Upscale (venture capital)

Upscale is a growth programme for British technology companies, run by Tech Nation, that has operated for several years and is currently being relaunched for 2026. Its stated aim is to help the UK's most promising scaleups accelerate and scale successfully, and it is aimed in particular at companies past their Series A round that are ready to scale or to raise their next round.

How the programme runs

Earlier editions ran over six months, with thirty founders and senior leadership teams receiving more than sixty hours of support from over twenty scale coaches. The programme is described as curated and built on values of honesty, intimacy and trust. Participants explore fundamental growth challenges with their peers and hear from coaches who have scaled companies before. It is free to join and Tech Nation takes no equity stake in the businesses that take part.

Investor introductions

A feature of the current version is tailored investor matchmaking. Companies are matched with growth-stage investors based on sector and strategic fit, designed to start the raising capital conversation for a Series B and beyond.

Support for the whole leadership team

Sessions are offered to the entire C-suite, from finance directors to marketing leads, not only founders. Topics include managing a board, building a leadership team and planning an exit, and the aim is to connect companies with people who have already scaled successfully.

Community that lasts

Alumni stay part of the Tech Nation community afterwards, with access to the Founders Forum global network of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, media and policymakers. The programme also runs events and brings in speakers.

The cohort

The eighth cohort welcomed thirty-five mid-stage tech companies in fields including fintech, artificial intelligence, eCommerce and software as a service. Examples include a tech-enabled divorce service, a drug discovery company combining automation with machine learning, a talent platform for digital artists, an investigation case management platform used by public and private bodies, a credit insights company for lending to small businesses, and a neuroscience company measuring brain health at scale.

Who qualifies

The programme looks for fast-growing UK companies that have raised a Series A and have a leadership team ready to scale. Applications open in cycles, and interested companies can register their interest.

Upscale (venture capital) is a growth programme for UK technology companies, run by Tech Nation. It is aimed at scaleups that are past their Series A round and preparing to grow further or raise a Series B.

What Upscale (venture capital) does

• Expert-led sessions: coaching and peer learning from people who have scaled companies before.
• Investor matchmaking: introductions to growth-stage investors matched by sector and strategic fit.
• C-suite tracks: sessions for the whole leadership team, from finance to marketing heads, not only founders.
• Alumni network: continuing access to the Tech Nation community and the Founders Forum network of entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers.

Who it serves

UK-headquartered technology businesses with a product or service, typically at Series A. Applicants qualify on either their fundraising or their recurring revenue.

Key facts

• Format: a cohort programme that runs for a set period each year, with applications opening seasonally.
• Organiser: Tech Nation.
• Cohorts: the earlier edition covered fintech, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and software companies.
• Equity: the earlier edition took no stake in participating companies.