Tech Nation adds Yapily, Zilch and YuLife to its growth programme

Fintech unicorns Revolut, Monzo and Funding Circle feature on Future Fifty’s extensive alumni list.

Leading growth platform for tech startups Tech Nation has added 13 new companies to its Future Fifty programme, including a number of fintechs.

This is the eleventh iteration of the programme, designed for late-stage tech companies, and  fintechs Zilch, Yapily and YuLife have made the list this time.

The Future Fifty programme has supported 22 per cent of the UK’s 138 tech unicorns over the past 10 years, with previous alumni including Revolut, Monzo and Funding Circle.

This year’s cohort span 19 countries, has raised £2.2bn in VC investment and employs more than 4,000 people.

“At a time of increasing uncertainty in the economic environment, initiatives such as Tech Nation’s Future Fifty provide a critical catalyst in support of the next generation of UK entrepreneurs,” judge and IA Global Capital managing partner Andres Pieczansk said. 

“The level of innovation, growth and ambition shown by these companies should serve as an inspiration to us all.”

The programme is designed to offer “tailor-made guidance” that addresses challenges that are unique to the country’s most successful tech companies.

All companies on Future Fifty are expected to grow and expand rapidly over the coming months, with the businesses planning to expand to 44 countries collectively over the next year.

Over the next six months, the group will have access to peer-to-peer learning opportunities, communication with experienced entrepreneurs and founders, masterclasses and discussions with key government officials.

“Yapily and open banking are on a phenomenal journey,” Yapild founder and CEO Stefano Vaccino said.

“Both innovative and fast-growing, there are bound to be a number of challenges and opportunities along the way. 

“It's exciting to be a part of a really strong cohort in which we can share learnings and gain insight into how other fintechs have successfully scaled their companies."

The thirteen companies in the programme span 15 tech subsectors, with the three fintechs making finance the second largest sector after e-commerce.

“As a leading, fast-growing, disruptive payments model founded on technology we want to join forces with and learn alongside similar organisations championing the UK’s digital sector,” Zilch co-founder and CEO Philip Belamant said.