UP Ventures
UP Ventures is a UK-based corporate technology accelerator, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Edinburgh, that designs and delivers innovation programmes connecting startups and scaleups with large corporates and government organisations across media, health, and finance sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UP Ventures does
UP Ventures is a UK-based corporate technology accelerator and innovation consultancy founded in 2012 by Danny Meaney, headquartered in Edinburgh with operational presence at MediaCityUK in Manchester. The company designs and delivers innovation accelerator programmes, design sprints, and investment readiness services that connect startups and scaleups with large corporates and government organisations seeking access to emerging technology, talent, and curated dealflow. Its portfolio of named programmes includes KidsUP (Children and Young People's HealthTech Accelerator at the NCCHT in Sheffield), the GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab, the Future of Health programme with Novartis, Google, and Push Doctor, the Smart City Innovation Testbed with MediaCityUK and Connected Places Catapult, and the Pathfinder Accelerator with Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
UP operates as a services business rather than a software product company. Its revenue model rests on professionally delivered innovation programme fees funded by government and corporate sponsors (programmes are fully funded and require no equity from participating startups), supplemented by investment readiness and dealflow facilitation services. The company claims an extensive network of private, institutional, and corporate investors spanning the UK, Europe, USA, Middle East, South East Asia, and Australia, and reports that its alumni have raised £336m in investments across 130+ startups supported through 40 corporate partnerships. With a team of 1-10 employees, UP functions as a high-relationship, lean consulting intermediary whose competitive position is built on founder- and senior-level access to FTSE-grade corporates, NHS Trusts, and government bodies rather than on proprietary technology or scale economics.
UP Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UP Ventures
- Legal name
- UP
- Website
- https://upventuresgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UP Ventures is a UK-based corporate technology accelerator, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Edinburgh, that designs and delivers innovation programmes connecting startups and scaleups with large corporates and government organisations across media, health, and finance sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UP Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Corporate Innovation Services
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where UP Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
UP Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Innovation Programme Fees: UP Ventures generates revenue by designing and delivering custom innovation programmes for large corporates and government organisations. These programmes are backed by governments and major brands who share their commitment to helping tech startups succeed.
- Startup Investment Facilitation: The company gets businesses investment ready and helps them secure finance from investors. UP has an extensive network of private, institutional and corporate investors who trust their eye for talent. They also provide market and product assessment and tech due-diligence services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Fully funded accelerator programme with no equity exchange |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
UP Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UP Ventures designs and delivers corporate innovation accelerator programmes (e.g., KidsUP, Smart City Innovation Testbed, Pathfinder, GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab, Future of Health) that pair startups and scaleups with established corporates and government organisations. It also runs design sprints/workshops and investment readiness facilitation services, acting as an intermediary that opens corporate doors for startups and provides investors with curated dealflow.
Product overview
UP Ventures operates as an innovation and accelerator company offering a portfolio of programmes and services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include: KidsUP (Children & Young People's HealthTech Accelerator), the National Centre for Children's Health Technology Accelerator, Innovation Accelerators & Programmes, Design Sprints & Workshops, The Right Investment (investment facilitation), and Delivery Services for corporate-startup collaboration. These programmes are backed by governments and major brands to help tech startups and scaleups succeed through tailored accelerator programmes, design sprints, and investment readiness support. The company facilitates connections between startups, corporates, and investors through various accelerator initiatives including Smart City Innovation Testbed, Pathfinder Accelerator, GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab, and Future of Health Programme.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KidsUP: A Children & Young People's HealthTech Accelerator programme focused on delivering ground-breaking medical technologies for children. Part of the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) located at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.
Products and services
- KidsUP (Children & Young People's HealthTech Accelerator) A world-class 12-week immersive HealthTech accelerator focused on delivering ground-breaking medical technologies for children, designed for HealthTech entrepreneurs who want to create real impact by improving young people's lives through purpose-driven innovation.
- Innovation Accelerators & Programmes Tailored innovation accelerator programmes backed by governments and major brands that help tech startups and scaleups succeed by solving specific technology challenges or enabling market entry.
