23. ZeroLight

Founder: Darren Jobling
Founded: May 2014
Website: www.zerolight.com

From a background in car racing videogame development, Darren Jobling created the ZeroLight real-time 3D car configurator – an interactive live showroom able to run in 4K UltraHD, with simulation quality physics to show the car driving realistically.

Unlike traditional car configurators which create the illusion of car customisation by overlaying 2D static images, ZeroLight’s technology allows the user to move around the inside and outside of the car as a roaming camera.

The company operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, with dealerships purchasing a per-year license to use the technology for a three-year minimum. Four big name brands have already adopted the technology including Jaguar, Land Rover and major German and Italian brands which can’t yet be named. But it’s not just cars that can benefit from the technology; a British airline is already using it to aid with design and iteration of new cabin designs.

The next 12 months will see ZeroLight deliver on projects in the automotive and aviation industries, as well as expand its technology to new platforms. After just a year of trading and with very impressive financials and 50 employees on its books already, provided it can convince potential clients of its superiority over existing providers, ZeroLight should be well on its way to global market dominance.