49. Finmile An AI logistics platform created to solve the biggest problems in ecommerce – wasted miles, inefficiency and a worrying environmental impact. Written by Helena Young Sponsored by Sage Published on January 12, 2026 About the Startups 100 Now in its 18th 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 2026 Startups 100 index. Exceptional Founder Nominee In recognition of the entrepreneur who has turned their struggles or challenges into a force-for-good, leading the way for industry change and innovation. Go to award Founder: Rich Pleeth and Chris SargeantYear founded: 2022Website: finmile.coIt took a huge leap of faith for Finmile co-founders Rich Pleeth and Chris Sargeant to pivot their e-cargo business in London. But as they watched their struggling competitors (in their words) “shut down or burn through unsustainable amounts of capital”, they had an idea they knew would disrupt the industry for the better.The duo had real-life experience of the issues facing delivery companies even as ecommerce was booming. “[We were] watching delivery vans clogging up roads, double-parking, and burning fuel just to move a few parcels,” they say. In particular, the final mile to get parcels to the door was more than 50% of total delivery costs for many companies. This meant spiralling finances and also inefficiencies that were costing them customers – with big names like Evri frequently hitting the headlines for shoddy service.Their own e-cargo business was thriving and receiving plaudits but they felt like there was a bigger problem to solve. The system wasn’t fit for purpose. “The industry lacked a single AI-powered platform that could make sense of millions of parcels in real time, cut wasted miles and create efficiency without adding more vehicles to the road,” they explain. We were watching delivery vans clogging up roads, double-parking, and burning fuel just to move a few parcels. It had previously won the backing of Sequoia Capital and Los Angeles-based venture capital firm, MaC Venture Capital, as well as passionate strategic angels and operators.But the duo has pivoted dramatically in the past 12 months. This meant walking away from guaranteed revenue, retraining their team and persuading investors that “the bigger opportunity was in software, not hardware”. It worked.The platform says it has now transitioned “fully into a capital-light SaaS business”, used by some of the world’s biggest ecommerce brands, including JD.com, TikTok Shop, AG1, Inditex (Zara), and logistics providers like ILG and Net Zero Logistics. And now, its sights are set firmly on US expansion, after the company opened an office in New York last January.Finmile uses AI to learn from every parcel delivery to optimise journeys. And the team proudly claims to have reduced delivery costs by up to 42% but is also helping its clients “run greener, smarter last mile networks” globally. No surprise that these co-founders were nominated for the Startups 100 2026 Exceptional Founder Award.The duo now have their sights on becoming “the default operating system for the last mile” in every major city across the world, optimising every delivery while setting a new industry standard for greener, more intelligent logistics.View the full Startups 100 Index for 20261. Omnea2. HIVED3. MAGIC AI4. OXCCU5. Lightyear6. Neuranics 7. Hormona8. Burbank9. Better Dairy 10. Lenkie Technologies11. Userled12. Hoxton Farms13. Rensair14. PulpaTronics15. TradeKart16. 32Co17. Carmoola18. cheqd19. Sightline Analytics20. Adamo Foods21. Bold Bean Co22. Beams Renovation 23. Pan Galactic24. Capi Money25. Spotted Zebra26. ANTHROTEK 27. Unravel28. Perci Health29. Untap Health30. Hair Syrup31. Connect Earth 32. spacebands 33. Unfabled34. Lightning Reach35. STOCKED36. Embeddable37. XR Therapeutics38. Literal Labs39. Scooch40. Openr41. Fibe Limited42. Inicio AI43. Peachies44. Better Nature 45. Ctrl Alt46. Resting Reef47. Nila48. ROXFIT49. Finmile50. NavLive51. Volunteero52. Inntelo AI53. Zonova54. A&B Smart Materials55. Ethicronics56. Treeapp57. kennek58. Soil Benchmark59. Vox Aeris60. Asan Cup61. Nuuri62. Mindstone63. MYNDUP64. Enbiosis Biotechnology65. JUX Food66. Danu Robotics67. Wylde Market68. Air Aware Labs69. Mimicrete Ltd70. ALYVE71. Happl72. Living Things73. Grub Club Pets74. Mealia75. PetProov76. Lylo Products77. Chest78. ZIM Connections79. Uptime Labs80. Teal81. Zero Fintech82. Micro Thermal Energy 83. Kanjo 84. Merlin Cloud85. My Skin Feels86. Eleria87. Cashblack88. RevvedUp89. Cosysense90. SuperFi91. Loom92. Legacy Compass93. Meshed94. SWURF95. Main Squeeze96. Sampl Technologies97. Over the Moo98. Pioneering People99. Bikebook100. Recondition Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags 2026 Written by: Helena Young Deputy Editor Helena is Deputy Editor at Startups. She oversees all news and supporting content on Startups, and is also the author of the weekly Startups email newsletter, delivering must-know SME updates straight to their inbox. From interviewing Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin to spotting data-led working from home trends, her insight has been featured by major trade publications including the ICAEW, and news outlets like the BBC, ITV News, Daily Express, and HuffPost UK. With a background in PR and marketing, Helena is particularly passionate about giving early-stage startups a platform to boost their brands. That's one reason she manages the Startups 100 Index, our annual ranking of new UK businesses. Sponsored by: Sage Startups 100 Index Sponsor 2026 Sage exists to knock down barriers so everyone can thrive, starting with the millions of Small and Mid-Sized Businesses served by us, our partners and accountants. Customers trust our finance, HR and payroll software to make work and money flow. By digitising business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, banks and governments, our digital network connects SMBs, removing friction and delivering insights. Knocking down barriers also means we use our time, technology and experience to tackle digital inequality, economic inequality and the climate crisis.