92. Legacy Compass Legacy Compass guides users through the emotional process of end-of-life planning, helping them manage it through storytelling, interactivity, and community. 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 own personal struggles or challenges into a force-for-good, leading the way for industry change and innovation. Startups 100: Exceptional Founder Award Founder: Natalia PazzagliaYear founded: 2023Website: legacycompass.netWhile the illness and loss of a loved one is something almost everyone will experience in their lifetime, end-of-life is still a taboo topic and, as a result, many families don’t know how to navigate through it. Making decisions when overwhelmed by the stress and emotion involved is difficult, and can have adverse, lasting outcomes.In 2021, Natalia Pazzaglia lost her mum after a 16-year battle with cancer. Pazzaglia was a 33-year old professional, and caregiving had already presented her with difficult decisions.With a background in business development and a desire to turn hard moments into something positive and helpful, she started studying the market, and realised that people are usually left to navigate loss and end of life without information or support.This is why she created Legacy Compass, a digital platform that simplifies the process of end-of-life planning. With interactive storytelling prompts, it guides users step-by-step, helping them to have difficult conversations, make decisions, and find the right professional services when needed.As well as helping people to just get through it, Legacy Compass is designed to help users share memories and nurture their relationships with loved ones through hard times. Pazzaglia has built a community around the platform, where users can find other people who relate to the experience of grief.Legacy Compass serves both individuals and businesses who want to support their employees. It currently works with legal and consulting firms with 300 to 1,000 employees, and this year will be working with insurance and pension providers as well. Legacy Compass has also partnered with cancer charities, and is focused on social impact investment.As well as securing a spot on the Startups 100 Index, we also shortlisted Pazzaglia for the 2026 Startups 100 Exceptional Founder Award in recognition of her success in turning her personal struggle into a force for good.As a solo, first-time founder, Pazzaglia counts receiving investment from Bethnal Green Ventures as one of her biggest achievements to date. But looking to the future she plans to expand her operation across Europe, helping even more people to find their way through incredibly difficult times.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.