2021 has seen a record amount of tech investment pour into the UK’s startups and scaleups.
However takeovers, stock market flotations, investigations and entrepreneurs continue to fascinate our readers.
In January, our interview with Dominic McGregor – ‘Life after Social Chain’ – proved immensely popular. Later in the year, the launch of his new Fearless Adventures fund with fellow entrepreneurs David Newns and Charlie Yates was also widely read.
In February we published The Crypto Rich List: Who are the world’s richest people in cryptocurrency? following Tesla boss Elon Musk’s cryptocurrency bet and the rapid rise of Bitcoin. A new market of readers have also followed our 7am daily crypto price updates with interest in recent months.
A £40m+ deal for North West cloud telephony firm Mission Labs – snapped up by a listed provider of communications software – was the best-read story in March.
In April, our interview with MoonPay’s Ivan Soto-Wright on the future of crypto and creating a fairer financial ecosystem took off. At the forefront of the revolution, the CEO explained how he is widening access to cryptocurrencies with one of the world’s fastest-growing companies.
‘They promised us flying cars’ is a gripe which can no longer be uttered after we reported in June on AirCar. Science fiction is moving closer to reality after the flying vehicle, which then transforms into a sports car in three minutes, completed its first inter-city flight.
In August, we reported how Monzo faced an FCA investigation into potential breaches of financial crime regulations. The digital bank’s accountants also said there was ‘material uncertainty’ over its future
following losses of £115 million.
However by December Monzo had secured $500m in fresh funding, taking its valuation to $4.5bn, after reporting a doubling of revenues in 2021.
Also in August, our interview with SysGroup boss Adam Binks and his plans to ‘shake up Manchester’ was read widely in the North West. Binks highlighted a ripe opportunity to become chief culture-driven business in UK’s second largest tech city.
In September, there was the revelation that flagship London-listed Warrington-based automation firm Blue Prism had agreed a £1.1 billion private equity takeover by Vista following a shareholder revolt earlier in the year. However shareholders would ultimately reject the ‘undervalued’ offer from the US private equity firm and instead opt for a £1.2bn sale to American FinTech SS&C Technologies.
Down in Cambridge, September also saw the news that Darktrace was among the latest firms to join the FTSE250 index after its valuation rocketed following IPO.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget revealed tech skills investment, R&D changes, space industry funding and a cash pot for regional angel investors. Our report on the reaction of the tech sector was widely read.
BusinessCloud’s flagship innovation rankings saw readers flock in their tens of thousands to find out about the most exciting UK companies creating original technologies in a variety of sectors.
The 2021 FinTech 50 led the way but thousands also tuned in for rankings in InsurTech, SportTech, TransportTech, PropTech, HealthTech, MedTech and RegTech.
Thank you to all our readers in 2021. Stay safe, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.