KPMG launches search for the UK’s next tech trailblazer

KPMG has launched UK Tech Innovator 2025, its annual competition to find the best and brightest tech scale-ups that are lighting up the UK.

The competition, which KPMG runs to spotlight and celebrate the world’s most innovative technology brands, provides a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and collectively champion the future of tech.

KPMG is calling on all the UK’s tech scale-ups to take part for a chance to be crowned the best in the UK and go on to represent the country at the global final later this year.

The competition, which has been running since 2013, has celebrated some of the UK’s best technology innovations on the global stage, including What3Words, VividQ and HiiROC who have all been previous winners.

Nicole Lowe, Head of Emerging Giants at KPMG UK, said:

“Tech innovation is shaping our future and is an integral part of the UK's economic growth.

"This is why we want our competition to showcase the best of what we have to offer in the UK, allowing pioneers in the sector to highlight and celebrate their outstanding work.

“Tech Innovator surprises us every year by helping to spotlight the next big thing as well as unearthing hidden gems on the cusp of breaking through.

“So if you are a founder looking to take the next step, enter Tech Innovator 2025 and let the next part of your exciting journey begin.”

Last year’s winner – Halocycle – beat almost 400 aspiring UK tech firms with its innovative application of microwave processing technology to recycle PVC and other chlorine containing plastics in its mission to reduce plastic waste.

Dr Henrietta Boyd, CEO and co-founder of Halocycle, said: “We were delighted to win! It was great recognition and a real boost for the team who have worked so hard on the project. The competition gave us a lot of exposure both here in the UK and put our brand on the global tech stage, which we would not have got otherwise. It also helped us build a strong network across the tech sector to share ideas and discuss potential collaboration opportunities.”

The competition is open to pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven businesses.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to pitch their business and growth plans to a panel of judges across regional heats in June.

Regional winners will progress to the national final, set to take place in London this July. The overall UK champion will then advance to the global stage at Web Summit later in the year, where an international panel of judges will select the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator.

Applications are now open for the UK competition at Tech Innovator in the UK 2025

Previous KPMG UK Tech Innovator winners

2024 - Halocycle

2023 - Inovus Medical 

2022 - HiiROC

2021 - FIDO Tech 

2020 - VividQ

2019 - Humming Bird Technologies (acquired by Agreena)

2018 - Echo (acquired by McKesson UK) 

2017 - Safe To Net

2016 - What 3 Words

2015 - RefMe (acquired by education company Chegg, Inc)

2014 - Babylon Health (acquired eMed Healthcare UK)