Tech Nation

⭐️ Our recent Future Fifty events brought together some of the UK's most ambitious founders to tackle the real challenges of scaling high-growth companies. Tech & Product Breakfast with Martin Eriksson  We explored critical questions, including: How do you scale systems, teams, and processes together? When should you transition from a founder-led to a customer-led roadmap? This intimate session showcased exactly why our smaller, focused gatherings create such valuable conversations. CEO Dinner in partnership with Evelyn Partners featured a fireside chat with Michael Acton Smith, CEO of Calm Michael's fireside chat delivered insights that left us with plenty to think about, including: 👉 Burnout: building companies takes decades, you can't sprint the entire journey, so treat your mental and physical health like your business depends on it – because it does.  👉 Industry veterans don't always fit Scale-ups. Experienced senior execs may look impressive on paper, but they don't always thrive in fast-growing companies. Michael called this a "very expensive lesson". Thank you to everyone who joined us and to Martin Eriksson and Michael Acton Smith for sharing their wisdom so generously. #ItTakesATechNation Evelyn Partners | Brent Hoberman | Carolyn Dawson | Johnny M. | Ellie Steel | Charlotte Harris |

🌟 A successful exit is the ultimate goal for many founders, yet the path to achieving it is rarely discussed. Our latest Upscale US Exit Dinner with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, dived into the practical realities behind that journey. The discussion covered everything from building relationships with potential strategic acquirers early on, to the importance of strong financial hygiene and accounting systems from day one, and how board dynamics can ultimately shape an exit outcome. A huge thank you to Ross Davies and Michael Labriola (Partners at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati) and Husayn Kassai (Founder, Quench.ai and long-time ecosystem champion in the mentor to the UK tech ecosystem), for expertly unpacking the key considerations, challenges, and opportunities that help founders navigate their exit journeys. Yasmine Messaikeh | Ellie Steel | Charlotte Harris | #ItTakesaTechNation

📹 From the Future Fifty Forum to your feed: Here’s Ryan Edwards, founder of Audoo, on building, scaling, and his best founder advice. He’s part of the Future Fifty 2025. Read all their stories 👉 Download the Future Fifty Report: https://lnkd.in/eQPfrMqH #ItTakesaTechNation Ella Ross Russell | Demi Crook | Marco De Novellis | Imogen Granger | Johnny M. | Ellie Steel

The State of Asian Funding UK Report is here! Led by our friends at Bae HQ, this landmark report shines a light on an underdocumented part of the UK startup ecosystem - combining funding data with unique community insights to set a new baseline for progress. Packed with recommendations to help policymakers and the wider ecosystem drive real change. 📊 Dive into the findings: https://lnkd.in/ehh2NtwT

What makes a strong company culture, and how do you protect it while scaling fast? 🚀 From hiring at speed, to embedding values in distributed teams, to the pivotal role middle managers play in shaping culture… these were just some of the big questions explored at our #FutureFifty Chief People Officer dinner last week. A huge thank you to Adam DeSanges, Ben Tang-Watts, and Michael Convery from Emerald Technology for hosting and sparking such an insightful conversation. 🙌 #ItTakesATechNation Johnny M. | Ellie Steel | Ailsa Taylor Mealings | Imogen Granger | Demi Crook

Yesterday, we brought together the #Upscale 10.0 CFOs for an afternoon of open conversations on the evolving role of finance in scaling companies. Our panel, expertly moderated by Steve Leith, featured Tatiana Okhotina (Token.io) and Ruth Jakobsen (Envisics), who shared their experiences navigating the shift from reporting to strategy, building high-impact finance teams, preparing for fundraising, and shaping international expansion. A big thank you as well to James Peck for sharing insights on tax considerations for fast-growing scaleups. Conversations like these remind us how vital it is for scaleup CFOs to have a trusted peer network as they take on one of the most demanding roles in the business. Cooper Parry | Yasmine Messaikeh | Ellie Steel | Charlotte Harris  | Ailsa Taylor Mealings | Johnny M. | Demi Crook |

