BigChange joins Future 50, the flagship programme from Tech City UK
7 March 2018
We’re very excited to announce that BigChange are joining Future Fifty in 2018.
The Future Fifty programme from Tech City UK has chosen a new cohort of 26 late stage companies and we can’t wait to work with them all.
Future Fifty gives 26 fast-growing companies immediate access to a valuable peer network; expert-led classes and workshops designed to take their businesses to the next levels; and a higher profile amongst the wider tech ecosystem. Future Fifty companies represent some of the country’s most exciting growth stage tech businesses, while changing the sectors that they operate in fundamentally.
In numbers:
The 26 late-stage companies this year are joining a larger network of Future Fifty companies and alumni, now totalling 126.
Of those that have been through the programme since 2014, Future Fifty’s track record now includes:
- Five IPOs on the London Stock Exchange
- 23 M&A’s of which 7 in the last year, including MatchesFashion.com (acquired $1bn), JustGiving (acquired $120m) and Shazam (acquired $400m).
- Over $5.5bn raised in funding, including $1.7 billion in 2017
- The companies have created 27,000 jobs around the world, demonstrating the extent to which tech is rapidly creating jobs and wealth throughout the UK, and have offices in 59 countries
- A string of alumni companies that are household names including Just Eat and Zoopla.
Parveen Dhanda, Programme Lead for Future Fifty at Tech City UK, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome 26 new exceptional high- growth companies onto the Future Fifty programme for 2018, and to welcome back 24 of last year’s experienced participants. The Future Fifty class of 2018 includes companies from right across the UK, operating in sectors as diverse as cutting-edge fintech solutions, and innovative music hardware. But all these companies face common challenges in scaling their teams and operations, and share an ambition to build world-beating global digital businesses.”
“The Future Fifty will get access to some of the world’s leading innovators and experts in the form of our advisors and partners, and join a powerful network of the UK’s fastest-growing late-stage digital businesses, working to grow further, faster, together.”
Gerard Grech, CEO, Tech City UK, commented:
“In the tech sector, small and growing businesses are providing high-quality jobs, employment to more than a million people and great career paths. Future Fifty helps 50 of the UK’s most promising businesses to accelerate their growth and shows how Tech City UK, soon to be Tech Nation, can connect ambitious people and companies across the country.”
“By sharing knowledge and expertise Tech Nation can help these exciting businesses build faster and compete on the world stage. The prize for backing ambitious tech companies is huge: average salaries are almost £51,000, 44% higher than the average non-digital salary and the digital tech turnover of the UK is now worth £170bn and increasing all the time.”
Margot James, Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries, said:
“Congratulations to all those selected to join this fantastic scheme which aims to help some of the UK’s brightest and most innovative digital businesses expand. We’re working hard to make the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business, filled with high-skilled, well-paid jobs of the future.”
Statistics:
- 31% companies based outside London
- 15% companies with female founder/co-founder
- Average companie age: 8 years
- Average revenues per year: £24.4m
- Average number of employees: 142
- 69% Business to Business companies
- 15% Companies addressing both consumer/ business markets
- 15% Consumer facing companies
- 11% Female board members
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