As part of a weekly series, BusinessCloud is highlighting updates from some of the companies featured in our Founder 250 list.
The UK-wide list celebrates 250 of the country’s best founder-led and founder-influenced businesses.
RSM UK is the headline sponsor of Founder 250, alongside law firm CG, property specialist OBI and investor Mercia Ventures.
1. Could GLAS go public?
Mia Drennan, founder of GLAS, has spoken of her ‘dream’ to take the London-based FinTech public – although she has no plans to do it just yet.
Earlier this year, GLAS reached unicorn status when it secured strategic investment from Oakley Capital and La Caisse in a £1bn+ deal.
She recently attended the London Stock Exchange with The Superscalers as one of the few UK female founders to scale to over £115m+ revenue.
Writing on LinkedIn, she said: “I always had a dream to take public one day. Whilst there is no plans or certainty that will happen, the London Stock Exchange is still a great place to do it.”
2. Francis celebrates Gymshark milestone
It’s now five years since Ben Francis returned as CEO of Gymshark.
He took over the hotseat at the cult fitness community and apparel brand in August 2021 from Steve Hewitt and hasn’t looked back.
Highlights of the last five years have included opening flagship stores in London and New York, as well as the small matter of receiving his MBE from Prince William.
3. Why 13 is lucky for some
Talking of anniversaries, happy 13th wedding anniversary to Kieran and Emily Harris, founders of Senior Stairlifts.
The company was founded in 2019 and has grown to £5.4m turnover and 43 employees.
Happy anniversary: Kieran and Emily Harris, founders of Senior Stairlifts
The happy couple celebrated their anniversary with a night at Rudding Park and dinner at the Michelin-starred Fifty Two.
They’re a couple going up in the world.
4. Applied Nutrition set to smash forecasts
Liverpool-based sports nutrition, health and wellness brand Applied Nutrition expects FY26 adjusted EBITDA and revenue to be ahead of market expectations.
The group also expects further growth in FY27, ahead of market consensus.
The firm was founded by fitness enthusiast Thomas Ryder and went public in October 2024.
It will reach the magic £1bn valuation mark if and when its share price reaches 400p. It currently stands at 320p.
5. Mr Mobile celebrates birthday with podcast
As group MD of Mazuma Mobile and data erasure specialist ICT Reverse, Craig Smith oversees a business group with a combined turnover of £50m.
Happy birthday: Craig Smith marked his 55th birthday with an appearance on The Naked Founder podcast
Last week, he marked his 55th birthday with the gift that money can’t buy – an appearance on BusinessCloud’s The Naked Founder podcast!
Special mention for Simon Mellin, founder of The Modern Milkman, who has just turned 40 and is being lined up for an appearance on The Naked Founder.
6. REFY channels Dragons’ Den
What theme do you choose for a strategy day when one of your founders is a Dragon on Dragons’ Den?
Aneeb Bani is the finance director at REFY Beauty – which was co-founded by Jenna Meek – and he organised a Dragons’ Den-themed away day.
Writing on LinkedIn, he said: “Three teams, 90 minutes, three brands built from scratch – name, products, imagery, marketing plan, full P&L and a funding ask. All built with the AI tools we’ve invested in, pushed to max power. Weeks of work done in 90 mins, by a finance team. Finance touches every department, so we should understand every department. Days like this are how we get better at it.”
Meek’s two-word reaction was: “Love it.”
7. Bright future for Urfuture
It was a big week at Urfuture, which was founded by Tom Keighley, Jayel Williams and Holly Hobbs.
The HR startup is on a mission to replace CVs and job boards with tech solutions for the AI era.
Last week, Urfuture became the fifth most downloaded business app, ahead of Zoom and just behind Indeed, Teams, LinkedIn and WhatsApp.
Williams said: “I literally had to pause to take it in for a second. These are some of the biggest brands in the world with enormous teams, budgets, reach and resources but we have something money can’t buy. Grit. Innovation. Authenticity and three incredible individuals who don’t just understand the audience we’re trying to reach, they are that audience.”
8. Atom Bank founder tipped to be replaced as CEO
The CEO and co-founder of Atom Bank seems set to be replaced in the coming weeks.
Mark Mullen co-founded Atom as Britain’s first digital-only bank with Metro Bank founder Anthony Thomson in 2014.
Following what it called ‘pre-IPO’ funding rounds in previous years, this summer the North East firm worked with advisers at Jefferies on a sale process which attracted interest from several private equity firms and at least two building societies.
It had hoped that the auction would value it at between £600m and £1bn, but no firm bids were received and it was abandoned in June.
Sky News reported that Mullen is expected to be replaced on an interim basis by Andrew Marshall, the company’s CFO.