and procurement teams, including general counsel, legal directors, legal managers and heads of procurement, in organisations managing contract repositories.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 50% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides embedded finance APIs and infrastructure enabling developers and businesses to build financial products such as savings accounts, deposits, cards, lending products and B2B payment systems,…
Serves B2B customers including fintechs, banks, consumer brands and digital platforms, targeting developer and product teams building embedded banking, lending, payments and credit products.
Financial Health
WeakWeak
Location
TRC SPACE LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides software platform for hardware engineering teams to manage requirements, system architecture, traceability and testing, with AI tools to generate design models, automate test scripts, and…
Sells to B2B engineering teams developing complex hardware, especially automotive, aerospace, space, defence, drone, manufacturing, propulsion and energy organisations with cross-functional systems…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -3% CAGR over 4y
Location
Onetag Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a programmatic advertising platform that curates and filters ad inventory for demand‑side platforms. Uses AI and contextual data to shape traffic, optimise bidding, and connect advertisers…
Serves B2B programmatic advertising buyers, including marketers, advertisers, agencies and DSP users, as well as digital publishers in the open internet ecosystem.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 82% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides flexible funding products for small and medium-sized businesses, including revolving credit facilities and debt consolidation lines. Offers tools and resources such as performance…
Serves UK SMEs and founders of growing businesses, with partner channels and introducers also addressed for referrals and business support.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 43% CAGR over 4y
Location
HYDREGEN LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops biocatalyst technologies for chemical manufacturing, enabling hydrogenation and redox reactions using biological catalysts instead of heavy metals. Provides slot‑in systems designed to…
Serves B2B chemical manufacturers and process development teams using existing hydrogenation or redox biocatalysis infrastructure, from early-stage hit identification through scale-up, with relevance…
Financial Health
StableStable · -44% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides software tools for client due diligence and financial data analysis, including ID verification, source‑of‑funds checks, bank statement scanning, open banking data collection, and…
Serves B2B professional services firms, including law, accountancy, insolvency and compliance teams, that need client financial checks, AML evidence, source-of-funds reviews and affordability…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 36% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops and markets a software platform and tools that help businesses and individuals measure carbon footprints, track ESG metrics, purchase carbon offsets, and support climate projects, alongside…
Serves businesses seeking ESG and carbon-footprint support, including food and drink, professional services, venues, events, e-commerce, financial services, leisure and tourism, media, private…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -12% CAGR over 4y
Location
MINDFLICK LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops a digital psychometric platform that assesses mindset and behavioural traits to support team performance and leadership development. Provides profiling tools, personalised insights,…
Serves SMEs, enterprises, leaders, HR and talent teams, coaches, and work teams focused on leadership development, team effectiveness, culture change, employee onboarding, retention, and sales…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 61% CAGR over 4y
Location
Kactus Technologies Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides online revolving credit facilities for businesses, allowing companies to access credit lines up to £350,000 to pay suppliers, purchase stock or equipment, and spread payments over several…
Serves UK businesses needing short-term working capital, including companies funding equipment, stock, bills, expenses, payroll, and international payments, with broker and partner channels also…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 73% CAGR over 2y
Location
SEARCHLAND LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides online software platform for sourcing and analysing land and property development opportunities. Aggregates planning, ownership and market data, with tools for site appraisal, mapping…
Serves UK property and land professionals: developers, land sourcers, land and new homes agents, planners, architects, consultants, energy and utility providers, and commercial real estate or retail…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 88% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides an online professional development platform that combines AI tools, psychometric assessments and human coaches to deliver employee coaching programmes, including live sessions, group…
