UK Tech World: 7 Startups that Broke the Mould
From London to Edinburgh, the UK is a home to a great number of innovative businesses which have become wave-makers in their niche.
If we talk about the startup niche of the UK in numbers, we say:
- 12.4 billion GBP in five months;
- over 1 million business enterprises only in London;
- 66 Unicorn events* starting 2010, with 22 Unicorns emerging in 2021.
Today, we'll look closely at the seven UK startups which shook up the market and became leaders thanks to their innovative ideas different from everything made before. Healthcare, fintech, AI, e-commerce, retail – you'll find a bunch of exciting ideas and technology implementations.
*A unicorn startup is a privately held company with a valuation of 1 billion USD or higher, usually due to significant venture capital funding. The term "unicorn" was first used by Eileen Lee, venture capitalist and founder of Cowboy Ventures, in an article for TechCrunch.
As Lee says, startups that have achieved such success are as hard to find as a unicorn, and this is where the term comes from.
The 7 UK Startups that Broke the Mould
Babylon Health
Founded in 2013 by Ali Parsa.
Digital-first health service provider.
Unicorn.
Babylon Health is famous for its innovative approach to healthcare available through a mobile app and web platform. It gives users access to virtual consultations with doctors, health assessments, personalised health advice, appointment booking, prescription ordering, and medical records. The company has been backed by high-profile investors such as Kinnevik, Alphabet, and Google's parent company. It has partnered with the UK's National Health Service (NHS) to bring its digital health services to a broader audience.
The game-changing feature of BabylonHealth is its AI-powered symptom checker. Patients can enter their symptoms and receive an immediate assessment of their condition, along with recommendations for the next steps, such as booking a virtual consultation with a doctor.
Checkout.com
Founded in 2010 by Guillaume Pousaz.
International financial technology company.
The most valuable European fintech startup.
Checkout.com provides a comprehensive payment processing platform that supports multiple currencies and payment methods, including credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and digital wallets. The platform is designed to ensure businesses can process transactions quickly and securely, even during high demand periods.
One of the company's advantages is customised payment solutions tailored to individual business needs. Companies can develop a payment strategy that aligns with their goals and considers the individual challenges and opportunities related to their industry and customer base.
Deliveroo
Founded in 2013 by Will Shu and Greg Orlowski.
Online food delivery company.
Unicorn.
"Food. We Get It," – says the Deliveroo website. This delivery company has a taste for food and makes its delivery process as smooth as the freshest smoothie.
The Deliveroo platform allows customers to order food from local restaurants via a website or mobile app. The company also partners with a network of delivery riders who pick up the food from a restaurant and deliver it directly to the customer's doorstep. Deliveroo uses advanced logistics technology to ensure food is delivered quickly and in the same high-quality condition as if eaten in the restaurant.
Deliveroo has developed a range of tools to improve customer experience. For instance, their recommendation engine suggests new restaurants based on the order history, while a subscription service offers unlimited free delivery for a monthly fee.
Graphcore
Founded in 2016 by Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles.
Semiconductor company.
Unicorn.
Graphcore's flagship product is the Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a specialised microprocessor designed specifically for machine learning and other AI applications. The IPU is highly parallelised and optimised for complex AI computations, making it significantly faster and more efficient than traditional processors. The IPU supports various machine learning models and applications, including natural language processing, computer vision, and reinforcement learning.
Graphcore also provides a comprehensive software platform called Poplar, designed to make it easier for developers to program and deploy AI applications on the IPU.
IPUs have been well-received by the global AI community. Many of the world's largest technology companies and research institutions use Graphcore solutions to accelerate their operations.
Improbable
Founded in 2012 by Herman Narula and Rob Whitehead.
Metaverse technology company.
Unicorn.
Improbable is famous for the SpatialOS platform, a cloud-based distributed computing system enabling developers to create complex immersive environments optimised for thousands of players or AI entities simultaneously.
The platform supports various game engines and programming languages and provides tools and libraries to help developers build and enhance their virtual worlds.
Improbable has received significant investment and recognition from the technology industry, including partnerships with leading companies like Google, Microsoft, and Unity. SpatialOS has been used to create several high-profile games and simulations and can potentially transform a wide range of industries with its innovative approach to distributed computing.
Anything World
Founded in 2018 by Gordon Midwood and Sebastian Hofer.
AI-powered platform to build 3D experiences.
Has all the potential to become a unicorn.
The Anything World team has combined machine learning algorithms and over 600,000 3D models to bring any of them to life. The innovative animation system allows you to create detailed rigging for static 3D models and add animation. You can build a virtual house, develop a new game, or create a unique art installation.
What might impress you the most is unlimited animated assets provided in real time. Thus, any creator can use Anything World to bring ideas to life and animate them without the hassle of 3D animation tools where everything has to be done manually. The platform also allows users to monetize their creations by selling them on a forum or generating revenue from advertising.
With Anything world, you can experience unbelievable things online. For example, you can connect your device with VR heads and explore undersea life without expensive equipment.
HeyGo
Founded in 2020 by John Tertan and Liam Garrison.
Virtual tour platform.
Just give it some time ;)
HeyGo is a live-streaming platform that connects users with expert guides in various locations worldwide. Guides give users virtual tours across landmarks, historical sites, and cultural attractions, providing insights and commentary along the way.
Virtual travellers can access HeyGo tours from anywhere in the world using a computer, smartphone, or tablet. They can choose from a range of options, from walking around a city to visiting historical landmarks or cultural attractions. HeyGo also offers themed tours related to food, art, and even ghosts.
Users can interact with a guide in real time, asking questions and getting personalised recommendations for places to visit or things to do in the area. It creates an immersive and engaging experience, almost as if the user was actually there in person.
To Conclude
From innovative solutions in healthcare and finance to revolutionising the way we consume food and travel across the globe, these companies and platforms have shown that there is no limit to those driven by passion, determination, and willingness to take risks.
You can achieve anything you chase by constantly pushing the boundaries and challenging conventional thinking. These startups pave the way for future entrepreneurs to follow and inspire other businesses to innovate.
Don't be afraid to take an unknown path and better find a reliable tech partner for your journey. Our team can always become one!