UK's Department for Business and Trade Announces Winners of Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards, Backing Next Generation of Tech Scale-Ups

-- Four tech scale up companies announced as winners of the Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards (UKPA) across innovative categories such as AI and cyber security. -- Programme aims to nurture the world's most talented scale ups within the UK's tech ecosystem and help them establish a base in the UK economy. -- The UK has more unicorns than France and Germany combined and continues to be a prime destination for tech businesses from across the world. LONDON, Nov. 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Four innovative tech scale up businesses tackling challenges from connecting cancer patients to clinical trials, to improving IT systems' resistance to cyber-attacks, have been announced as winners of the Unicorn Kingdom Pathfinder Awards (UKPA) - DBT's largest global awards for tech scale up companies.

The awards, hosted by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), provide a unique opportunity to unearth the most promising businesses in tech and builds on the success of the UK's Tech Rocketship Awards in 2023, which resulted in £67.4 million investment into the UK. 

The government is focused on transforming the UK into even more of a magnet for investors and global businesses of all shapes and sizes. The awards serve as a reminder that the UK is the place to do business, helping to advance further opportunities for investment and growth.

Finalists were drawn from four categories: AI, Cyber Security, Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) technology and Digital Trade Solutions. 

The winners were announced yesterday at LinkedIn's HQ in London, where the 10 finalists pitched to a leading panel of judges from the tech industry. They also heard from entrepreneur Alpesh B Patel OBE in a fireside chat, alongside panellists Envisionit Deep AI and Shopline - two successful businesses that have set up in the UK. 

The winners will also attend a roundtable at No10 to discuss their success at the awards and explore ways in which the UK can maintain its position as a premier destination to grow a business.

Minister for Small Businesses Gareth Thomas said: 

"We have a thriving tech sector worth over $1 trillion, and our Pathfinder Awards are vital in encouraging more tech scale ups from around the world to do businesses here in the UK. 

"Not only does the UK have more unicorns than France and Germany combined, but our country continues to be a prime destination for tech businesses from across the world to come and succeed." 

Winners of the UKPAs will receive a tailored growth programme to scale up their business in the UK, including support from leading industry and government sector specialists and expertise from DBT's Global Entrepreneur Programme.  

Winners: 

-- AI: Massive Bio - an AI-driven platform connecting cancer patients to bio-pharmaceutical clinical trials. The primary goal is for individuals with cancer to be directed to clinical trials tailored almost precisely to their specific condition through accurate and rapid analysis. -- Cyber Security: CyLock- provides a simple solution to test IT systems' resistance to cyber-attacks, facilitating ready-to-implement solutions for clients to overcome cybersecurity vulnerabilities. -- Digital Trade Solutions: Grubtech - empowering restaurants and grocery chains to adopt omnichannel capabilities without the burden of changing core solutions like point of sales. -- Connected and Automated Mobility: Bottobo - specialises in developing robotics solutions designed to streamline industrial processes and enhance operational efficiency. Mainly focusing autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and software platforms revolutionising the way warehouses and distribution centres fulfil orders. Cagatay Culcuoglu, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Massive Bio said:

"It's amazing to win the UKPA award for AI. The UK is a great place to expand globally and for business operations. We are looking forward to building our footprint in Commonwealth nations with the support of DBT and help cancer patients identify the right clinical trials."

Diego Padovan, Chief Executive Officer at CyLock said:

"In cyber security, trust is something that is essential to provide your products. This kind of competition is crucial to building trust with our customers."

Mohamed Hamedi, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Grubtech said:

"It's great to have the UK as a base to accelerate our global expansion. Thank you to DBT for supporting us to open doors, remove barriers, and helping us to hit the ground running."

Sancak Gülgen, Co-Founder of Bottobo said:

"We really appreciate the support from the UK government for startups and future unicorns. The most important part is that they have a clear plan for the future needs of the technology and focus for us."

Increasing investment is a mission at the heart of this government. Britain is back and open for business, and our thriving tech sector, already worth $1.1 trillion, shows that the UK is the investment destination of choice. 

The UK is one of only three economies in the world with a trillion-dollar tech sector, closely behind the US and China, and we're encouraging more tech scale ups to come to the UK and operate here. 

Our new Industrial Strategy will be international from the start, taking learnings from the best of what has been achieved globally. It will build on the UK's strengths to support even more international businesses to thrive in our market. That's why digital and tech is one of our growth sectors that will be a focus of the strategy. 

