75. PetProov PetProov is the UK’s first pet verification platform, using government-grade technology to ensure our animal friends go to safe, loving homes. 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. Founders: Kate Margolis and Garry ClarkeYear founded: 2023Website: petproov.comIt should have been a joyous experience. But, when trying to buy a puppy, Kate Margolis was scammed out of £500. Together with her PetProov co-founder, Garry Clarke, she realised that often, in the pet industry, it is impossible to know who to trust.“Adverts were often misleading and the risk of scams or poorly treated animals was everywhere,” she says. “The result is financial loss, heartbreak for buyers, and, most tragically, animals suffering in the wrong hands.”PetProov brings government-grade identity verification to the pet world, offering peace of mind for everyone involved. It protects buyers and adopters while giving ethical breeders confidence that their pets are going to trusted homes. Adverts were often misleading and the risk of scams or poorly treated animals was everywhere, For £4.99 per pet, PetProov users create an account, complete a secure verification process – similar to online banking – and get verified. Sellers can also use the platform to upload relevant documents, like vaccination records, which the firm can independently validate.They’ve had to fight to earn their own credibility, however. “We were entering an industry where trust is everything, yet we were a new startup asking people to hand over sensitive data and believe in a new way of doing things”, say the founders. “Buyers were cautious, breeders were sceptical, and rescues were overwhelmed with existing processes.”PetProov has leaned on industry leaders to prove its concept. PetProov is the chosen technology partner for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, helping it to develop an official Innate Health Assessment (IHA) tool for dogs. Plus, the team has collaborated with names like Napo Pet Insurance and the charity All Dogs Matter. our goal is to make identity and welfare checks as normal in pet ownership as they are in banking – a simple step that everyone expects and relies on Following two years of fundraising and campaigning, the team successfully secured a six-figure investment from serial entrepreneur and angel James Butcher in July 2025.Together, the founders say their hope is to bring reassurance to even more potential pet owners. As they state simply, “our goal is to make identity and welfare checks as normal in pet ownership as they are in banking – a simple step that everyone expects and relies on”.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.