Sells B2B to HR, people and L&D teams in organisations seeking employee development for whole workforces, managers, high-potential staff and leaders in transition.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 76% CAGR over 2y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops a software platform that provides data, monitoring and financial management tools for physical assets such as vehicles, energy infrastructure and equipment, supporting pay‑per‑use finance,…
Serves institutional funders, asset operators and suppliers in transport, energy, agriculture and construction, including fleet operators, charging and storage providers, hydrogen projects and…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 57% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides digital identity and age verification services using Open Banking data. Offers APIs for customer onboarding, KYC checks, e‑signing authentication, direct debit setup, and pre‑employment or…
Serves UK businesses needing online identity or age checks, including financial services KYC teams, eCommerce and gaming operators, employers, landlords, e-signing providers and platforms subject to…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 7% CAGR over 5y
Location
Open Policy Ltd
Trajectory
5y · 2020–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops and operates a searchable database of policy documents, guidelines and think tank publications, linking them to cited academic research and authors. Provides analytics tools used to track…
Serves academic researchers, research funders and universities, plus government bodies, intergovernmental organisations, think tanks and NGOs involved in policy and research impact.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 90% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops a digital platform that analyses ecosystem condition and supports investment in ecosystem restoration projects. Provides metrics, monitoring and reporting tools, footprint calculators, and…
Targets sustainability and finance teams at corporates, investors, and landowners or landholders with interests in nature-positive commitments, ecosystem restoration and natural capital.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 63% CAGR over 2y
Location
Sense Workplace Limited
Trajectory
2y · 2024–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsDevelops HR management software for businesses, including tools for employee records, payroll, recruitment, absence and leave tracking, and performance management. Provides time and attendance…
Serves UK-based businesses with deskless, field-based, shift and multi-site workforces, including HR, payroll, compliance and operations teams in offices, factories, warehouses, hospitals, shops and…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 286% CAGR over 1y
Location
Sourcerie Ltd
Trajectory
4y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsProvides a customer insights and research platform that enables consumer brands to run product tests, surveys and feedback studies using their own customer communities or external panels, supporting…
Serves product, marketing, CRM and brand teams at modern consumer brands on Shopify, especially DTC retail and CPG businesses developing, positioning and launching consumer products.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · Hiring · 14% CAGR over 3y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops loan management software for lenders. The platform supports loan origination, servicing, portfolio monitoring, covenant tracking and investor reporting, tailored for property finance such as…
Sells to B2B specialist lenders, particularly bridge and development finance providers, property finance firms, and SME lenders offering business loans, leasing, and equipment finance. Targets…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 6% CAGR over 3y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops a digital control‑of‑works software platform used on high‑risk industrial sites. The system manages permits, safety briefings, inspections, registers and tasks, providing real‑time…
Serves B2B organisations running major high-risk projects, especially in construction, utilities, nuclear and defence, targeting site operations, health and safety, compliance teams, and contractor…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 22% CAGR over 2y
Location
Trajectory
2y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsProvides software for managing workforce compliance, training records, certifications, and safety communications. The platform centralises skills and HSEQ data, monitors expiring credentials, sends…
Sells to businesses and public sector organisations with complex, distributed workforces, especially in construction, manufacturing, FMCG, energy, home services and public services. Targets HSEQ…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 22% CAGR over 1y
Location
Tich Limited
Trajectory
3y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops an AI‑driven platform that aggregates job opportunities, matches candidates to roles, automates applications, and integrates skills training tools and financial services, enabling users to…
Targets UK job seekers, unemployed candidates and career-changing professionals seeking support with applications, interview preparation, upskilling, offers, relocation and work-related finance.
