4. HIVED: the queen bee of net zero deliveries HIVED is causing a buzz with its 100% electric courier service that’s revolutionising the middle mile. About the Startups 100 Now in its 17th year, the Startups 100 is the definitive list of the most promising new UK businesses. There's no fee for entry or for inclusion in our index. The Startups team of new business experts judge all our top 100 entrants in collaboration with specialist industry consultants. See our guide to this year’s hottest new businesses and most exceptional founders in the complete 2025 Startups 100 index. Founders: Murvah Iqbal and Mathias KriegerYear founded: 2021Website: hived.spaceFive years ago, Murvah Iqbal and Mathias Krieger, cofounders of HIVED, were the CEOs of a very different type of business: outdoor advertising brand, Vanvas, with which they were selling ad space on the side of delivery vans. It failed just one year in.Except there are no real failures in business, only lessons. Iqbal and Krieger had poured over rich datasets of delivery routes for Vanvas, uncovering huge inefficiencies in the parcel industry and dire Net Promoter Scores (NPS). As the ecommerce market boomed, they spotted an opportunity for innovation. And, like all good entrepreneurs, they leapt on it.That was a bold enough move in itself. Few challenger brands exist in the parcel sector, as carriers such as DPD and Evri hold a monopoly over the sector. But these also operate on decades-old models and software systems, causing frustration among shopaholics. We believe HIVED's model will offer customers new value and a transformative delivery experience. In this context, HIVED’s chief market proposition is agility. Rather than keep customers on the doorstep, the company empowers them with Uber-style live tracking and the ability to redirect their parcels. It claims to have reduced complaints for retail partners by 95%.Let’s talk about those partners. Some of the biggest are Nespresso, Zara, and ASOS, as well as Startups 100 alumni Candy Kittens and Pip & Nut.Signing these brands is about more than just name recognition. Having conquered London, HIVED plans to scale into other UK cities this year, including Manchester and Birmingham. This client roster gives the business a metaphorical shoe in the door for regional expansion.Before Leeds, however, comes Japan. Last October, the startup partnered with (and gained investment from) Japan’s largest delivery company, Yamato. “We believe HIVED’s model will offer customers new value and a transformative delivery experience,” said the partner.There’s space in the boot for one more talking point. While legacy couriers operate primarily diesel fleets, HIVED is 100% electrified. Last November, it scaled its sustainability credentials even further by bringing electric HGVs to the UK’s roads.Competitors might also exist for last-mile deliveries, but these HGVs represent a first in the industry for middle-mile transportation (linking local hubs and regional distribution centres).In just three years, HIVED has become the queen bee of sustainable and disruptive courier services. It has delivered nearly three million parcels to date, and grown to a team of 100. From humble beginnings to a top UK startup, we expect great things from HIVED in 2025. The 2025 Startups 100 List in Full 1 Lottie 2 Robin AI 3 Yonder 4 HIVED 5 Gaia 6 Runna 7 Quantum Dice 8 Hoxton Farms 9 MAGIC AI 10 Eolas Medical 11 DRIFT Energy 12 Audiomob 13 Lindus Health 14 FYLD 15 Zero Gravity 16 Vikela 17 ToffeeX 18 Bio&Me 19 Strolll 20 Triple Technologies 21 UNDO Carbon 22 KOMI 23 Untap 24 Novai 25 Omni Pet 26 Sona 27 Fin Sustainable Logistics 28 trumpet 29 Swiipr Technologies 30 Cerbos 31 By Rotation 32 Open Climate Fix 33 Howbout 34 cheqd 35 Seep 36 Oort Energy 37 Walking on Earth 38 Flexa 39 HutanBio 40 Primer 41 Black Seed Ventures 42 Sharesy 43 Made With Intent 44 Userled 45 Zeti 46 Luna Daily 47 Deploy Tech 48 PulpaTronics 49 Metris Energy 50 VoltShare 51 NOQ Group 52 Hormona 53 Unify AI 54 The Seam 55 Siloton 56 SURREAL 57 Valarian Technologies 58 Papaya Technologies 59 PEEQUAL 60 PlantSea 61 Bloom Money 62 Tonic Health 63 Stored. 64 Cult Mia 65 Atlantic Money 66 facia.ai 67 RideTandem 68 Monk 69 STOCKED 70 IMPOSSIBREW 71 Mindgard 72 Grub Club Pets 73 Financielle 74 Outverse 75 Automated Architecture 76 Freja 77 Purple Transform 78 Lumi 79 Storekit 80 Unfabled 81 Asan Wellness 82 Mach42 83 seedata.io 84 Peachies 85 Nugget Savings 86 Enbiosis Biotechnology 87 Swoperz 88 growze 89 ekko 90 Tunic Pay 91 SKIN 92 Cashblack 93 TaskHer 94 XR Therapeutics 95 Alyve 96 UJJI AI 97 Volunteero 98 SuperFi 99 PharmAppy 100 Cogs AI See more Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags 2025