Ranking the UK’s Largest Tech Companies
There’s no single way to define startup success—but one solid indicator is how much backing a company has earned from investors who believe in its vision. In this list, we’ve ranked 15 of the UK’s most promising early-stage tech companies based on the total equity investment they’ve secured so far.
You won’t find billion-dollar unicorns like Gymshark or Revolut here, and these companies aren’t yet operating from offices around the globe. Instead, this is a spotlight on high-potential startups that are still in the early chapters of their journey—but already making serious waves.
The company had to meet a few key criteria:
- Be headquartered in the UK
- Be registered and active on the Tech Companies House.
- Be operating at either the seed or venture stage.
- Have raised at least one round of equity funding
We’ve also kept the focus strictly on tech, so companies in media, events, or other non-tech sectors aren’t included.
The level of investment these startups have attracted says a lot. Investors see something special in them—and if you work with innovative tech businesses, these are 15 names you’ll want to keep an eye on.
Bicycle Therapeutics
- Industry: Pharma (yeah, the big leagues)
- HQ: South Cambridgeshire
- Started: 2017
- Cash in the bank: £673 million (not too shabby)
Alright, so Bicycle Therapeutics—these folks aren’t just messing around with test tubes. They’re cooking up these things called bicyclic peptides, which sound super sci-fi but mean they’re developing new medications to fight diseases like cancer. Big stuff.
The whole thing spun out from Cambridge (the university, not just the town with all the punting), and since 2017, they’ve raked in £673 million through seven rounds of investment—plus a cheeky £5.25 million from Innovate UK grants. Not stopping there: they hit NASDAQ in 2019 (ticker: BCYC), pulling in another $60.7 million at IPO. No big deal, right?
Fast forward to 2024: they’re reporting £28.2 million in turnover, but they’re not afraid to splash the cash—£113.8 million went straight into R&D. Investors? Oh, just names like Atlas Venture, Novartis Bioventures, and SR One. They’ve got patents locked down, and, yeah, institutions still hold the majority stake. The bicycle is riding high and isn’t slowing down.
Isomorphic Labs
- Industry: Biotech
- Location: Tower Hamlets
- Year started: 2021
- Raised so far: £464 million (yeah, not pocket change)
So, here comes Isomorphic Labs, crashing onto the scene with its shiny AI-powered drug discovery platform. Picture this: birthed straight outta Google back in 2021, and already sitting on a fat stack—£464 million—after just one funding round in 2025. Alphabet is in, Google Ventures is in, and Thrive Capital too. The big guns.
And they’re not shy about spending, either—£49.1 million was splashed on R&D in the same year. Seventy-one staffers on the payroll, probably living off caffeine and biotech dreams.
Honestly, with that kind of pedigree and cash, it’s no shocker they keep popping up on every “hot companies” list Beauhurst can come up with. Top UK companies with corporate backing? Check. London’s startup darlings? Yep. AI Top 100? You bet. It kind of feels like they’re everywhere these days.
Nothing Tech
- Industry: Consumer electronics hardware
- Location: Camden
- Year incorporated: 2024
- Total raised: £338m
So, there’s this company called Nothing—yeah, seriously, that’s the name. It’s kind of genius, honestly. In a world where everyone’s trying to sound super high-tech or eco-friendly, they just went, “You know what? Let’s call ourselves Nothing.” Pretty bold move, if you ask me. Anyway, they’re tucked away in Camden, which is kind of a funky spot for a high-flying tech startup, but hey, maybe they’re just keeping it cool and different.
Their whole thing is smart consumer electronics—stuff like mobile phones that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie and earphones that probably sound better than your neighbor’s band ever will. They’ve got this sleek, minimalist design vibe going, which fits the whole Nothing theme. It’s like, “We’re not trying too hard, but look how good this looks.” You get the idea.
Now, money-wise, these folks aren’t exactly scraping by. Since launching in 2024, they’ve managed to rake in £338 million. That’s not pocket change. Part of that is a £30 million loan from the Small Business Bank—so, yeah, even the cool kids need a little help with cash flow now and then. But here’s the kicker: their latest equity round brought in a monster £75.9 million. That’s a lot of zeros, and they’re planning to throw it at expanding into the good ol’ US of A. Because let’s be honest, if you’re selling gadgets and you’re not in the States, are you even trying?