Financial Health
StableStable · 3% CAGR over 2y
Location
MEDOVATE LIMITED
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops and commercialises medical devices in partnership with clinicians and the NHS. Evaluates clinical ideas, manages product development, regulatory approval and market launch, and produces…
Serves clinical inventors, NHS partners and healthcare organisations globally, including anaesthetists, critical care teams, endoscopy and surgical units, urology clinicians and veterinary users.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · -14% CAGR over 4y
Location
TENDED LTD
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops geofencing and positioning technology for high‑risk worksites. Provides wearable devices and software that create virtual safety zones, track worker and equipment location, and trigger…
Serves B2B and public-sector organisations in high-risk industries, especially rail infrastructure operators, contractors and construction firms with teams working on or near live worksites.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 8% CAGR over 4y
Location
ACTSURE LIMITED
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops software for universities that manages compliance with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, providing digital workflows to log cases, assess legal obligations, record…
Sells to UK higher education institutions, especially university compliance, governance and legal teams responsible for freedom of speech duties and reporting to the Office for Students.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -5% CAGR over 2y
Location
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops a fintech mobile app offering faith‑based personal finance tools, including spending accounts, savings goal sub‑accounts, transaction monitoring that flags payments to certain companies, and…
Serves UK consumers seeking values-aligned, faith-based personal finance, particularly Muslims who want to manage money without interest and align spending with ethical or religious beliefs.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 147% CAGR over 3y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops a cloud-based geospatial collaboration platform that enables teams to upload, process and share mapping data, aerial imagery, and 2D/3D site models, with tools for map annotation, asset…
Serves B2B and public sector teams using geospatial data, including mining, construction, utilities, facilities maintenance, government, consulting, insurance and drone services, across GIS,…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 5% CAGR over 2y
Location
Supercritical Solutions Ltd
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops hydrogen production technology aimed at zero‑emission energy applications. Designs and commercialises electrolysis systems for generating green hydrogen for industrial processes such as…
Serves industrial B2B customers in hard-to-decarbonise sectors, including whisky and drinks production, ammonia/fertiliser manufacturing, mining and natural resources companies seeking green hydrogen…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 50% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
5y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a cloud-based compliance and workforce management platform that digitises staff training, incident reporting, audits, policy distribution and employee records, enabling HR, operations and…
Sells to businesses needing workforce compliance and safety management, especially HR, operations, health and safety, and compliance teams in multi-site, manual-work, regulated or paper-based…
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -59% CAGR over 4y
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsDevelops cloud software for finance teams that consolidates data from multiple Xero, QuickBooks and other accounting systems. Provides tools for group financial reporting, intercompany…
Sells to B2B finance teams, group finance directors, accountants and bookkeepers managing multi-entity organisations that use Xero, QuickBooks or Pennylane.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 15% CAGR over 2y
Location
My Emissions Ltd
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides a carbon accounting software platform for food and hospitality businesses. Calculates company and product greenhouse gas emissions, including Scope 3 from procurement data, and generates…
Serves B2B food and drink organisations, including wholesalers, caterers, restaurants, pubs, hotels, manufacturers, brands, producers and event operators, particularly ESG and sustainability teams.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 12% CAGR over 2y
Location
Venari Security Limited
Trajectory
4y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsDevelops a cybersecurity platform that discovers and inventories cryptographic assets across systems, identifies cryptographic risks, monitors certificates, and supports organisations in preparing…
Serves UK and EU organisations with complex IT environments, targeting security, compliance and executive teams responsible for cryptographic risk, audit readiness and post-quantum security planning.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · -4% CAGR over 3y
Location
Talentdesk Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2021–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides a cloud-based platform for managing freelance and contractor workforces, including onboarding workflows, vendor and task management, project tracking, and automated payments to freelancers…
Serves B2B organisations that rely on freelancers, contractors and vendors, including tech, consulting, agency, media and e-learning companies, across operations, finance, HR, legal and creative…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy
Location
Trajectory
3y · 2023–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides an online invoice financing platform for small businesses, allowing companies to upload customer invoices and receive immediate cash advances, then repay the advance when the customer pays…
Serves UK small businesses and SMEs that invoice commercial clients and face cash-flow gaps from delayed payment. Also targets accountants and partner platforms supporting SME finance.
