Sponsors
J.P. Morgan is a global leader in financial services, providing comprehensive, scalable solutions in investment banking, commercial banking, financial transaction processing and asset management. Committed to being the leading bank for the innovation economy, J.P. Morgan and its bankers across the globe, provide venture-backed and high-growth companies with specialized services, access to a robust professional and venture capital network and money-management solutions. With tech that powers growth, J.P. Morgan gives the agility needed to make secure, real-time, efficient decisions. Build your future with J.P. Morgan.
Rothschild & Co is one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory groups. Our team of 4,600 talented financial services specialists on the ground in over 40 countries across the world, deliver a unique global perspective across four market-leading business divisions, advising on M&A, strategy and financing, as well as investment and wealth management.
Our Global Advisory business offers impartial, expert advice to large and mid-sized corporations, private equity, families and entrepreneurs, and governments. We design and execute strategic M&A and financing solutions for our clients and act as a trusted partner, taking a long-term and independent view on the challenges they face.
Gracechurch Group is a full-service communications agency in the financial heart of London. Our team of over 20 highly qualified consultants deploy 25 years of strategic and hands-on expertise and knowledge to ensure public and privately held companies thrive in the modern media landscape. With a fully integrated approach, we provide a wide range of services from financial PR and investor relations to corporate and digital communications and social media. Our clients include privately held businesses and those listed on the LSE, NASDAQ, TASE, ASX and other global bourses and operating across multiple sectors. A thorough understanding of our clients’ businesses along with a strong commercial ethos helps us to create value and empower our clients through strategic communications.
Heidrick & Struggles is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, serving the senior-level talent and consulting needs of the world's top organisations. In our role as trusted leadership advisors, we partner with our clients to develop future-ready leaders and organisations, bringing together our services and offerings in executive search, diversity and inclusion, leadership assessment and development, organisation and team acceleration, culture shaping and on-demand, independent talent solutions.
Heidrick & Struggles Technology Practice has placed thousands of candidates: from technology executives at some of the world’s best-known companies to emerging leaders at later-stage start-ups. Our broad experience across industry and functional practices, combined with our unrivalled relationships, provides a unique advantage point for finding and developing transformational talent.
www.heidrick.com/en/industries/technology
Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of executive search more than 70 years ago. Today, the firm provides integrated talent and human capital solutions to help our clients change the world, one leadership team at a time.® www.heidrick.com
Teneo is the global CEO advisory firm able to offer a unique blend of advisory capabilities in an integrated fashion. In Technology, we excel in four disciplines:
In our Management Consulting division, a team of >100 strategy consultants across London, New York, San Francisco and Dubai serve a range of leading publicly listed and private-equity-backed technology firms on topics of growth strategy, product strategy, operating model redesign, pricing & packaging, and commercial diligence.
In our People Advisory division, we have a market-leading capability in Executive Search for C-level roles – typically for private-equity-backed technology assets – alongside expertise in culture & purpose and organisational effectiveness/performance.
Teneo’s Strategic Communications division helps technology clients tackle their biggest corporate reputation challenges. Our team brings together the disciplines of corporate communications, government affairs, crisis & issues management, investor relations, and research in an integrated approach to provide clients with unparalleled business counsel and tactical communications support around the world.
Teneo's global Financial Advisory business advises corporates, creditors and other financial stakeholders in all situations – from well-performing to stressed. Our market-leading UK team is involved in some of the highest profile situations across restructuring, transformation, insolvency & bankruptcy, capital and transaction services
Edison Group is a content-led IR business operating in all major capital markets. With our unique approach integrating analyst content, digital targeting and investor engagement, we have a proven history of increasing liquidity and valuations for our clients. By building bigger, better informed and more engaged audiences, we help our clients stand out in the marketplace.
ECI is a leading growth-focused private equity firm, investing alongside ambitious management teams in deals valued up to £300m. With half a century of investment success in the tech sector, ECI have partnered with over 250 growth businesses, offering management teams hands-on support to unlock growth opportunities together from day one. ECI delivers exceptional results with the last 12 months seeing an average return of 4.7x from 4 exits.
Recent investments have included Commify, the European leader in business messaging solutions to local enterprises and ISMS.online, the fastest growing cyber security and compliance provider in the UK. ECI recently closed its latest fund, ECI 12, at a hard cap of £1bn in September 2023.
