A new pilot scheme has been launched to accelerate 200 high-growth companies based around the UK.
Ambitious businesses from across Britain are urged to apply for Scale UK Connect to access support from a network of partners across a 12-month period.
The 200 companies will get expert account management and tailored advice on how to expand. The programme will also include new ways to network with fellow founders, investors and major funds, opening up new trade opportunities at home and abroad.
The pilot aims to develop a pipeline of high-growth companies to follow in the footsteps of UK success stories like Quantexa and Synthesia.
The announcement is one piece in a major package of support for entrepreneurs announced in Chancellor John Healey’s Budget, including Founders’ Relief – largely welcomed by the business community – and a step change in how procurement will support UK industry and innovation.
The package aims to address practical barriers founders and high-growth firms continue to face: finding customers, accessing capital, attracting exceptional talent and navigating government.
The Scale UK Connect pilot will be led by growth agency London & Partners. Regional delivery partners include the Manchester Growth Company; the West Midlands Growth Company; TechSPARK in the South West; Tech SY in Yorkshire; and Pathways Forward in Scotland.
Recruitment for the pilot runs from now until January 2027. The cohort launches in February 2027; firms get 12 months of support; and a final report is due in April 2028.
The Government says ambitious businesses are already signalling their enthusiasm. They include Glasgow’s Raven Controls, whose software helps major venues and events respond more quickly to safety incidents; Newcastle-based GeoPura, which replaces polluting generators with portable hydrogen power; and Birmingham’s CyberQ Group, which provides round-the-clock protection against cyber threats.
CyberQ founder and CEO Chris Woods has been active on global trade missions this year and joined BusinessCloud’s roundtable during Birmingham Tech Week last Thursday.
Founded in 2016, it has offices around the world. “This is the city of a thousand trades,” he said of Birmingham. “We’re good at starting businesses. The city’s full of entrepreneurs, full of intelligence, full of sparks, people that want to do things differently. But it’s about helping people that take such a big risk grow to the next stage.
“I’m quite passionate about ‘founders for founders’ – because that’s the only real way you’ll get scaleups. If you see founders that have hit the £2m, £5m, £10m mark then you can ‘be’ that person – and if they’re advising you as well, you’ve got more chance of getting there.
“Making sure we support them, not just with accelerators – but people that have actually got the T-shirt have built multi-million turnover businesses.”
Applications for Scale UK Connect are open to companies until January 2027. The cohort will formally launch in February 2027, followed by 12 months of tailored support.
UK Science Minister Chris McDonald said: “Britain is brimming with entrepreneurial talent that can benefit us all. But those who put their neck on the line to start the businesses behind jobs and growth need to know we’ve got their backs to take their ambitions further.
“Scale UK Connect will do exactly that. We’re giving 200 companies, from all over the country, the expert advice, investor connections and global opportunities they need to grow here, stay here, and create good jobs and growth in every postcode.”
Janet Coyle CBE, managing director at London & Partners, said: “Scale UK Connect will help ambitious businesses find new customers, attract investors, and break into markets around the world. We’ll connect UK entrepreneurs with the right people and opportunities, helping them win overseas business in months rather than years.”
Neil Rami, chief executive of the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “Supporting high-growth businesses to scale up is critical to delivering the ambitions of our West Midlands Growth Plan. These firms drive innovation, boost productivity, and create skilled jobs, helping to strengthen our regional and national economies.
“Through the support available from the West Midlands Growth Company and Growth Hub, businesses will be able to accelerate their growth, reach the next stage of their journey, and contribute to the long-term prosperity of our region.”