Future Fifty alumni include Cambridge-based companies Darktrace and Featurespace and now Tech Nation is looking for startups or fast-growing tech companies that are on the journey to becoming future unicorns. The successful applicants will be revealed in December.
Future Fifty, which was started five years ago, has so far produced 129 companies including six IPOs on the London Stock Exchange.
Upscale’s current companies include: BorrowmyDoggy, Flyt, Zego and ASI Science. The companies are coached by some of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs and tech investors including Brent Hoberman, Saul Klein, Niklas Zennstrom, Lesley Eccles and Wendy Tan White. Altogether Upscale companies have now collectively raised $1.3bn since joining the programme.
Tech Nation writes:
Whether you’re a late-stage tech company or you’re mid-stage, scaling, and on your way to becoming one, we’ve got the programme for you, and applications are open now.
We’re looking for the next generation of UK tech superstars, those companies soon to be household names, and those breaking new ground in innovation right here in the UK. Upscale and Future Fifty are our mid- and late-stage startup support growth programmes, looking to recruit their fourth and seventh intakes respectively.
Join the likes of Skyscanner, Deliveroo, Farfetch, ao.com, Just Eat, Unruly, Transferwise, Crowdcube, Darktrace, Fairsail, RepKnight, The Floow, Monzo, Bulb, Receipt Bank, Cocoon, Kano, Reach Robotics, Streetbees, B-Secur, Trouva, Bloom & Wild and Trussle.
What is Future Fifty?
Future Fifty is our programme for the biggest stars of UK tech. The current cohort and alumni make up a who’s who of pioneering late-stage UK tech companies. Now accepting our seventh intake, so far 129 Future Fifty companies have seen six IPOs on the London Stock Exchange, 29 M&As, with $6.8 billion raised in total from VC and capital markets (London Stock Exchange). This programme has been helping late-stage tech companies become international players since 2014.
Members of the Future Fifty advisor panel include Nick Beighton, Paul Harrison, Sonali De Rycker and Nezahat Guktekin. If you think that your business has what it takes to become the next Deliveroo, Transferwise or Skyscanner, this is for you.
José Neves, Founder and CEO of Farfetch said “It’s a fantastic network of great people and companies. Great support from the Government which is doing a fantastic job in the UK tech industry”.
Charles Wells, former CMO of Just Giving said “I’ve met some of the best tech companies in the UK, some really interesting companies launching in the US.”
What is Upscale?
If you’re mid-stage, scaling fast and have ambitions to be a future Future Fifty company, Upscale could be the support programme for you. Now accepting applications for our fourth cohort, we’re looking to find 30 of the very best scaleups in the UK. We want the unicorns of tomorrow (alumni include Monzo, Improbable, Bulb) plus the companies that are breaking new ground in a variety sectors (like alumni Reach Robotics). Upscale founders and their leadership teams will get access to an unrivalled founder network and peer-to-peer support, access to scaling expertise on hot topics directly relevant to your growth journey and ambition, and ongoing support from Tech Nation.
The 100 Upscale alumni companies have collectively raised over $1.3bn since joining the programme.
Carl Wong, Co-founder and CEO of LivingLens based in Liverpool, said “Upscale has given us the incredibly rare opportunity to learn from leaders and founders on how to solve the challenges we face in our business based upon their own, often very recent, successful deliveries and painful lessons. It has given us an environment where we don’t always have to say everything in our business is 100% perfect, but be honest in a supportive, confidential environment and frankly, reduce our risk of making mistakes!”
While the programme has always been open to companies from across the UK, and we’re delighted to have alumni from all countries and regions of the UK, this year we’re committed to going further. Workshops will be hosted across the UK, and all sessions will be made more accessible than ever to companies outside the capital. Sessions will be run by some of the UK’s best known digital entrepreneurs, with some of the previous 70+ Scale Coaches having included Niklas Zennstrom, Brad Feld, Verne Harnish, Brent Hoberman, Lesley Eccles, Jess Butcher and Saul Klein.
Who should apply?
So how do you get on to these two prestigious, free programmes? Applications open today, and close 14 November (Upscale) and 7 December (Future Fifty).
To qualify for Future Fifty, your business must have:
- Raised Series B or similar, or have £5m net revenue if bootstrapped
- 50% year-on-year growth for the last 2 years
- UK HQ
To apply for Upscale, your business must have:
- Raised Series A or similar, or have £500k revenue if bootstrapped
- High month-on-month growth
- UK HQ
Tech Nation takes no equity stake in the companies selected to join its programmes, so what have you got to lose?
About Tech Nation: Tech Nation is the new organisation to help accelerate the growth of the digital tech sector across the UK. Launched in April, it builds on the past work of Tech City UK and Tech North to make the UK the best place in the world to imagine, start and grow a digital tech business. Its mission is to empower tech entrepreneurs to grow faster through knowledge and connections, to build a UK economy that is fit for the next generation. It does this by running growth programmes, developing digital entrepreneurship skills through its online Digital Business Academy, through its visa scheme for exceptional talent and by championing the UK’s digital sector through data, stories and media campaigns. www.technation.io