TOP 50 STARTUPS TO WORK FOR IN 2021

From modern healthcare to smart FinTech and everything in between, these are the London startups raising the tempo in 2021. Each company has its own stand-out superpower and should be on every candidate’s watchlist. The Tempo team has researched hundreds of companies and competition was fierce – read on to discover the very best places to work in 2021.

 

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50. ALLPLANTS

Small business with big dreams, Allplants wants to inspire everyone to eat more plants for a better future of our planet. The team can indulge in daily lunches, breakfast and snacks, and they are first in line for new product tastings. Not strictly for vegans, Allplants fosters a diverse environment with flexible working, and a mission that both feels good and tastes good.

SUPERPOWER: Treating your stomach and the planet 

49. YAPILY

Operating behind the scenes, Yapily empowers financial services so everyone can enjoy better finance products. Saving the world in more ways than one, they are also saving their employees from bad working environments. The Yapily team benefits from making an impact and gaining experience in a seriously high-growth space. Smart FinTech is here to stay.

SUPERPOWER: Making financial services faster and better for everyone 

48. COUNTINGUP

Time is money in business and Countingup knows that. Their platform combines banking and accounting into one simple, easy-to-use product. The team at Countingup is diverse and all striving for the same ultimate goal. Word on the street is they want to provide a financial platform for no less than one million small businesses – but who’s counting?

SUPERPOWER: Automating accounting to give back time to the people 

47. ECHO

Echo brings a new aspect of healthcare into the 21st century by enabling people to easily order medicine online and get it delivered for free. Now there’s a service adding true value to people’s lives. Employees are part of a diverse and busy team where no day is the same, and the health and wellbeing benefits are more than anyone could ever hope for.

SUPERPOWER: Taking the faff out of prescription medicine 

46. CHARGEDUP

There’s nothing worse than your phone dying when you’re out and about. Enter ChargedUp! Their network of portable power banks gives you power on demand. To keep their employees charged up and ready to go, the company offers mentoring and growth as well as keeping things social with Monday morning team breakfasts. They’ve got the power.

SUPERPOWER: Supplying phone power to anyone from anywhere 

45. HUEL

Nutritions with no nasties, time-saving and money-saving, Huel is created to make people feel good. Employees are encouraged to be curious, to take initiative and collaborate with each other to make sure customers get the best possible experience. The benefits are focused on keeping people well, and includes healthcare and, of course, free Huel.

SUPERPOWER: Keeping people fit from within

44. CITY PANTRY

Because every day at work should be a good day, simple as that. Providing delicious lunches to offices and remote workers, City Pantry is all about employee wellbeing for others – and for themselves. Employees are encouraged to be hungry, not just for lunch but in their approach to work too. Fun, freedom and wellbeing are at the core of the culture, rated highly by the team.

SUPERPOWER: Eliminating soggy sandwiches from your work life

43. HABITO

Habito exists to make mortgages easier. You might even say that Habito has a bit of a habit of pleasing people. The team works hard to be better, be responsible and be part of the revolution that gets rid of bad mortgages for good. Employees love the benefits which include health insurance, motivational guest speakers, stock options and pension, and flexible holidays to name a few.

SUPERPOWER: Mortgages that please people, not banks

42. SECOND NATURE

Forget about Atkins and Keto, and embrace a new life that’s literally second nature with Second Nature. Working to keep customers rested, happy and healthy, employees get the same thoughtful treatment. The Second Nature team can have their cake and eat it too with a great culture, career progression and the opportunity to make an important impact on people’s lives.

SUPERPOWER: Ditching diet fads to make you healthy once and for all

41. CAPDESK

Capdesk wants to make companies captains of their equity. By simplifying employee equity schemes, companies can now manage all their gold in a single platform. The team is small and they all have their thinking caps on to deliver nothing but the best to customers. The company practises what they preach and offers super transparent equity ownership to employees so everyone benefits from their growth.

SUPERPOWER: Streamlining equity plans with flexibility and confidence

40. EDUME

EduMe is a workforce success platform that uses the power of technology for good. By enabling companies to train people to excel at their job, everyone becomes a hero in their own right. EduMe not only provides hero-like workforces for others, they also take care of their own. Flexible working, budget for health and socials; employees have all they need to focus on helping others.

