Tech Nation has launched this year’s Upscale programme, designed to support scaleups on the road towards raising Series B investment.
Half of this year’s cohort are headquartered outside London, showcasing the contribution and economic vibrancy early-stage companies bring across the regions, with cities like Sheffield, Manchester, and Edinburgh being notable scaleup hubs.
Upscale 2024 will focus on overcoming scaleup-specific challenges, with expert-led workshops on themes such as: building and managing larger teams, expanding into new markets, and managing increased financial complexity.
Participants will also benefit from peer-to-peer support and access to a wide network of successful entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, policy makers and investors via Founders Forum Group’s global network.
All participants will be founders and C-suite members of UK-headquartered scaleups – defined as companies with 20% month-on-month growth, and either £5m+ series A funding or £1.5m-5m revenue.
Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Founders Forum and Tech Nation, said: “Upscale is designed to support founders of our highest potential scaleups to unlock economic benefits the length and breadth of the UK.
“The path from Series A to B offers a unique set of challenges – whether that’s regional expansion, an increased product range, or growing a larger team – and we will support them through this transition to grow and scale their businesses.”
Tessa Clarke, co-founder and CEO of Olio, an Upscale alumni, said: “Quite simply, it’s the best scaleup programme around. It’s an incredibly well thought-through format, and is an unparalleled learning and networking opportunity – not only for the founders, but also for the whole senior leadership team. I can’t recommend it highly enough.”
The 2024 cohort
Aegiq
Designs and builds high-performance quantum photonics hardware for communications and computing applications
Antavo
Providing best-in-class technology to manage experience-based, paid, and lifestyle loyalty programs online, in-store, or on mobile
Aveni
Using the latest in AI to automate and innovate, empowering businesses to achieve exceptional productivity and compliance outcomes
Cadro
Innovative WealthTech solutions for client acquisition, financial planning, portfolio management, and digital brokerage
Carmoola
Motoring fintech start-up which helps car buyers calculate their budget in 60 seconds
Emperia
Virtual Reality Platform for Art, Retail & Fashion
Enthuse
Our donations, fundraising and event reg tech puts your charity centre stage, letting you focus on your campaigns, supporters, and beneficiaries
Focaldata
AI-powered platform gives clients and our internal teams the ability to 10x their output and ensure insight can power better decisions and faster growth
Fuuse
A charge point management platform that is designed to maximise the value of electric vehicle (EV) chargers
Gravity Industries Ltd
Making human flight a reality
Kuberno
Global entity governance
Little Journey
Little Journey aims to support all children to better health through data-driven, personalised care
Material Evolution
Material Evolution empowers the industrial sector to build a better climate future, for today & tomorrow
Mission Zero Technologies
Developing technology to efficiently recover CO2 from the atmosphere
Mopo / Mobile Power Ltd
A pay-per-use battery technology company delivering sustainable energy to individuals and businesses across Africa
Nu Quantum
A quantum networking start-up building the entanglement fabric essential to scaling quantum computers
Passion Fruit
Platform to find vetted, flexible, quality marketing talent
Puraffinity
The Smart Adsorbent Materials Company for sustainable water solutions
Qflow
Reducing project carbon and supporting sustainable construction
Summize
Contract Lifecycle Management software that embeds contract workflows and AI
Surf Security
The work environment built for the modern enterprise
tepeo
A cleaner alternative to your existing boiler that doesn’t release any pollution directly and stores heat at the greenest times
Virtual Internships
The only platform that guarantees real-world work experience across the globe
Xapien
Fully automated on-demand research on any person or company in the world, in minutes, not days
Zedify
Sustainable delivery solutions
Zeti
Revolutionising transport finance for good