At PwC, we’re committed to maximise business value and growth through technology innovation and digital transformation.
Bringing together our community of solvers in unexpected ways, we help clients solve their most important problems by combining human ingenuity with the right technology to build trust and deliver sustained outcomes.
It all adds up to The New Equation.
https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/technology.html
PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details.
Berenberg is one of the leading UK & Pan-European privately owned banks, founded in 1590. Its Investment Banking division acts as trusted strategic adviser to companies and investors on fundraising, capital markets and M&A. Operating from 14 offices across the UK, Europe and the US, we have helped our corporate clients raise more than £85bn through +400 transactions since 2016.
Launched in May 2022, Boardwave is an independent social enterprise that has grown rapidly to 1,500 members across the European software industry, including Founders, CEOs and their Investors.
For a generation, Silicon Valley’s collaborative community has fostered some of the world's most valuable companies. Committed to creating similar conditions for success, Boardwave aims to propel the European software industry forward, nurturing the next generation of global leaders.
Boardwave provides a comprehensive ecosystem of support, offering leaders access to expertise, knowledge sharing, mentoring, and coaching, thought leadership, and personal development free of charge. It also facilitates access to capital and ensures a clear and unified voice to Governments.
We believe that by 2033, the European software industry can transform from laggard to leader, with many successful global players built in the region.
Boardwave is privately funded by a consortium of over 80 of Europe’s leading investors and service providers in the software sector.
Founders Forum Group is a global community and group of businesses supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journeys.
Its forums unite the world’s most influential founders, investors, corporate and government leaders to tackle era-defining questions in iconic locations across the globe.
Since 2019, Founders Forum has partnered with Informa Tech to celebrate the strength and diversity of UK tech through London Tech Week.
Fuelled by the connections and ideas forged at the group’s flagship events, FF Group businesses support the needs of today’s founders via services (Founders Keepers, Founders Law, Founders Makers, Miroma Founders Network, Founders HR, Founders Comms, Founders Health), education (01 Founders), investment (Founders Factory, firstminute capital), networking (Grip, Founders Assistants), philanthropy (Founders Pledge, The Centre for Entrepreneurs,) and content (Founders Insights). In 2021, the group sold its innovation strategy consulting firm, Founders Intelligence, to global consultancy, Accenture.
Last year, FF Group acquired Tech Nation, the UK’s leading growth platform for tech scaleups. Founders Forum Group continues the previously government-funded Tech Nation programmes centred around early-stage and diverse founders, as well as data-driven research into the UK's tech ecosystem.
Awards
covering the period 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024
shortlist announced
Click on each award to view more information
tech deal of the year award
Sponsored by:
tech commentator of the year award
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scale up award
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tech for good award
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tech investor award
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best use of tech in the digital economy award
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tech growth business of the year award
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tech businesswoman of the year award
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tech innovation of the year award
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tech CEO of the year award
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tech company of the year award
Voting panel
Meeting: Thursday 26 September 2024
Ian Restall
Kerry Baldwin
Heba Bevan OBE
Harry Chathli
Kath Easthope
Nezahat Gultekin
Georgie Hazell Kivell
Fatima Iu
Josh Keen
Elona Mortimer-Zhika
Gareth Murfitt
Tim Nixon
Philippe Noel
Nik Ohri
Helena Prokhorenko
Dr Mark Reilly
Dan Ridsdale
Julie Simmonds
Ellie Steel
Ben Tickler
Skyler Ver Bruggen
Mark Whitmore
Rosh Wijayarathna
Ian Restall
Kerry Baldwin
Heba Bevan OBE
Harry Chathli
Kath Easthope
Nezahat Gultekin
Georgie Hazell Kivell
Fatima Iu
Josh Keen
Elona Mortimer-Zhika
Gareth Murfitt
Tim Nixon
Philippe Noel
Nik Ohri
Helena Prokhorenko
Dr Mark Reilly
Dan Ridsdale
Julie Simmonds
Ellie Steel
Ben Tickler
Skyler Ver Bruggen
Mark Whitmore
Rosh Wijayarathna
Ian Restall
Kerry Baldwin
Heba Bevan OBE
Harry Chathli
Kath Easthope
Nezahat Gultekin
Georgie Hazell Kivell
Fatima Iu
Josh Keen
Elona Mortimer-Zhika
Gareth Murfitt
Tim Nixon
Philippe Noel
Nik Ohri
Helena Prokhorenko
Dr Mark Reilly
Dan Ridsdale
Julie Simmonds
Ellie Steel
Ben Tickler
Skyler Ver Bruggen
Mark Whitmore
Rosh Wijayarathna
Shortlist review
Read more about this year’s shortlisted companies by selecting an award below. Further award categories will be published in due course.
tech deal of the year award
sponsored by Rothschild & Co
The 2024 shortlist:
Darktrace plc
Cambridge-based Darktrace is a pioneer in AI cybersecurity. The group has revolutionised autonomous cyber defence and has been a stand-out business in the UK tech landscape for more than a decade.