SUPERPOWER: Empowering workforces to perform at their best

39. VISIONABLE

Visionable believes in doing good by being good, which is why they’re on a mission to make healthcare accessible to everyone on the planet using technology. If that isn’t enough of a reason to be a part of the journey, employees benefit from working in an environment that encourages curiosity and positive challenges. Oh, and a generous holiday allowance and career development.

SUPERPOWER: Using video technology to build a healthier world

38. FLORENCE

Florence cares, and this is a team working hard to change the care industry for the better. Care homes no longer need to be stuck in the old age. Having gone through impressive growth in the last couple of years, employees enjoy a fun, friendly and collaborative startup environment with generous benefits. Florence is the perfect precedent that it feels good to do good.

SUPERPOWER: Giving carers and nurses the tools to be in control

37. WEFARM

Serving over two million farmers across Africa, Wefarm isn’t the kind of place where employees get stuck in an office booth. In fact, their idea of an offsite has previously included trips to Kenya and Uganda. It kind of makes that traditional Christmas party in the pub seem kind of stingy, right? Most importantly though, the company is building a fantastic ecosystem for global agriculture.

SUPERPOWER: Connecting farmers for a better future

36. FAREWILL

Farewill offers the opportunity to have a real impact on people’s lives by providing a simpler way to deal with deaths. Through a mix of excellent customer service and smart technology, the company makes things a bit easier, faster and fairer. The team is a diverse bunch of people who all genuinely care about the product, each other and the future of the company.

SUPERPOWER: Doing good by offering a simpler way to deal with death

35. DOCTIFY

Healthcare workers are the superheroes of today. And Doctify wants to connect people with the very best clinics and hospitals. The platform, together with its dedicated team, exists to empower people to make informed decisions and recognise the clinics and hospitals that go above and beyond. Employees at Doctify are helping the good healthcare workers save the masses. Now there’s a superhero for you.

SUPERPOWER: Promoting trust and transparency in healthcare

34. THRIVA

Thriva wants people to thrive, and this includes their employees. While customers get personalised health advice with the prick of a finger, employees pinch themselves to make sure they’re not dreaming up all those great benefits. The Thriva team wants to show that they care and works hard to make sure that employees never experience the dreaded “Sunday fear”.

SUPERPOWER: Putting health control into the hands of people

33. INFLUENCER

We’re not talking about how to become the next Kim Kardashian here, but rather a team of creative experts that help brands succeed in the world of social media. The team benefits from an exciting, fast-paced environment where no day is the same, and Influencer keeps their employees happy and healthy with a mental and physical wellbeing focus, a generous holiday allowance and flexible working hours.

SUPERPOWER: Influencing positive change for brands 

32. PERMUTIVE

Permutive is on a mission to show the world what’s possible with data. Pretty straightforward, right? The company is doing something groundbreaking, and the team consists of dreamers, inventors and discoverers who make sure that the journey is a memorable one. This is a place where employees can rip up the rulebook and work the way that make each one of them happy.

SUPERPOWER: Giving publishers the data they deserve

31. MOTORWAY

At Motorway, employees are part of a company that’s working in the fast lane. With a simple mission to make selling your car quick and easy, here is a company that’s bound to stay successful until we are all flying to work. The working environment is fun and fast-paced, and employees rate the flexibility, the family-like atmosphere and the perks that come with growing together as a company.

SUPERPOWER: An easy way to sell your car and drive straight to the bank

30. HOMETREE

Hot water and heating problems can really make our blood boil like nothing else. And getting it fixed is as painful as a root canal. Hometree believes the world deserves better, and they only hire the very best people to make sure that happens. Employees are offered a safe place to be themselves, work how they like, and take ownership and grow in their role.

SUPERPOWER: Making homecare plans work for you

29. FORM3

Form3 empowers businesses so they can make instant payments easy for their customers. The team embraces a remote-first approach to work while remaining a close knit bunch. After all, if we can do everything online, why shouldn’t we? Employees can be based wherever they are the most happy and productive, and the great benefits reflect just that. This is a FinTech racing for first place.

SUPERPOWER: Redefining instant payments for easy spending

28. QUANTEXA

As a company building technology to shape the world of data, Quantexa is full of smart and dedicated people. Employees rate the “work hard play hard” mentality and can reap the benefits of their hard work with mentor programmes and opportunity for professional development – alongside the fun bits like generous holiday allowance, flexible working and a great culture.

