Some investors have a knack for spotting future success stories. The latest Sifted Leaderboard reveals the 100 fastest-growing startups across the UK and Ireland — and they’ve attracted serious capital. This year, 953 investors back these rising stars — a 27% jump from 2024.
Among those investors, 125 hold stakes in at least two of these top-performing startups. Notably, 24% are US-based, showing strong American interest in UK startups, while 54% hail from the UK itself. The rest come from countries like Canada, Singapore, China, Japan, and Nigeria — reflecting global attention.
Venture capital dominates the scene, with 45% of backers being VCs. Leading the pack is LocalGlobe, known for its early bets on big names. Meanwhile, 17% are angels, with familiar figures like Tom Blomfield and Charlie Songhurst making the top 10 for their active investments.
The leaderboard also reveals high investor churn. Only 25 of last year’s startups made a repeat appearance, proving just how fast the market shifts. Interestingly, 31% of this year’s investors have at least one startup that appeared on both the 2024 and 2025 lists.
QED Investors, a US fintech giant, pulled off the most dramatic climb. With three fresh investments, it jumped from 385th to 5th place. In contrast, True — with three companies on the list last year — vanished completely in 2025.
Other familiar names like 20VC, Eurazeo, and Partech saw their leaderboard presence disappear after backing two startups each in 2024.
Meet the Power Players: Top 10 Investors Backing UK & Ireland’s Fastest-Growing Startups
1. LocalGlobe (UK) – 7 Startups | Avg CAGR: 142% Renowned for early-stage bets, LocalGlobe tops the leaderboard again. Its portfolio includes Monzo, Multiverse, Wagestream, and Hook. Typical investments range from £500k to £2 million at pre-seed and seed stages.
2. Octopus Ventures (UK) – 6 Startups | Avg CAGR: 227% Octopus climbed higher this year with stakes in Switchee (#3) and Bondaval (#19). Known for backing everything from climate tech to healthtech, the VC now boasts 32 exits.
3. Balderton Capital (UK) – 6 Startups | Avg CAGR: 225% With a $5.7 billion fund and a growing European focus, Balderton strengthened its portfolio. It now backs Lindus Health (#4) and ZOE Health (#32), plus fintech stars like Zopa.
4. Plug and Play (US) – 5 Startups | Avg CAGR: 199% California-based Plug and Play is thriving in the UK, with investments in Sunsave (#14) and Holibob (#25). Known for early-stage deals, it’s active across 15 countries.
5. QED Investors (US) – 5 Startups | Avg CAGR: 154% Specializing in fintech, QED’s aggressive UK push adds startups like Carmoola (#23) and Payhawk (#99). The firm has 31 unicorns in its global portfolio.
6. Tom Blomfield (US/UK) – 4 Startups | Avg CAGR: 375% The Monzo and GoCardless co-founder emerges as the top angel. His picks include Robin AI (#2) and Healthtech-1 (#8) — both in the top 10.
7. Salica (UK) – 4 Startups | Avg CAGR: 296% Focused on healthcare and finance, Salica stands out with investments in Lindus Health (#4) and Abound (#12).
8. University of Cambridge (UK) – 4 Startups | Avg CAGR: 285% Cambridge’s investment arms continue to shine, backing deeptech and biotech stars like bit.bio (#21) and PolyAI (#73).
9. Charlie Songhurst (US) – 4 Startups | Avg CAGR: 264% With 500+ startups under his belt, Songhurst doubles down this year. His picks include Zelt (#10) and Neurolabs (#16).
10. Seedcamp (UK) – 4 Startups | Avg CAGR: 263% A UK VC powerhouse, Seedcamp backs major players like Lindus Health (#4) and Juro (#10). Its portfolio now spans 460+ companies and nine unicorns.
This year’s Sifted leaderboard makes one thing clear — competition among investors is fierce. US giants like QED Investors are raising the stakes, while homegrown firms like LocalGlobe and Octopus Ventures continue to dominate.
With new winners rising and big names dropping off, the 2025 startup race is wide open — and investors are betting big on who will take the lead.