In October this year, leading software investment firm Thoma Bravo announced the completion of an all-cash acquisition of Dartrace, valuing the group at approximately $5.3bn. The offer represented a premium of 20% over Darktrace’s closing share price of 517p, which was the last trading day prior to the announcement. The acquisition enables Darktrce to pursue further scale and innovation for its next stage of growth.
IRIS Software Group Limited
IRIS Software Group provides industry leading business critical software solutions and services to manage core business operations. The group is based in Slough and is a regular on the shortlist at the UK tech awards.
In December 2023, amidst ongoing challenging market conditions, IRIS signed one of Europe’s largest software transactions The group secured a co-controlling investment from LA-based private equity firm, Leonard Green & Partners, who invested alongside existing long term investors Hg Capital and Intermediate Capital Group. This fund raising round gave Iris an enterprise value of approximately £3.15bn. The deal more than doubles IRIS’ £1.3bn valuation, cited in 2018, and supports the group’s ambition to expand and scale its North American operations.
Monzo Bank Limited
London-based Monzo is a digital bank offering a mobile app for managing money, budgeting, and saving. The group was one of the earliest of a number of new app-based challenger banks in the UK.
In March this year, Monzo announced that it had raised £340m in a funding round to help boost its expansion plans. This was closely followed by a further fundraise in May 2024 of $190m, boosting Monzo’s total funding this year to $610m and raising the value of the business to $5.2bn post-money, making the group one of the most valuable digital banks in Britain. Earlier this month, Monzo also announced it was launching a secondary share sale that is set to increase the group’s value even further.
Raspberry Pi Holdings plc
Cambridge-based Raspberry Pi is a leader in low-cost, high-performance computing used by engineers and enthusiasts across the world. The group created The Raspberry Pi foundation to widen access to computing through the availability of low-cost computers.
Raspberry Pi listed on the LSE Main Market in June this year. The group raised £166m in a significantly oversubscribed IPO, giving the business a market cap of £541.6m, a total that has since increased to over £800m since the start of trading. Demand for the stock has been significant and the group’s shares increased by more than a third on the first day of trading.
Revolut Group Holdings Ltd
Headquartered in London, Revolut is a digital banking app that offers a range of financial services. The group is among the top digital-only financial providers for regular travellers and those sending money overseas.
In August this year, Revolut secured a $45bn valuation in a share sale by employees, cementing its status as Europe’s most valuable start-up. This valuation is more than a 20% jump on the group’s 2021 valuation of $33bn, achieved when raising cash from investors including Vision Fund and Tiger Global Management.
Wayve Technologies Ltd
London-based Wayve is the leading developer of Embodied AI technology for automated driving. The group’s advanced AI software and foundation models for autonomy enable vehicles to perceive, understand, and navigate any environment, enhancing the usability and safety of autonomous driving systems.
In May this year Wayve announced a $1.05bn Series C investment round led by SoftBank Group, with contributions from new investor NVIDIA and existing investor Microsoft. This is the largest known investment in an AI company in Europe to date, and helps the group accelerate its mission to reimagine autonomous mobility through embodied intelligence.
scale up award
sponsored by J.P. Morgan
The 2024 shortlist:
Cera Care Limited
London-based Cera is Europe’s largest provider of digital-first home healthcare. The group is redefining healthcare by moving more and more services out of hospitals and into people’s own homes.
Cera is one of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, having rapidly expanded since it’s launch in 2016. The group’s annualised revenues have grown from £3m to £300m by growing its NHS and local government contracts from just five to 350 in only four years. This growth is reflected in Cera’s workforce, with the group now employing nearly 10,000 carers and nurses, and delivering 2m in-person community visits every month, which is equivalent in capacity to almost 100 hospitals.
