Startups.co.uk has revealed that UK entrepreneurs need £25m to become a top UK business.

The top 10 businesses featured in this year’s Startups 100 Index – the UK’s longest-running index of promising startups – have £24.9m funding on average.

Social care startup Lottie, crowned the best UK business in the 2025 Startups 100 Index, has secured  £25m in funding. In second place on the small business index is Robin AI, an AI-integrated legal startup with £21m backing.

However, businesses ranking lower in the index had 35% less funding – at £4m on average.

These findings suggest that UK entrepreneurs need at least £25m to secure their position as a successful startup within a competitive UK business landscape. 

Are these the UK’s best 100 startups?

A recent survey data commissioned by Startups.co.uk also revealed a year-on-year decrease in the amount of UK businesses being funded by venture capital.

The survey of 531 business leaders shows that just 5% of UK businesses received VC funding in 2024, compared to 13% in 2023. This drop could potentially reflect the cautious stance of venture firms amid economic uncertainties.

Personal savings & operating revenue have remained the most popular funding for UK SMEs, across both 2023 and 2024.

Editor of Startups.co.uk, Zohra Huda (pictured), said these figures are “a worry for the UK’s startups ecosystem… when there’s enough economic challenges currently stacked against new businesses as it is”.

She added: “That said, whilst our Index top 10 have received a cool £25m on average, that’s still 90 other innovative and successful enterprises that are thriving in 2025’s tricky times with considerably less investment – a testament to their true grit and determination.”

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