Top 100 London Startups to Watch in 2026
London's startup scene is a global leader, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence and financial technology. The city is home to a mix of established players and new companies attracting significant investment.
Companies like Checkout.com and Monzo have each secured $1.8 billion in funding. Meanwhile, newcomer Nscale, founded in 2024, has already raised $1.7 billion for its AI cloud platform.
Below is our list of 100 London startups worth keeping an eye on.
Failory's Top 10 Picks
Nscale has developed a full-stack AI cloud platform specifically for running enterprise-scale workloads. Their system provides the specialized GPU and telecommunications infrastructure required to power demanding AI applications.
| Year Founded | 2024 |
| Founders | Donald Morrison, Josh Payne |
| Funding Amount | $1.7B |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series C |
| Top Investors | NVIDIA, Blue Owl, Point72, Nokia, Fidelity |
Nothing designs consumer electronics, including smartphones and audio products, with a focus on stripping away complexity. Their products are recognized for a unique transparent design and an emphasis on making technology feel more human and intuitive.
| Year Founded | 2020 |
| Founders | Akis Evangelidis, Carl Pei, David Sanmartin Garcia |
| Funding Amount | $446.1M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series C |
| Top Investors | EQT Ventures, Quiet Capital, Tiger Global Management, Highland Europe, Tapestry VC |
Tide provides a business financial platform that helps small and medium-sized enterprises handle banking, invoicing, and accounting. Their all-in-one solution is designed to streamline administrative tasks for business owners.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | George Bevis |
| Funding Amount | $442.2M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Private Equity |
| Top Investors | TPG, Speedinvest, LocalGlobe, Creandum, Goodwater Capital |
Checkout.com offers a global payment processing platform that helps businesses manage online transactions and navigate the digital economy. Their technology provides flexible solutions for enterprises to accept more payment methods, manage fraud, and optimize revenue.
| Year Founded | 2012 |
| Founders | Guillaume Pousaz |
| Funding Amount | $1.8B |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series D |
| Top Investors | Franklin Templeton, Insight Partners, Endeavor Catalyst, Coatue, Ribbit Capital |
Monzo created a digital bank centered around a user-friendly mobile app that helps people better manage their spending and savings. They provide a transparent approach to banking with innovative features like instant spending notifications and easy-to-use savings pots.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Gary Dolman, Jason Bates, Jonas Huckestein, Paul Rippon, Tom Blomfield |
| Funding Amount | $1.8B |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Secondary Market |
| Top Investors | General Catalyst, Accel, Stripe, HSG, Y Combinator |
Signal AI offers an external intelligence platform that uses AI to synthesize data from media, social, and regulatory sources. Their service provides decision-makers with crucial insights for managing risk, tracking competitors, and understanding public perception.
| Year Founded | 2013 |
| Founders | David Benigson, Miguel Martinez, Wesley Hall |
| Funding Amount | $101.6M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series D |
| Top Investors | LocalGlobe, Highland Europe, Mercuri, Frontline Ventures, Kreos Capital |
CRED has developed an intelligent hub that connects a business's internal systems with predictive AI. The platform processes real-world signals to help sales and marketing teams discover and pursue new growth opportunities.
| Year Founded | 2023 |
| Founders | Anthony Meir, Chaitanya Shah, Jon Carr-Harris |
| Funding Amount | $15M |
| Startup Size | Lean Team (11-50) |
| Last Funding Status | Seed |
| Top Investors | Gaingels, Alumni Ventures, Defy.vc, HOF Capital, BAM Ventures |
Attio has created a powerful and flexible CRM built on a data-first architecture. Their platform uses AI to help go-to-market teams manage their pipelines and build any workflow they need.