- Design Sprints & Workshops A sleeves-rolled-up, dynamic experience using a unique creative process to help businesses big and small diversify their thinking, solve problems and accelerate products and services that matter.
- The Right Investment Investment readiness and smart finance facilitation service that gets businesses investment ready and connects them with investors who bring more than money, including market and product assessment and tech due-diligence expertise.
- Delivery Services Corporate-startup collaboration facilitation offering tailored innovation programmes, test beds, digital strategy and implementation, qualified investment dealflow, procurement opportunities, and talent recruitment and development for corporates, scaleups and startups.
- Smart City Innovation Testbed A 12-week programme helping startups develop and prototype smart city solutions with access to MediaCityUK's living lab environment and technology infrastructure.
- Pathfinder Accelerator A six-month programme with Highlands and Islands Enterprise designed to fast-track Highland-based life sciences, technology, engineering, IT and healthcare businesses through workshops, masterclasses, and peer learning.
- GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab A 12-week programme providing tech startups using AI, data science and machine learning unique access to GCHQ technologists and industry experts to help keep people safe.
- Future of Health Programme HealthTech accelerator programme focused on enabling startups to break into the UK health service, providing connections to NHS networks, investment opportunities, and business development support, delivered with sponsors including Novartis, Google and Push Doctor.
- National Centre for Children's Health Technology Accelerator Accelerator backed by Sheffield Children's NHS Trust designed to accelerate adoption of HealthTech products for children throughout the NHS, with a mission to support emerging businesses delivering ground-breaking medical technologies.
Quantifiable outcome
- £336m in investments raised by alumni companies
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use UP Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
UP Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
UP Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.
- Sheffield Children's NHS TrustcoreKey sponsor and driving force behind the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT). Professor Paul Dimitri and Sheffield Children's NHS Trust are overseeing the NCCHT, with UP designing and delivering innovation and accelerator programmes including KidsUP.
- SYMCA (South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority)supportingRegional government partner supporting the KidsUP accelerator and NCCHT initiative.
- Sheffield City CouncilsupportingLocal government partner supporting the KidsUP accelerator and National Centre for Child Health Technology.
- Brabners LLPsupportingLegal partner providing support for the KidsUP accelerator programme.
- Olympic Legacy ParksupportingLocation partner for the National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) in Sheffield.
- Dell For StartupsminorAssociate partner providing startup support services for the KidsUP accelerator.
- NvidiaminorAssociate partner providing technology support for the KidsUP accelerator.
- MediaCityUKcoreLong-term strategic partner hosting multiple innovation programmes including Smart City Innovation Testbed and Future of Health programme. One of the most famous regeneration projects in the UK and Europe's largest digital, tech and creative hub.
- Connected Places CatapultcoreLeading experts on emerging technologies that accelerate future cities and transport solutions. Partner on Smart City Innovation Testbed and multiple programmes.
- NovartiscoreMajor pharmaceutical sponsor of Future of Health programme alongside Push Doctor and Google. Gained exposure and connections and embedded themselves with the Greater Manchester ecosystem.
- GooglecoreSponsor of Future of Health programme with Novartis and Push Doctor.
- Push DoctorcoreSponsor of Future of Health programme with Novartis and Google.
- GCHQcoreJoint venture partner for Innovation Co-Lab programme supporting 10 tech startups using AI, data science and machine learning. Companies receive mentorship from GCHQ technologists based out of Manchester office.
- The LandingcoreTech mentorship hub based in MediaCityUK in Greater Manchester, joint venture partner with GCHQ for Innovation Co-Lab.
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE)coreRegional development agency partner for Pathfinder Accelerator fast-tracking Highland-based life sciences, technology, engineering, IT and healthcare businesses.
- Health Innovation ManchestersupportingHealthcare innovation partner supporting the GM Future of Health Challenge programme.
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation TrustsupportingNHS trust partner for Future of Health programme providing clinical expertise and pathways.
