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. Nobody’s Child shortlisted for four Drapers Awards
London-based womenswear brand Nobody’s Child has been shortlisted for four awards at November’s Drapers Awards.
Founded in 2015 by Andrew Xeni, the fashion brand is led by CEO Jody Plows.
Headquartered in London, Nobody’s Child has a global retail presence, with its collections stocked in more than 300 partner stores worldwide. It also operates seven standalone boutiques across the UK, including several in prominent London locations.
The brand has been shortlisted in three categories, with two nominations for Best Marketing Campaign:
- Retailer of the Year
- Womenswear Brand of the Year
- Best Marketing Campaign: The Louise Thompson Edit – Spring Styles Designed for Everyone, Perfected for Petite
- Best Marketing Campaign: Nobody’s Child x Materra – In Our Hands
Meanwhile, sister company Fabacus has been shortlisted for Tech Innovator of the Year.
The Drapers Awards will take place on November 11 at Old Billingsgate in London.
2. Innov8 Technology boss among UK’s most ambitious leaders
Carl Maher, founder and managing director of Stockport-based Innov8 Technology, has been named one of the UK’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2026.
The LDC Top 50, created by private equity investor LDC in partnership with The Times, celebrates the ambition and achievements of exceptional entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the UK.
Founded in 1997, Innov8 Technology has grown into an established Sage partner, with offices in Stockport, Tankersley and Pocklington.
Carl Maher, founder and managing director of Innov8 Technology
Maher said: “To be recognised in the LDC Top 50 is a real honour, but it is also recognition of the people around me. Innov8 has grown because of the team, our customers and the partners who have been part of the journey.
“Our focus has always been on helping businesses move forward with the right technology and the right support and that will continue into the future.”
3. Has THG finally turned a corner?
Matthew Moulding’s THG enjoyed a good week following the publication of its latest quarterly results.
The Manchester-headquartered eCommerce group’s share price surged to 35.44p – a rise of more than 36 per cent from 26.04p on October 1 and its highest level since April 2026.
Group revenue grew by almost one per cent to £408.8m in the third quarter to September 30, 2026, but it was the improvement in profitability that really caught the eye.
Growing momentum prompted THG to upgrade its full-year adjusted EBITDA forecast to £103m – ahead of both market consensus and its previous guidance.
The group also confirmed it remains on track to deliver its first year of positive free cash flow since its 2020 IPO, forecasting between £25m and £35m for FY26, in line with market expectations.
It may be premature to suggest THG has turned a corner, particularly when it comes to its share price, but there are genuine grounds for optimism.
The wholesale price of whey, a key ingredient in Myprotein products, has fallen significantly in recent weeks, although it remains elevated by historical standards.
THG is also awaiting an update from HMRC on a potential £60m VAT repayment relating to protein and collagen powders, following a protracted legal dispute over the tax treatment of protein products.
4. Fuse Energy boss: ‘I still interview every engineer’
Fuse Energy might be valued at $5bn, but co-founder and CEO Alan Chang has revealed he still personally interviews every engineer looking to join the business.
Chang, who founded the company in 2022 alongside fellow former Revolut executive Charles Orr, believes founders who don’t interview prospective recruits have ‘already given up on quality’.
Chang, who has more than 40,000 followers on LinkedIn, said: “A founder who doesn’t interview every engineer has already given up on quality.
“I still interview every one. If they pass, I offer on the spot. No ‘we’ll be in touch’.
“I also walk them through the business plan myself. The numbers, the projections, the bets we’re making.
“They’re committing the next few years of their career to Fuse. The least I owe them is a straight look at what they’re joining.”
However, Chang’s hands-on approach to recruitment divided opinion among his LinkedIn followers.
5. £400m activewear brand Adanola teams up with Hailey Bieber
Manchester-based activewear brand Adanola has unveiled its latest collection in collaboration with US model Hailey Bieber.
The launch adds another high-profile name to Adanola’s growing list of celebrity collaborations, following its partnership with model and influencer Kendall Jenner in 2025.
Founded in 2015 by Hyrum Cook, Adanola was valued at £400m last year after securing a significant minority investment from US-based private equity firm STORY3 Capital Partners.
Hailey Bieber has partnered with Adanola
The latest collection draws inspiration from Bieber’s love of dance and her 12 years of ballet training.
Cook said: “She has a huge influence on style and culture, but also a genuine connection to movement and wellness.
“We’ve wanted to work with her for a long time, and her ballet background gave us a meaningful and authentic starting point for the collaboration.”
6. $50m-backed Summize recruits LegalTech veteran Alex Kelly
Manchester-based LegalTech company Summize has appointed experienced entrepreneur and Brightflag co-founder Alex Kelly as a board adviser.
A qualified lawyer, Kelly co-founded legal software company Brightflag in 2014 and served as its chief operating officer, helping scale the business before its acquisition by Wolters Kluwer.
Alex Kelly is working with Summize
His appointment follows Summize’s $50m (£40m) Series B funding round earlier this year.
Summize founder and CEO Tom Dunlop said Kelly’s experience of building an international LegalTech business made him an ideal fit for the company’s next phase of growth.
Summize provides AI-powered contract lifecycle management software and has a growing presence in the US, including offices in Boston and San Diego.