The analysis, which reviewed over 10,000 media articles from 2022 to 2025, found that while US outlets mentioned tech unicorns 8,555 times, UK coverage lagged at just 2,403 mentions. Yet, UK media referenced “failure” 243 times – significantly more than the 184 mentions in the US – meaning over 10% of UK coverage included failure-related framing, compared to just 2% in the US.

“This isn’t just about headlines – it’s about the cultural infrastructure that underpins entrepreneurship,” said Tal Donahue, Director at Infinite. “The media narrative arguably reflects the political and economic reality that many UK founders face but, equally, if founders feel they are consistently being portrayed as reckless or doomed to fail, it erodes confidence, deters investment, and risks turning the UK into an incubator economy where innovation is born but rarely scaled.”

The findings echo concerns raised by the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee earlier this year, which warned that without stronger support, the UK risks losing its homegrown tech talent to overseas markets.

The report also highlights contrasting media narratives around companies like Waymo, Google’s autonomous vehicle venture. While US coverage focused on innovation and public benefit, UK outlets were more sceptical – with 44% of UK stories containing negative keywords such as “backlash” or “injury,” compared to 36% in the US.

Donahue added: “Fear of failure is a growing barrier to entrepreneurship, especially in the UK, and this risks being compounded still further if founders feel unprepared to deal with the media and wider public scrutiny that comes from setbacks.  Scrutiny and scepticism are critical to the public interest role the free press plays, but if narratives become disproportionately negative public perception and political will can be distorted. Founders need to be supported not just with capital, but with communications strategies that help them pivot from setback to success. Failing well – and being seen to fail well – is a key part of the innovation journey.”

The report calls for a recalibration of how entrepreneurial risk and failure are communicated, urging policymakers, investors, and media professionals to foster a more balanced narrative that supports sustainable growth.

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