Top London Startups in 2025
Which London startups should you be watching in 2025? Private equity firms and VCs are lining up to back the next generation of innovators in the capital, widely considered to be the best fintech ecosystem in Europe.
And in spite of a national market slowdown, London remains a prime location for ambitious founders to launch startups, attracting large pools of talented entrepreneurs each year.
In this article, we’ll explore the 15 fastest growing startups in London last year based on headcount growth.
The London startup scene
It’s not just established businesses that are making waves in the UK’s capital city. From fintech and cryptocurrency to biotech and pharmaceutical companies, startups in London are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible across various industries.
This is evidenced by some of the most innovative, transformative UK startups being based in London, including the mobile phone developer Nothing, AI-backed pharmaceutical company Isomorphic Labs, AI voice platform Eleven Labs, and delivery service startup Zapp — just to name a few.
Fueled by a rich pool of talent, a supportive network of investors and mentors, and a vibrant culture of entrepreneurship, London has solidified its position as a global startup hub.
And with its strategic location, access to capital, and a conducive regulatory environment, the city continues to attract top-tier talent and ambitious entrepreneurs from around the world.
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London’s top 15 fastest-growing startups by headcount
To be eligible for this ranking, a company has to meet the following criteria:
- Be headquartered in London
- Operating at either the seed or venture stage of evolution
- Have at least 10 employees in its base year
- Have met at least one of our growth signals
HowNow
Incorporated: 2015
Industry: Courses and educational material
Headcount growth: +150%
Latest headcount: 30
HowNow is an edtech company based in Islington, incorporated in 2015. It has developed an e-learning experience platform that enables organisations to create, manage, and distribute internal training content.
The company serves business clients and integrates with HR and software systems to support skills development and onboarding. According to our latest data, HowNow has seen a 150% increase in headcount from 12 to 30 employees.
Sona Technologies
Incorporated: 2021
Industry: Application software
Headcount growth: +161%
Latest headcount: 47
Sona Technologies is an application software company headquartered in Islington, incorporated in 2021.
It develops a mobile platform for workforce management, enabling users to monitor shifts, request leave, and manage timesheets. The company primarily targets employers in the third sector and care industries.
With Sona expanding its team from 18 to 47 employees in one year, the company has seen a growth in headcount of 161%.
Apron
Incorporated: 2021
Industry: Payment processing
Headcount growth: +162%
Latest headcount: 34
Apron is a payment processing startup based in the City of London, incorporated in 2021. It has developed a business-to-business platform enabling SMEs to manage accounts payable and simplify bill payments, all from one system.
The company has recorded a 162% increase in headcount, rising from 13 to 34 employees.
Daily Dose
Incorporated: 2016
Industry: Non-alcoholic beverages
Headcount growth: +167%
Latest headcount: 72
Daily Dose is a non-alcoholic beverage company focused on producing cold-pressed juices and wellness drinks from surplus or ‘wonky’ fruit and vegetables. The company operates across retail, hospitality, and direct-to-consumer channels, supplying its products to national chains and independent outlets alike. The business is based in Wandsworth and was incorporated in 2016.
With a team of 72 employees — marking a 167% increase in headcount over the year — Daily Dose has demonstrated strong recent growth.
Live Unlimited London
Incorporated: 2017
Industry: Clothing
Headcount growth: +171%
Latest headcount: 57
Live Unlimited London is a womenswear brand based in Islington, incorporated in 2017. The company designs size-inclusive fashion for online and high-street retail partners, with a focus on style accessibility.
Its headcount rose to 57 last year — a 171% increase on the previous year. This recent expansion positions it among London’s fastest-scaling startups in the fashion and apparel sector.
JML
Incorporated: 2019
Industry: IT Services
Headcount growth: +209%
Latest headcount: 34
JML is an IT consultancy business based in Brent, incorporated in 2019. The company provides services across procurement, compliance, testing, cost optimisation, and market insight, supporting business operations in IT and supply chain environments.
