Apply for the Startups 100 Index 2024

The Startups 100 is the definitive list of the most promising new UK businesses, chosen in collaboration with our authoritative panel of guest judges.

Since 2008, we have identified some of the biggest movers and shakers of the past two decades. Previous alumni include household brands Monzo, Deliveroo, and THIS™. The winner of last year’s list, Caura, recently celebrated receiving £4m in funding from Lloyds Bank.

Celebrating its sweet sixteenth, next year’s list will put the spotlight on those firms who are leading the way for sector innovation in 2024. We’ll also be handing out special awards to the companies excelling in purpose-driven areas like social impact.

It’s a challenging time for new businesses. Amidst record inflation and energy bill mayhem, we want to celebrate the creativity and agility of the UK’s startup landscape, and highlight the inspiring entrepreneurs who are using small ideas to fix giant problems.

We’ll be shouting about the top 100 new businesses for 2024 in January. Watch this space for more!

Why should you apply?

“The Startups 100 is a noteworthy accolade and we were delighted to win. We got a flurry of inbound messages from potential partners and lots of traffic to the site! It’s a testament to our team’s hard work and commitment to solving real-world problems faced by car owners across the UK.”

– Sai Lakshmi, founder of Caura, winner of the Startups 100 Index 2023

Find out more about why you should apply to the Startups 100 Index here.

Why should you apply?

“Appearing in the index has certainly validated our business as a market leading player within our industry, as well as raising our brand awareness and credibility. We were very grateful to have been listed amongst such impressive peers, and hope we can continue to be recognised by Startups 100!”

– Melissa Snover, CEO of Nourished

Our judging methodology

During the application stage, our online form asks businesses to provide us with clear facts and figures that give us evidence of your growth story, ranging from financial details to five-year vision.

Once the judging process begins, we then use this data to assign weighted scores to every business entrant based on five key areas of analysis:

💰 Finance (how much funding have you raised and through what method?)
🏆 External validation (any significant achievements eg. notable partners or clients)
📏 Size of opportunity (what ambitions do you have in terms of scale-up?)
💪 Strength of concept (is your idea unique?)
💡 Innovation: (how is your idea disrupting the market?)

When finalising the top 100, our judges look for impressive business ideas with lots of growth potential – but don’t feel intimidated if you haven’t got big funding figures to advertise or a well-known partner.

The Startups 100 Index is all about celebrating authenticity. We want to hear about the challenges you’ve faced or mistakes you’ve made, and how you’ve overcome them to get to where you are today.

Successful businesses are birthed by determined and innovative people. Feel free to let your personality, passion, and purpose shine through.

What makes a brilliant Startups 100 entry?

“The way you tell the story is important. Quantify your answers with facts & figures but don’t forget people-led insights. Get quotes from all angles, from your team to your partners and suppliers, to demonstrate your impact in an emotive way.”

– Finn Lagun, cofounder of the three-time Startups 100 listee, Pasta Evangelists

How to apply to the Startups 100 2024: step-by-step guide

Applying for the Startups 100 is easy and entirely free. We are proud to be one of the few business awards that does not charge any entry fees. Here’s a 3 step guide to applying:

1. Gather your information

This should include:

• Finances – including figures from FY 2022/23 and this year’s projections (any financial information is treated as confidential and will never be disclosed).
• Company data – go on, show off your impressive stats such as superfast employee growth, new product launches, or booming subscriber numbers.

2. Fill out our online entry form

We will ask you a number of straightforward questions about:

• Who you are. Your entrepreneurial story
• What your business is, and what makes it stand out from the competition
• Where you are based 
• When you launched your business
• Why you started your business

All of the questions are simple to answer. But no need to rush it. Take your time and make sure you present your brand and its story in the best, most inspiring and original light.

3. Press ‘send’

Once you’ve hit the big red button at the end of the form, your application is complete. We’ll store your submission away until it’s time to begin judging in October 2023.

Please bear in mind that you cannot save your application to come back to later. We recommend writing out all your answers separately first. That way, you can input them in one go when you’re ready.

Startups 100: special awards

We want to recognise the startups that prioritise people, planet, or purpose as much as profit. That’s why this year, as in 2023, there will be several other awards up for grabs, including:

• Social Impact – for startups putting purpose ahead of profit
• Sustainability – for startups prioritising the environment in their mission
• Exceptional Founder – for the entrepreneur who has turned their own personal struggles or challenges into a force-for-good

The winners of each of these awards will be chosen at the Startups’ team’s discretion. We’ll also be collaborating with a specialist panel of judges (watch this space – details to follow shortly).

Apply to the Startups 100 Index 2024

The above guide should tell you everything you need to apply to the Startups 100 2024. Now, you’re ready to get started with your application!

However, if you have any more questions, you can always drop us an email at su100@startups.co.uk or reach out on our social channels. Similarly, if you know a startup business that deserves to be on this year’s index, tell them to apply or send us their details.