| Year Founded | 2019 |
| Founders | Alexander Christie, Nicolas Sharp |
| Funding Amount | $116.2M |
| Startup Size | Mid-Size Team (51-250) |
| Last Funding Status | Series B |
| Top Investors | Headline, Passion Capital, Balderton Capital, Redpoint, 01 Advisors |
Moniepoint built an all-in-one financial platform for businesses, combining payments, banking, and credit tools. They focus on digitizing Africa's economy by equipping merchants with the software they need to manage their finances and grow.
| Year Founded | 2015 |
| Founders | Felix Ike, Tosin Eniolorunda |
| Funding Amount | $233.1M |
| Startup Size | Major Organization (1,001-5,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Corporate Round |
| Top Investors | QED Investors, Lightrock, Novastar Ventures, Endeavor Catalyst, Bossa Invest |
Quantexa builds a decision intelligence platform that helps organizations connect data to uncover hidden risks and find new opportunities. Their platform uses AI to provide a single, contextual view of data, which is primarily used for managing risk and fighting financial crime.
| Year Founded | 2016 |
| Founders | Imam Hoque, Vishal Marria |
| Funding Amount | $545M |
| Startup Size | Large Team (251-1,000) |
| Last Funding Status | Series F |
| Top Investors | HSBC, Warburg Pincus, Accenture, Dawn Capital, BNY |
90 Additional London Startups Worth Following
Our top ten picks are just a glimpse of the activity across London. Founders are busy building new companies in many fields, but especially in AI and fintech.
You'll see a mix of young ventures and more established businesses that are growing fast. Here are the other companies that make London's startup scene one to watch.
| Startup | Industry | Year Founded | Amount Raised | Last Funding Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Paid | AI | 2024 | $32.4M | Seed |
 Wayve | AI | 2017 | $1.3B | Grant |
 TRIVER | Enterprise | 2022 | $120.8M | Debt Financing |
 Ember | Fintech | 2019 | £10.9M | Seed |
 Stability AI | AI | 2019 | $256M | Corporate Round |
 DAZN | Media | 2015 | $5.1B | Private Equity |
 Phasecraft | Hardware | 2018 | $56.5M | Series B |
 Omnea | AI | 2022 | $75M | Series B |
 EvoluteIQ | AI | 2019 | $73M | Private Equity |
 Fyxer AI | AI | 2014 | $40M | Series B |
 Hormona | Healthcare | 2020 | £6.6M | Grant |
 Tottenham Hotspur | Nonprofit | 1882 | £490M | Debt Financing |
 GoCardless | Fintech | 2011 | $529.3M | Venture Round |
 CHARM Therapeutics | AI | 2021 | $162.7M | Series B |
 FNZ | Fintech | 2004 | $5.8B | Corporate Round |
 Castore | Marketing | 2016 | £198.2M | Private Equity |
 Acuity Knowledge Partners | Analytics | 2004 | $600M | Debt Financing |
 Flo Health | Media | 2015 | $275.8M | Series C |
 Isomorphic Labs | AI | 2021 | $601.7M | Venture Round |
 TerraPay | Fintech | 2014 | $259.1M | Debt Financing |
 Granola | AI | 2023 | $67.3M | Series B |
 Multiverse | AI | 2016 | $419M | Venture Round |
 Lighthouse | Analytics | 2012 | $470M | Series C |
 GSMA | Hardware | 1982 | £38M | Grant |
 Tern Group | Healthcare | 2023 | $33M | Series A |
 Vinted | Retail | 2008 | $984.7M | Secondary Market |
 SurrealDB | Data | 2021 | $26M | Series A |