Our latest data reveals a headcount of 34 — a 209% increase from the previous year’s 11 employees.
The Terrace Hotel
Incorporated: 2015
Industry: Hotels, B&Bs and other short-term accommodation
Headcount growth: +225%
Latest headcount: 52
The Terrace Hotel is a hospitality business incorporated in 2015 and based in the City of London. The company has expanded its team from 16 to 52 employees — a 225% increase on the previous year.
ProblemShared
Incorporated: 2016
Industry: Application software
Headcount growth: +228%
Latest headcount: 105
ProblemShared is a Camden-based company incorporated in 2016. The business recorded a 228% rise in headcount over the last year, increasing from 32 to 105 employees.
Operating in the mental health and wellbeing space, it provides digital access to clinicians through remote consultation platforms. This growth reflects a significant expansion in its service delivery and operational capacity.
Zinc
Incorporated: 2017
Industry: Application software
Headcount growth: +230%
Latest headcount: 33
Zinc is a Westminster-based company incorporated in 2017. The business reported a 230% increase in headcount, rising from 10 to 33 employees.
Zinc operates a venture builder model, supporting the creation of mission-driven startups tackling social and environmental challenges. Its team growth reflects an expanded capacity to support early-stage founders through programme delivery, investment, and operational infrastructure.
JustGo
Incorporated: 2001
Industry: Application software
Headcount growth: +240%
Latest headcount: 68
JustGo is a software provider headquartered in Westminster and incorporated in 2001. The company saw a 240% increase in headcount in one year, rising from 20 to 68 employees.
JustGo develops platform software for membership organisations — particularly in sport — offering tools for affiliation management, safeguarding checks, event registration, and data reporting.
Connect Fibre
Incorporated: 2018
Industry: Telecommunications infrastructure
Headcount growth: +248%
Latest headcount: 139
Connect Fibre is a broadband infrastructure provider based in Westminster and incorporated in 2018. The company increased its headcount by 248%, growing from 40 to 139 employees.
It specialises in full-fibre rollout across towns and rural areas, offering gigabit-speed connectivity to residential and commercial customers.
VR Entertainment
Incorporated: 2020
Industry: Tours, excursions and experiences
Headcount growth: +289%
Latest headcount: 74
VR Entertainment, also trading as Sandbox VR, is a leisure company based in Camden, incorporated in 2020. It operates large-scale, immersive venues that combine virtual reality technology with gaming, food, and events, focusing on creating physical experiences that integrate digital gameplay in a live environment.
In one year the business increased its headcount from 19 to 74 employees — a 289% rise year-on-year.
Fairgame
Incorporated: 2019
Industry: Restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways
Headcount growth: +942%
Latest headcount: 125
Fairgame is a hospitality and leisure company incorporated in 2019 and based in Tower Hamlets. It operates a flagship venue in London offering adults-only fairground games, food, and drink under one roof.
The business reported a 942% increase in headcount last year, growing from 12 to 125 employees. Its team expansion reflects the operational demands of running large-scale, experiential venues in central London.
Noble Rot
Incorporated: 2015
Industry: Restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways
Headcount growth: +1172%
Latest headcount: 1119
Noble Rot, based in Camden, operates a collection of restaurants and wine bars, alongside a print magazine focused on food and wine culture.
Our latest data shows a rise in headcount from 88 to 1,119 — a massive 1,172% increase year-on-year. This growth reflects the expansion of its venue portfolio and associated operations across London.
Amicura
Incorporated: 2018
Industry: Care homes
Headcount growth: +1312%
Latest headcount: 720
Amicura is a healthcare business based in Harrow and incorporated in 2018. It operates a network of care homes and residential facilities, providing nursing, dementia, and elderly care services.
The company increased its headcount from 51 to 720 over the last year — a 1,312% rise. This ranks it as the fastest-growing startup in London by employee growth.
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