ComplyAdvantage Ltd
Headquartered in London, ComplyAdvantage is the financial industry’s leading source of AI-driven financial crime risk data and fraud detection technology. The group’s mission is to neutralise the risk of money laundering, terrorist financing, corruption, and other financial crime.
In April this year, ComplyAdvantage announced its acquisition of Golden, a San Francisco-based innovator automating the construction of one of the world's largest knowledge graphs. The deal strengthened the group’s foothold in North America by delivering an extensive base of US customers and fuelled ComplyAvantage’s significant growth following its expanded client roster.
Finbourne Technology Group Ltd
London-based Finbourne provides investment management solutions and a cloud-native data management platform. The group’s interconnected investment functionality and data management solutions power financial services professionals to make better, faster decisions.
In September this year, Finbourne successfully raised over £100m in a secondary funding round, building on its £55m Series B earlier this year. The investment, led by CommerzVentures and HSBC Ventures, will accelerate Finbourne’s high-growth go-to-market strategy, in addition to expanding its sales, product and marketing capabilities in the US, UK, Ireland, Singapore and Australia.
Fresha.com SV Ltd t/a Fresha
Headquartered in London, Fresha is the leading marketplace platform for beauty & wellness. The platform allows consumers to discover, book and pay for beauty and wellness appointments with local businesses via its marketplace, while beauty and wellness businesses use an all-in-one platform to manage their entire operations.
Fresha has quickly established itself as the world's largest beauty and wellness software marketplace. The group has translated its platform in to 14 languages, which has fuelled its global expansion and has delivered 70% revenue growth year-on-year, compared to the average SaaS growth of 20%. Fresha has raised $185m in total in venture capital to help deliver further rapid expansion.
Immersive Labs Ltd
Bristol-based Immersive Labs is a leader in people-centric cyber resilience. The group’s tailored approach to cyber skills development continuously assesses, builds, and proves cyber capabilities, whilst keeping teams ahead of an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Immersive Labs is trusted by the world’s largest organisations and governments, including Citi, Pfizer, Humana, HSBC, USPS, the UK Ministry of Defence, and the UK National Health Service. The group achieved ARR CAGR growth of 50% over a 3 year period, with organic expansion into 13 countries with customers in over 35 countries. Immersive Lab’s organic growth has been fuelled by VC investors Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Summit Partners, Insight Partners, Citi Ventures, Ten Eleven Ventures, and Menlo Ventures.
Quantexa Limited
Quantexa is an innovative global tech firm, based in London. The group is highly experienced in helping organizations across a variety of industries solve some of their biggest business challenges with data and AI.
In April last year, Quantexa completed its Series E funding round. The latest investment round secured the group’s unicorn status with a valuation of £1.5bn and accelerated the execution of its growth strategy within the $500bn Decision Intelligence space. The group also completed its first acquisition last year of an award-winning provider of AI-based risk and market intelligence solutions, which further accelerated Quantexa’s growth plans.
Rovco Ltd t/a Beam
In September this year, Rovco and Vaarst merged, creating a new brand, Beam. Based in Bristol, Beam is a leading deep technology company, using AI and autonomy on robotic ships and underwater robots to service offshore wind farms.
Beam is changing the way its industry operates, moving it from a low margin 20-30% model to a high margin 60-70%+ automated business model with AI at its very heart. The group now holds contracts in over 90% of the USA’s operational windfarms, has operated in over 70% of the UK’s windfarms, and is rapidly growing in Europe. Rovco/Beam has raised $38.5n in total over 9 rounds of fundraising and is backed by Foresight, L&G and Equinor.
Charity
In 2023, the UK tech awards was delighted to support two charities, BCCS and Tech She Can. The total amount raised, which was split equally between these charities, was:
£14,383
BCCS provides highly professional and well‑supported Social Workers and Counsellors to help children and young people who are in need.
BCCS works in the East End of London and Essex with children, young people and their families and schools to help them overcome emotional difficulties, behavioural problems and their root causes. The prime focus of the work is to provide an early intervention service to enable them to address difficulties that may be impeding their educational, social and emotional development.
Tech She Can is a charity on a mission to change the ratio of women in tech. Our vision is for women to be equal members in creating and developing the new technology businesses, products, and services that shape our world, ensuring technology works for all.
Tech She Can works together with industry, government, and schools to improve the ratio of women in technology roles by enriching education and influencing change.
