Wednesday 07 March 2018 11:36 am

Will one of these 26 companies joining Tech City’s Future Fifty become the new Zoopla or Just Eat?

By: James Booth

An AI-driven cybersecurity company, a fashion industry analytics business and a tech-based language teaching company are among the 26 UK startups that have been identified as potential future tech stars.

Darktrace, Featurespace and Firefly are among the companies joining companies such as SpitfireAudio, Thread and Superawesome on Tech City’s Future Fifty programme.

Future Fifty alumni have gone on to five IPOs on the London Stock Exchange and 23 company sales, which include MatchesFashion.com which was acquired for an estimated $1bn (£720m), JustGiving which was acquired for $120m and Shazam which was acquired for $400m.

The new companies will receive access to an expert peer network and workshops and classes aimed at boosting their businesses to the next level.

Companies join the programme for two years, so the 2018 group, which have already raised $730m between them, will join 24 existing members.

Parveen Dhanda, programme lead for Future Fifty, said: "This year's cohort includes some of the UK's fastest growing tech companies and we can't wait to begin working with them."

Future Fifty – who made the cut?

Four of the new intake are cybersecurity companies, 15 per cent are in FinTech while 14 percent are in eCommerce. Fifteen of the cohort have a female founder or co-founder and the average age of the new companies is eight years.