SUPERPOWER: Connecting data to empower decisions

27. FLATFAIR

House deposits and the process around them used to give us chills down the spine. Flatfair has made it easy for landlords and renters alike. The team is a bunch of passionate people, eager to improve people’s quality of life. Employees rate the culture highly and are excited about the learning, development and progression opportunities they are given.

SUPERPOWER: Flexible protection so renting becomes as easy as pie

26. CAZOO

Cazoo gives customers complete car buying confidence. Reconditioned, delivered and with a money back guarantee – buying a car just became fun again. Just as their service is fast-paced, so is life at Cazoo headquarters. Working at speed as a team to reach their end goals, the team strives to have just as much fun as their customers do buying their cars.

SUPERPOWER: Transforming the way people buy used cars

25. SHIELDPAY

Digitising and simplifying payments, Shieldpay protects people and businesses alike with those big, important transactions. Supporting, encouraging, dynamic and exciting. That’s how you could describe the company’s mission, but actually those are just some of the kind words employees use to describe their life at Shieldpay.

SUPERPOWER: Shielding customers and businesses from bad transactions

24. CREDIT KUDOS

Robin Hood was a man of the people, and so is Credit Kudos. Their platform aims to provide fairer credit for all by helping people access finances they can afford. This idea of fairness can be seen in their employee benefits too. From equity and pensions, health and wellbeing schemes, and any equipment they need, Credit Kudos really do believe in power to the people.

SUPERPOWER: Fixing credit scoring so it’s fair for everyone

23. CLEO

Need a friend to help you save? Send Cleo to the rescue. The platform uses smart technology to keep your spending in check in a unique and friendly way. Fear not, this doesn’t stop Cleo spending money on their employees’ happiness. With excellent compensation, mentorship, team bonding trips and snacks galore, the team at Cleo certainly does not go without.

SUPERPOWER: Making managing your money a walk in the park

22. MARSHMALLOW

Not to be confused with squishy sweets, Marshmallow is rebuilding car insurance so it works for everyone. The inclusive approach to business feeds into the entire team, which consists of a passionate bunch of marshmallowers. The list of benefits seems never-ending, and employees love the clear direction and great atmosphere. Only thing missing really is a free marshmallow supply for life.

SUPERPOWER: Smart, instant car insurance that works for everyone

21. BY MILES

By Miles is disrupting traditional car insurance by charging only a fixed annual cost and the miles you drive – the less you drive, the less you pay. Making travel easy isn’t just important for their customers but also for their employees. Alongside the usual social events and benefits, the team is given a cycle to work scheme and great commuting options. By Miles that’s good!

SUPERPOWER: Making car insurance affordable for all

20. ZENCARGO

On a mission to synchronise supply and demand for businesses, Zencargo’s team seem to be in perfect sync themselves. Employees rate the flat hierarchy, the fast-moving environment and the overall business outlook, making Zencargo the perfect workplace for budding entrepreneurs. With £20m funding in the bank and a growing team, this one is here to stay.

SUPERPOWER: A trust-based environment for businesses and employees

19. JOLT

On a mission to boost people’s careers, Jolt is offering support and flexible learning for their students to thrive in any industry. The internal culture at Jolt is not about beer fridges and ping pong, but about adding true value to employees’ lives by providing them with the tools, courses and skills to be their very best selves. Employees rate them highly and value that the team genuinely cares.

SUPERPOWER: Giving students a competitive advantage

18. ACCURX

The healthcare system often involves too many cooks. So to help not spoil the broth, the AccuRx platform allows anyone involved in a patient’s care to easily communicate with each other, including the patient. The AccuRx team itself all has one thing in common, an obsession with their mission, and each other. Here is a company that strives for team happiness both in and outside of work.

SUPERPOWER: All healthcare communication, all in one place

17. CONVELIO

From ship-to-shore and door-to-door, Convelio has a superhero A-team to make sure fine art is delivered across the globe quickly, smoothly and at competitive prices. The team follows a working compass to make sure not only the artwork gets delivered, but that they deliver too. Convelio offers a work environment that is caring, agile and demanding, making them a sea-worthy crew.

SUPERPOWER: Building the logistics backbone of the art world

16. COMPLYADVANTAGE

ComplyAdvantage is the Batman of the tech world. The company is building software to take on the risk of financial crimes such as money laundering and terrorist financing. Much like Batman had Robin, ComplyAdvantage has a focused team that is collaborative, proactive and tenacious to deliver the best results and fight financial evil. And make sure the process is pain free along the way.