 Quantum Motion | Hardware | 2017 | £50M | Series B |
 Minute Media | Marketing | 2011 | $260M | Venture Round |
 Runware | AI | 2013 | $16M | Seed |
 Elliptic | Crypto | 2013 | $100M | Corporate Round |
 Copper | Crypto | 2018 | $281M | Undisclosed |
 Cytora | InsurTech | 2014 | $41.4M | Series B |
 Archax | Crypto | 2018 | $45.1M | Corporate Round |
 Accelex | Analytics | 2018 | $24.6M | Series A |
 DICE | Marketing | 2014 | $200M | Venture Round |
 Cassava Technologies | SaaS | 2021 | $140M | Venture Round |
 TrueLayer | Fintech | 2016 | $321.5M | Series E |
 BVNK | Enterprise | 2021 | $90.1M | Series B |
 Bite Investments | Fintech | 2018 | $52.6M | Private Equity |
 SumUp | Fintech | 2011 | $4B | Debt Financing |
 Valve | SaaS | 2019 | $4.5M | Seed |
 Artificial Societies | AI | 2024 | $4.5M | Seed |
 Fuse Energy | Energy | 2022 | $100.7M | Venture Round |
 Improbable | Gaming | 2012 | $853.9M | Venture Round |
 Synthesized | Cloud | 2020 | $22.8M | Series A |
 Verto | Fintech | 2017 | $12.4M | Grant |
 Depop | Infrastructure | 2011 | $105.6M | — |
 PerfectTed | Retail | 2020 | $9.3M | Venture Round |
 OneWeb | Mobility | 2012 | $4.7B | Corporate Round |
 ClearScore | Fintech | 2014 | $242.3M | Debt Financing |
 Yoti | Security | 2014 | £46M | Debt Financing |
 MUBI | Media | 2007 | $102.4M | Venture Round |
 Duel | Marketing | 2015 | $21.3M | Series A |
 Fnality International | Crypto | 2019 | $323.1M | Series C |
 Synthesia | AI | 2017 | $336.6M | Venture Round |
 Google DeepMind | AI | 2010 | — | Series A |
 Moneybox | Fintech | 2015 | $211.3M | Secondary Market |
 Boldyn Networks | Enterprise | — | $1.2B | Debt Financing |
 Space DOTS | Mobility | 2021 | $5.1M | Seed |
 Lindus Health | Biotech | 2021 | $79.5M | Grant |
 Starling Bank | Fintech | 2014 | $1.1B | Series D |
 Capital.Com | Media | 2016 | $25M | Series A |
 Ebury | Enterprise | 2009 | $123.5M | Venture Round |
 Yaspa | AI | 2017 | $13.2M | Series A |
 Chip | Fintech | 2016 | £56.4M | Equity Crowdfunding |
 Build A Rocket Boy | Gaming | 2016 | $110M | Series D |
 Alchemab Therapeutics | Biotech | 2019 | $117.6M | Series A |
 THIS | Food | 2018 | $78.4M | Series C |
 Lloyd's | Fintech | 1829 | $395M | Debt Financing |
 Wirex | Media | 2014 | $27.8M | Series B |
 Seabound | Environment | 2021 | $7M | Grant |
 MOVA | AI | 2021 | $1M | Pre-Seed |
 ZILO | Fintech | 2020 | $75.6M | Series A |
 throxy | AI | 2023 | $6.2M | Seed |
 Umony | Fintech | 2017 | $15M | Series A |
 Clyx | Media | 2020 | $14M | Series A |
 Netomnia | Enterprise | 2019 | £948M | Debt Financing |
 Revolut | Fintech | 2015 | $1.9B | Series E |
 Berenberg | Fintech | 1590 | $500M | Private Equity |
 Community Fibre | Infrastructure | 2013 | £1.2B | Debt Financing |
 Concirrus | Enterprise | 2012 | £31.1M | Corporate Round |
 Onfido | Fintech | 2012 | $182.1M | Series D |
 GoodFit | Data | 2020 | $13M | Series A |
 Phoebe | AI | 2024 | $17M | Seed |
 Hidden Road | Fintech | 2019 | $50M | Series A |
 CellPoint Digital | Retail | 2007 | $55M | Venture Round |
 GCEX | Crypto | 2018 | $4M | Venture Round |
 Tangible Markets | Fintech | 2023 | $10.1M | Debt Financing |
 Shop Circle | Retail | 2021 | $285M | Series B |