- Salford DigitalsupportingDigital innovation partner for Future of Health programme.
- ApadmisupportingTechnology partner supporting Future of Health programme.
- IBM (Startup with IBM)supportingPartnership providing cohort companies access to up to $120,000 of technology usage credits, leading experts and enterprise-grade Cloud, Data, IoT, Blockchain and AI technologies.
- The Peel GroupsupportingParent company of MediaCityUK, supporting smart city innovation initiatives.
- Northern Innovation HubcorePart of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, supporting Pathfinder Accelerator programme. Part of a joint initiative supported by £315m investment from UK and Scottish governments.
- The Leadership FactorysupportingPartner with UP delivering Pathfinder Accelerator for Highland-based businesses.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
UP Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Capital Enterprise: UK membership body supporting London-based accelerators, investors and corporates. Comparable as a UK accelerator ecosystem enabler, though broader in remit and London-focused versus UP's Manchester/Edinburgh base.
- Level39: UK tech accelerator/workspace focused on FinTech, Cyber and Smart Cities. Overlaps with UP's Smart City and GCHQ Co-Lab focus areas, but London-based and operates more as a workspace/community than programme-led.
Direct peers
- Techstars: Global accelerator operator running corporate- and sector-specific programmes (including HealthTech and Smart Cities). Directly comparable as a multi-vertical accelerator monetising programme fees and equity, but at much larger scale.
- Plexal: UK innovation hub and accelerator based at Here East, London. Closely comparable as a UK-headquartered innovation consultancy delivering corporate-startup collaboration, accelerators, and innovation programmes.
- Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network running industry-focused programmes with corporate sponsors. Same model of combining corporate sponsorship, cohort-based acceleration, and investor introductions.
- Bethnal Green Ventures: UK accelerator supporting early-stage tech-for-good startups with cohort programmes and investor networks. Comparable in cohort-led, UK-focused acceleration but takes equity and is mission-specific.
- Entrepreneur First (EF): Talent-first accelerator/venture builder operating in the UK and globally. Comparable in the venture-building segment (assembling teams, deep coaching) but takes equity rather than running sponsored cohort programmes.
- Zinc.vc: UK mission-driven venture builder running cohort-based programmes for mission-led founders. Closely comparable in cohort-based delivery model and UK focus, though structured as a venture builder rather than a corporate-backed accelerator.
- Connected Places Catapult: UK government-backed innovation accelerator for places and transport. Directly comparable as UP's named partner on the Smart City Innovation Testbed, operating similar government-sponsored innovation programmes in the UK.
Broad incumbents
- Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate accelerator owned by Telefónica operating across multiple geographies and verticals. Comparable as a large incumbent corporate accelerator with similar GTM — corporate-backed cohorts, programme fees, and selective equity.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
UP Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceUP Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UP Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
UP Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UP Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UP Ventures
What does UP Ventures do?
UP Ventures designs and delivers corporate innovation accelerator programmes (e.g., KidsUP, Smart City Innovation Testbed, Pathfinder, GCHQ Innovation Co-Lab, Future of Health) that pair startups and scaleups with established corporates and government organisations. It also runs design sprints/workshops and investment readiness facilitation services, acting as an intermediary that opens corporate doors for startups and provides investors with curated dealflow.
Is UP Ventures a public or private company?
UP Ventures is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was UP Ventures founded?
UP Ventures was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is UP Ventures based?
UP Ventures is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does UP Ventures make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Innovation Programme Fees are the primary driver. The others are startup Investment Facilitation.
Who are UP Ventures's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Capital Enterprise and Level39. Direct peers are Techstars, Plexal, Startupbootcamp, Bethnal Green Ventures, Entrepreneur First (EF), Zinc.vc and Connected Places Catapult. Wayra (Telefónica) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does UP Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for UP Ventures.
What industry is UP Ventures in?
UP Ventures's product category is Corporate Innovation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAH, Venture Studios / Company Builders, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAB, Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days). Its SIC code is 8742.