Financial Health
DistressedDistressed · 75% CAGR over 1y
Location
Orpheus Software Ventures Limited
Trajectory
5y · 2018–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops software platforms for the insurance industry, particularly travel and car insurance. Provides microservices-based systems supporting online sales, customer service, claims processing,…
Serves insurance businesses and distribution partners in travel and car insurance, especially direct-to-consumer and B2B2C insurers operating in the UK, Australia and New Zealand markets.
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 11% CAGR over 6y
Location
Screenloop Ltd
Trajectory
5y · 2022–NowFinancial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsDevelops applicant tracking software with AI tools for recruitment. Platform manages job pipelines, interview scheduling, scorecards, candidate evaluation, analytics and hiring workflows, helping…
Serves in-house talent acquisition and HR teams at start-ups, SMEs and growing companies, particularly businesses scaling their hiring operations.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -18% CAGR over 4y
Location
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How UK startup companies work and how to sell to them
What they do
Startup revenue models are usually still being tested, even where trading evidence is visible. B2B firms tend to begin with founder-led sales, paid pilots, usage-based fees, licence subscriptions or managed service retainers. Marketplaces take a commission or transaction fee once there is enough supply and demand to justify the operating effort. Consumer-facing startups more often rely on subscriptions, payments, embedded finance or service margins. Pricing is often provisional at first: a low-friction entry point to prove adoption, followed by a move towards annual contracts, tiered seats or volume-linked pricing once customers show repeat usage.
Who they sell to
Most startup sellers target buyers that tolerate some product risk in return for speed, specialist functionality or lower entry cost. SMB and mid-market customers are common for workflow software and data services, with founders, finance leads, operations heads, CTOs and product leaders often acting as the first economic buyers. Enterprise and public-sector sales tend to require more references, security evidence, procurement checks and implementation support. Self-serve channels suit narrow tools with clear user demand; direct sales and partner-led routes are more common where integration, compliance or business-process change is involved.
What they buy
Most startup firms tend to spend first on the operating stack needed to sell, ship, hire and report without building large internal teams. Common purchases include customer relationship management, billing, payments, accounting, payroll, HR administration, analytics, cloud hosting, cyber security, legal support, audit, tax, recruitment and sales development services. Product-led startups may also buy design, user research, data infrastructure, testing, observability and customer support tooling. Regulated startups add compliance advice, monitoring, policy documentation and evidence management. Buying is often pragmatic: tools that reduce founder workload or help a small team meet customer due-diligence requirements get attention sooner.
Why and how to sell to them
Startup buyers tend to evaluate vendors when informal processes start to break: sales pipelines become harder to track, finance needs cleaner reporting, security reviews slow deals, or hiring creates more managerial overhead. Funding events, first senior finance or operations hires, a move from pilots to annual contracts, and preparation for regulated activity can all create budget. Outbound works better when it is specific to the firm’s stage and buyer role rather than framed as general growth support. Messages that show a path from manual work to auditable process, shorter sales friction or clearer unit economics usually fit the way these teams make purchasing decisions.
How this list is built
Data sources
This list is built from UK Companies House filings, XBRL accounts data, and semantic analysis of each company's public website. Revenue and headcount figures come from the most recent filed accounts; where the company has not filed, values are estimated using a model trained on filed history and peer benchmarks and are labelled as estimates.
Classification
Rather than relying solely on SIC codes, Firmbase classifies each company semantically: the company's website is crawled, an AI model reads what the company actually sells, and the company is placed into the relevant industry and subsectors. SIC codes are used as one signal but not the only one. This means a company that registered under a generic SIC code but pivoted into (for example) fintech is correctly identified as fintech, not as its original SIC category.
Freshness
The underlying company data is refreshed from Companies House continuously; filings appear in the list within days of submission. The curated list ordering is regenerated when the underlying data moves meaningfully (company count changes by more than 5%, a new company enters the top-ranked segment, or the filed-revenue numbers for the top firms change). You can see the last-updated timestamp near the top of the page.
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