Plus, they’re not just sitting on their existing lineup. They’re all about growing their tech portfolio, which means more shiny things for people to obsess over. Whether they’re about to become the next Apple or just another flash in the pan—hard to say. But with this kind of funding and hype? A brand to watch. And hey, if they ever make a toaster, I’m probably buying it, just out of curiosity.
Verdiva Bio
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: Guildford
- Year incorporated: 2024
- Total amount raised: £335m
Verdiva Bio is a biotech company working on new treatments for obesity and other cardiometabolic conditions. In October 2024, the company raised an impressive £335 million in a single equity round, with backing from major investors like RA Capital, OrbiMed, General Atlantic, Forbion Capital Partners, and Lilly Asia Ventures.
Founded in 2024, Verdiva’s leadership team brings deep industry experience, including former senior executives from Gyroscope Therapeutics and MiroBio—two companies that major pharmaceutical players successfully acquired.
CellCentric
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: Uttlesford
- Year incorporated: 2003
- Total amount raised: £248m
CellCentric is a cancer drug developer that spun out of the University of Cambridge, focusing on therapies that target epigenetic regulation—how genes are turned on or off in cancer cells.
Over the years, the company has raised £248 million through 19 equity funding rounds, with recent support from major investors like Avego Bioscience Capital, RA Capital, and BrightEdge. It’s also received four Innovate UK grants totaling £2.45 million and holds six patents granted across 15 countries.
CellCentric was acquired by 5Y Capital in 2016, a move that’s helped accelerate its mission to bring new cancer treatments to patients worldwide.
Apollo Therapeutics
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: Cambridge
- Year incorporated: 2021
- Total amount raised: £248m
Apollo Therapeutics is quietly building something big in the world of biotech. Focused on tackling cancer, inflammatory diseases, and rare conditions, the company is aiming to bring real change to areas where treatment options are still limited.
It started life as a spinout from the University of Cambridge and University College London back in 2016 and officially became a company in 2021. Since then, it’s raised £248 million across just three funding rounds—not a small feat—with support from major names like M&G Investments, Patient Square Capital, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.
In 2024, Apollo brought in £4.86 million in revenue, but more telling is how much it’s putting into research: over £16 million last year alone. The team is in this for the long haul, investing heavily in the science they believe will shape the future of medicine.
COMPASS Pathways
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: Westminster
- Year incorporated: 2020
- Total amount raised: £237m
COMPASS Pathways is taking a bold approach to mental health, using psilocybin—the active compound in magic mushrooms—to develop new treatments for conditions like depression.
Since launching, the company has brought in £237 million across seven funding rounds, attracting support from big-name investors such as RA Capital, Founders Fund, ATAI Life Sciences, and Vivo Capital. In 2020, COMPASS made its debut on the NASDAQ under the ticker CMPS, raising $147 million in its IPO.
Its most recent funding round puts the company’s valuation at £259 million—a strong signal that investors believe in its vision to change how mental health is treated, one breakthrough at a time.
Spur Therapeutics
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- Location: Stevenage
- Year incorporated: 2020
- Total amount raised: £233m
Spur Therapeutics is focused on developing and bringing gene therapies to market for the treatment and prevention of bleeding disorders.
Originally spun out of University College London, the company has raised £233 million across seven funding rounds. Early support came from Syncona Partners and AlbionVC, with later-stage backing from major investors like Novo Holdings and Wellington Management. Spur has also been awarded five Innovate UK grants, totaling £2.45 million.
In August 2020, the company went public on NASDAQ under the ticker FRLN, raising $159 million at the time of its IPO.
Exohood Labs
- Industry: Artificial intelligence
- Location: Tower Hamlets
- Year incorporated: 2023
- Total amount raised: £232m
Exohood Labs provides multidisciplinary R&D services across artificial intelligence, blockchain, renewable energy, and quantum computing. The company has raised £232m in equity funding since incorporation through two rounds backed by Livsquare Capital, which now holds a 20% stake.
Its activities span clinical diagnostics, energy systems, robotics, and space infrastructure, serving clients across the private, public, and third sectors.
