These startups, selected based on exclusive LinkedIn data, have demonstrated impressive growth, strong employee engagement, and a remarkable ability to attract top talent in a highly competitive market. The 2024 cohort offers a glimpse into the future of the UK’s business landscape, showcasing companies that are making waves despite economic uncertainty and a rapidly evolving global marketplace.

Below are the top 20 companies on this year’s UK Top Startups list:

1. Lottie – provides a digital Marketplace and concierge service to help families find suitable care homes and retirement properties for their loved ones
2. TRIP – TRIP produces CBD-infused oils and drinks, designed to promote wellness and relaxation
3. Hertility – a women’s health company providing t-home hormone tests and consultations to offer insights into fertility, reproductive health, and hormone-related conditions
4. Allica Bank – a British challenger bank that provides a range of financial services, such as lending, savings, and current accounts, specifically tailored for SMEs
5. Volt.io – a fintech startup that provides global infrastructure for real-time, account-to-account payments using open banking technology
6. Connectd – a platform that connects founders, advisors, and investors through a matchmaking marketplace
7. Runna – a sportstech startup that develops training, coaching, and community software to help athletes prepare for running competitions, while offering holistic support for individuals
8. Skin + Me – offers personalised skincare treatments via online dermatology consultations, providing prescription creams for acne, ageing, and hyperpigmentation
9. UNTIL – offers flexible health and wellness facilities, combined with business support services tailored for health professionals
10. THIS – a plant-based foodtech company creating products designed to replicate the taste and texture of meat without any animal ingredients
11. Mintago – a fintech platform offering employees financial wellbeing solutions, including planning tools, access to advisers, and educational resources
12. Sona – offers workforce management software designed for frontline employees, featuring tools for shift scheduling, payroll, and communication
13. Omnipresent – a platform that enables companies to hire, onboard, and manage remote employees worldwide, offering solutions for compliance, payroll, and HR support
14. Connect Fibre – a broadband provider that offers full fibre internet services for homes and businesses with speeds up to 1000Mbps
15. Bactobio – a biotech startup focused on discovering eco-friendly antimicrobial solutions from untapped microbes, serving industries like healthcare and agriculture
16. Robin AI – offers a legal co-pilot for drafting, reviewing, and managing contracts, leveraging machine learning and legal expertise to simplify contract tasks for businesses and legal teams
17. Hook – a platform designed to help businesses identify and prioritise high-value customers, reduce churn, and increase revenue
18. Primer – Primer is a payments infrastructure provider offering tools to improve checkout experiences, minimise fraud, and drive business growth
19. AutogenAI – AutogenAI creates AI-driven tools to simplify and enhance bid and proposal writing processes
20. BVNK – a B2B cryptocurrency payments company that facilitates transactions between fiat currencies, like euros or pounds, and cryptocurrencies, as well as fiat-to-fiat payments

How the list is decided

Alongside the list of 20 top startups in the UK, LinkedIn has shared its methodology of deciding the ranking. LinkedIn evaluates startups using four key criteria: employment growth, engagement, job interest, and talent acquisition.

• Employment growth: Measured by percentage increase in headcount over the evaluation period, with a minimum of 10% growth required
• Engagement: Tracks non-employee interactions, including views of the company’s LinkedIn page and its employees
• Job interest: Reflects the rate of people viewing and applying to job listings, including paid and unpaid roles
• Talent acquisition: Assesses how many employees were recruited from LinkedIn’s Top Companies, as a percentage of the startup’s total workforce

In order to be eligible, companies must adhere to certain criteria:

• Must be fully independent and privately held
• Must have 30 or more full-time employees
• Must be five years old or younger
• Must be headquartered in the country for the relevant list
• Ineligible categories include staffing firms, think tanks, venture capital firms, law firms, consulting firms, nonprofits, accelerators, and government-owned entities
• Companies that have laid off 15% or more of their workforce during the evaluation period (1 July, 2023 – 30 June, 2024) are excluded

For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.