Full list of finalists:

AI:

-- Massive Bio [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmassi vebio.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd 66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0% 7C638670275267691689%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlY iOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C %7C%7C&sdata=biGQXSGe7q0zPJDNBkzQgq%2FRVWJOE6vtBjIOlm4vVWc%3D&reserved=0 ] - An AI-driven platform connecting cancer patients to bio-pharmaceutical clinical trials. -- Pix Force [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpixfo rce.ai%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd664 78d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C6 38670275267706260%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOi IwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C %7C&sdata=Cy5pN6D1Of5sHgzqPNv%2Bj8Y00MCn3l%2FQHBdWW8xSR88%3D&reserved=0] - Specializes in developing artificial intelligence algorithms applied to computer vision. -- Westwell [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.we stwell-lab.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7 C5bfd66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0 %7C0%7C638670275267719620%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydW UsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7 C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=xRGkPqvak5IpgfE240M2781sNNKN6HXmqkpzaJjFTQY%3D&reserve d=0] - One of the first companies in China to develop autonomous container trucks. -- Tessact [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftessa ct.ai%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd6647 8d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C63 8670275267732783%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiI wLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C% 7C&sdata=tCmFM3OodOiCqe6RfXCsO1Vthq1tQQpJqU0D12UI1TU%3D&reserved=0] - An AI Video Tech company which uses video recognition technologies built on advanced machine learning systems. Digital Trade Solutions:

-- Gallarus Industry Solutions [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgis.i e%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd66478d78 40fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C638670 275267745877%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjA uMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&s data=oa3%2Fwi0mkVjtaJZ5RPzxd6N4tKDFQ0fm3elcsb3gJ7k%3D&reserved=0] - Provides Intelligent Machine, IT & OT solutions that make smart decisions easy for customers. -- Grubtech [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g rubtech.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5b fd66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C 0%7C638670275267758986%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsI lYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0% 7C%7C%7C&sdata=R9NtRjmJ1WYLBX%2BkjGs9hB2xqYp4WLJrThT33vm%2Brr0%3D&reserv ed=0] - Empowers restaurants and grocery chains to adopt omnichannel capabilities without the burden of changing core solutions like point of sales. Connected & Automated Mobility (CAM):

-- MooVita [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.m oovita.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bf d66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0 %7C638670275267772332%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIl YiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7 C%7C%7C&sdata=dbGUNDA2Tv02P2nI5HlmI6FcFmpGWSKJhBgqE3mag%2F8%3D&reserved= 0] - Curates smart mobility solutions to roadworthy autonomous vehicles for urban municipalities worldwide. -- Bottobo [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.b ottobo.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bf d66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0 %7C638670275267785418%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIl YiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7 C%7C%7C&sdata=GgY39g7s7QPw%2Fp%2F7MkZ3TQH1x1JWaAdx6Yan0ih4FBI%3D&reserve d=0] - Specializes in developing robotics solutions designed to streamline industrial processes and enhance operational efficiency. Cyber Security:

-- CyLock [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.c ylock.tech%2Fen%2Fhome-en%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtra de.gov.uk%7C5bfd66478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68 006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C638670275267798334%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1 hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjo yfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JxJvEy%2FVtjQqJxEtinAn99GPtUodmhQO9ElIP2A5U lk%3D&reserved=0] - AI-powered B2B SaaS cybersecurity platform that analyses any IT system automatically and remotely without the need for technical knowledge, installation, configuration or maintenance. -- Cyberdes [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcyber des.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd66 478d7840fcfbef08dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C 638670275267817465%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiO iIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7 C%7C&sdata=zgTfQT9DV9ivdvkFGuRNCNbjRfnjzB%2F4mEeikMI9GLs%3D&reserved=0] - Cyberdes provides AI meets semiconductors in the field of cyber security. Notes to Editors 

-- Full details of the awards can be found here: great.gov.uk/ukpa [https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g reat.gov.uk%2Fcampaign-site%2FUnicorn-Kingdom-Pathfinder-Awards%2F&data= 05%7C02%7CMegan.Bevan%40businessandtrade.gov.uk%7C5bfd66478d7840fcfbef08 dd033b41fc%7C8fa217ec33aa46fbad96dfe68006bb86%7C0%7C0%7C6386702752676747 98%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsI lAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=T3XXE T4jU56B%2FYqfk9N915K4i8l%2BDQVCqmN5HfYG47w%3D&reserved=0]. -- More information on the Global Entrepreneur Programme can be found here: https://www.great.gov.uk/campaign-site/gep/ [https://www.great.gov.uk/campaign-site/gep/] -- The expert panel of judges included DBT Director of Investment John Edwards, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser Tim Kay, Co-Founder of Blue Lake VC Lyuba Guk, and Group Operations Director of Founders Forum Ellie Steel. Photo - Logo -

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/uks-department-for-business-and-trade-announces-winners-of-unicorn-kingdom-pathfinder-awards-backing-next-generation-of-tech-scale-ups-302306378.html

CONTACT: Media contact: ukpa@businessandtrade.gov.uk.