🤝 DEAL OR NO DEAL? The hidden risks that could tank your funding round. You've built an incredible business. Growth is flying, your team is firing on all cylinders, and investors are circling. Then due diligence hits... and suddenly they're asking questions you didn't see coming. Here's the thing: it's rarely the numbers that spook investors. It's the business risks lurking beneath the surface. Luckily, Founders Law and Capsule Insurance have run through the most common deal-killers 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjUUnmTw

🚀 Last night, we officially launched Upscale 2025 with our brand new cohort of the UK’s most exciting Series A companies. A highlight of the night was the fireside chat with Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank (Future Fifty alumni), who shared invaluable insights on scaling Allica into the UK’s fastest-growing company. The conversation left our Upscale founders with tangible takeaways to fuel their own scaling journeys. Thank you to our programme partners Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, HSBC Innovation Banking and Cooper Parry. It was exciting to see our founders connect and share their journeys, marking the beginning of a strong community within our 10th Upscale cohort. Here’s to an exciting year ahead for our Upscale 2025 founders as they continue their scaling journeys. 💡 Carolyn Dawson | | Yasmine Messaikeh | Ellie Steel | | Imogen Granger | Ailsa Taylor Mealings | Demi Crook | Charlotte Harris | Daniel Glazer | Harry Thomas #Upscale2025 #ItTakesATechNation

⭐️ Introducing the 2025 Upscale Cohort ⭐️ Today marks the official launch of this year’s Upscale programme - a jam-packed journey for some of the UK’s most exciting Series A scaleups. This year’s cohort has raised a total of £293m in equity funding, and has a total headcount of 837, with 7 of the companies headquartered outside of London. This cohort includes graduates from our Climate and Rising Stars programs. Say hello to the 2025 cohort - a group of game-changing companies, each pushing boundaries in their fields: 🚀 Capi Money – Fast & secure international payments for importers in Africa. 🚗 Caura –  Payment platform for all things car. 💳 Currensea – The UK's premier multi-bank debit card platform. 📦 Finmile –  AI-powered logistics platform. 📊 Gener8 – The future of consumer insights. ♻️ Greyparrot – Waste analytics platform. 🤝 Grip – AI-powered, event technology platform built for engagement. 📱 Honest Mobile – The next generation of mobile network. 💡 Juice – Providing founders the capital & confidence to achieve growth. 🏡 Just Move In – Home & financial services, simplified. 🌍 Kamma – Helping real estate & government turn climate data into action. 🐾 Lupa – AI Native Operating System for Vets. 🏋️ MAGIC AI – the World's First AI Personal Trainer. 🪨 Origen – Limestone-based direct air capture 🌬️ Rensair – Cut carbon, costs & pollutants with ventilation technology. 🚌 RideTandem | B Corp™ – Fully managed workplace transport, at scale.  🧬 Roslin Technologies – Superior cells for the production of cultivated meat. 🍔 Sessions – Original food, delivered to wherever you are.  🌱 Shellworks – The natural evolution of plastic. 🧳 Stasher – Global platform for luggage storage. 🥽 Strolll – Clinically-validated rehabilitation software with AR glasses. ⚡ Supercritical – Marketplace to secure high-quality carbon removal. 👨⚕️ TORTUS – An AI Assistant for Every Doctor. 🌿 Xampla – Using plants to create materials that change the world. 💳 Zeal – Turning card machines into customer growth engines. Congratulations to all 25 companies! For more information on the cohort, click here: https://lnkd.in/ebM5B5EB Thank you to our programme partners Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, HSBC Innovation Banking and Cooper Parry.  #Upscale2025 #ItTakesATechNation Carolyn Dawson | Yasmine Messaikeh | Ellie Steel | Johnny M. | Imogen Granger | Ailsa Taylor Mealings | Demi Crook | Charlotte Harris

Last week, we hosted our bi-annual #FutureFifty CFO lunch, where we discussed the shifting role of the CFO, how to balance growth with sustainability, and the value of having peers providing sanity in uncertain times. As always, a huge thank you to our Future Fifty CFO partner S&W and their amazing team for hosting and guiding the discussion Terry Shephard, Emily Berry (née Sharland), Laura Hayward. Johnny M. | Ellie Steel | Charlotte Harris | Ailsa Taylor Mealings