A new report has spotlighted 110 British entrepreneurs under 40 who have founded or co-founded companies valued at a combined £82 billion.
The inaugural Hurun UK Under40s 2024 list celebrates these innovators for creating more than 60,000 jobs across sectors ranging from fintech and healthcare to consumer goods.
To earn a spot on the list, each founder had to launch a venture worth at least $100 million. Among the highest-profile success stories is London-based fintech Revolut, valued at $45 billion and co-founded by Nik Storonsky. Other notable names include Euan Blair and Sophie Adelman of the educational start-up Multiverse, now worth almost £1.4 billion, and Cera’s Ben Maruthappu, whose patient care app was recently recognised as a unicorn. Their achievements mirror those of 44 other founders who have guided their companies to unicorn status, underlining the dynamism of Britain’s entrepreneurial scene.
Financial services emerged as the most represented sector, accounting for 25 per cent of the entries. London remains the main hub, hosting 79 of the 110 founders, but the North West also makes a strong showing, with 10 entrepreneurs based there.
Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher at Hurun Report, praised the diversity of talent within the list: “There are those with PhDs from the world’s top universities and others who left school with few qualifications. Some are building groundbreaking businesses through advanced technologies such as AI, while others have unlocked tremendous value from everyday consumer categories.”
More than a quarter of founders on the list hail from abroad, emphasising the UK’s continued pull for global entrepreneurial talent. Alongside these founders, 10 ‘next generation’ honourees appear for managing revenues or investments of at least $200 million.
