UK Startup Ecosystem 2015 Review

by Startacus Admin

November

• Mass Challenge names the winners of its UK accelerator, with the Boston based programme giving £500K to 14 British startups.

• Virgin Media launched its new accelerator programme in association with seasoned pros Techstars.

• The number of self-employed people in the UK began to rise once more following a 7 month decline.  As of November some 4.55m people were self-employed in the UK.  

• The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement included unwelcome cuts to business growth support.

• The Maserati 100 Awards which celebrate entrepreneurs giving back to the next generation of Startups opened for nominations.

• Reward based crowdfunding platform Crowdfunder, launched its own crowdfunding campaign to raise £1m.

• TechHub teamed up with BT Sport to find the next generation of tech startups working to disrupt sports media and production.

• International venture development studio Venturespring, in collaboration with Tech.London and IBM Bluemix launched the Smart City Startup Challenge, a competition for ideas and startups which improve urban life. (The competition is still open for entries!)

• Big Issue Magazine announced a new scheme whereby vendors in some areas of Central London will now sell coffee as an extra means of income and employment training.

• Telecommunications giant telefonica launched the first ever UK healthtech accelerator.

• The UK launch of Amazon’s innovation marketplace ‘Launchpad’ saw huge media coverage across the country.

• Innovative Global mapping solution what3words raised $3.5m to continue it’s mission to bring an address to every corner of the globe.

• The annual, and much anticipated entrepreneurial event Pitch @ the Palace, which takes place in St James’ Palace was won by 3D-printed knitwear innovation Unmade.

• UK marketplace Lexoo, which matches UK SMEs with legal professionals on-demand  raised $1.3m investment.

December

• The UK sees sales of £623m on its annual Small Business Saturday.

• Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) launched a new 12-week incubator programme for startups working in cyber security, internet of things, or artificial intelligence. Applications are open until the 3rd of January.

• The World’s largest accelerator Mass Challenge announced that it will be opening a new programme in Switzerland, its second European location after the UK.

• Early stage startup accelerator Startupbootcamp received $2.5m investment from global tech company Cisco.  

• UK DIY tech education startup ‘Technology Will Save Us’ which helps to get children excited about technology secured £1.2m in venture capital funding.

• Innovative gambling technology which helps betters assess the success rates of tipsters received 6 figure investment.

• A UK startup revealed that it uses Tinder to recruit staff.

• The network of online student newspapers ‘The Tab’ raised almost £2m to help it crack the US market.

• Wayfindr App which helps the visually impaired to navigate their way around the built environment received $1m in support from Google.

• Startacus HQ invited the winners of our weekly self starter awards to pitch to become our self starter of the year.
  
  
  

  
  
  

Startup Founders, Entrepreneurs & Creatives - Here are some of the reasons why you should join Startacus - The Self Start Society.

Brands & Startup / Business Services - Here are some ways you can work with Startacus to help us on our mission.

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Published on: 29th December 2015