SUPERPOWER: Using technology to fight financial crime

15. WAGESTREAM

Working with companies to give employees instant access to earnings, Wagestream is all about opportunity. They believe in trust, autonomy and growing together to make a big impact – all of which employees rate them highly for. The team has access to a range of seriously cool benefits, and their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed with more than £60m raised from top VCs.

SUPERPOWER: Enabling people to be in control of their earnings

14. FLUIDLY

Enabling businesses to run with confidence, Fluidly makes sure that small companies always have cash in the bank. Sounds pretty remarkable, right? And remarkable is just what working there feels like – employees love the culture, the leadership, the challenges and the great potential they see in the product. Fluidly offers a place to really develop and learn.

SUPERPOWER: Predicting future cashflows so businesses can run with ease

13. JURO

Juro is on a mission to streamline work for all of us and make collaboration easy-peasy. And this simplicity can be found within the team as well. They foster an environment where everyone can feel at home, and the team enjoys a bunch of fun activities which confirm that their culture is something to shout about. Potential new starters can even find all information about the hiring process online. Easy, simple, Juro.

SUPERPOWER: Making work as simple as it should be

12. PORTIFY

We all know about the mysterious credit score, but figuring out the ins and outs of it has never been easy. Then Portify came around to save the day with a community-powered membership that helps people reach their financial goals. Some goals may be more than financial, and that’s why the team at Portify are given everything they need to reach their own ones, personally and professionally, and be happy at work.

SUPERPOWER: Helping everyone achieve their financial dreams

11. ZEGO

Zego is all about making driver insurance flexible, simple, and better. And guess what, working at the company is pretty much that: flexible, simple, and better than other places. Employees value the culture and perks, and new hires benefit from competitive salary and holidays, the latest tech and awesome Zego merch to go show the world where they belong.

SUPERPOWER: Taking the wheel of modern work insurance

10. BUTTERNUT BOX

Dogs are a human’s best friend. And at Butternut Box that means delivering health and happiness to dogs in a meal worth drooling over. This company puts the fun back in pun with a light-hearted sense of humour in their brand voice and approach to each other. From a focus on health and wellbeing to a personal learning budget, employees really have something to bark about.

SUPERPOWER: Giving dogs happiness through the pawfect meal

9. PENTO

Most employers will roll over laughing if you tell them they can run payroll in a single click. With Pento that’s a reality. Not only is the company making things a whole lot easier for employers, they also make work as easy as pie. If unlimited holidays, flexible working, and an incredible growth journey sound up your street, then look no further to make work truly exciting.

SUPERPOWER: Bringing payroll into the 21st century (finally) 

8. FIIT

Growing fast, Fiit almost seems to have been built for a global pandemic with their excellent app that brings the gym home. The company truly cares about their employees and the work is focused around feeling good – employees are treated with personal fitness and wellbeing budgets, team workouts, healthy snacks and, of course, fun socials that don’t always evolve around the gym.

SUPERPOWER: Fitness at home at the touch of a button

7. HOPIN

As if Hopin predicted a global pandemic, they decided to take events online. The virtual event venue goes way beyond simple presentations with immersive networking, expo booths, workshops and much more. Employees at Hopin are part of a journey where they move seriously fast, with an opportunity to make a big impact and gain unmatched experiences for the future.

SUPERPOWER: Saving the world from restrictive online events

6. WEGIFT

WeGift is the gift that keeps on giving. Not only are they incentivising consumers to buy more from businesses, they are also incentivising their employees to stay around. With a generous holiday allowance, flexible working, diverse team socials and a bunch of discounts up for grabs, the team understands that working hard really pays off – proven in their 500% growth last year.

SUPERPOWER: Rewarding consumers with instant incentives when they buy

5. ATTEST

Attest believes consumers and data should be put at the heart of every business, and accessible to anyone that needs it. And whilst data is their mission, people is their focus. With clearly laid out values, benefits dedicated to their growth and development as well as their remote-working setup, Attest could put any competing business to the test.

SUPERPOWER: Providing the data to turn guesswork into fact

4. TRUELAYER

With almost £60m funding in the bank, Truelayer is definitely one to watch. They preach about inclusion and diversity in that order, as diversity isn’t successful without inclusion first. Truelayer employees are part of a huge growth spurt, tapping into the FinTech industry with universal APIs that improve financial data for everyone. Add to that a super flexible working environment and fun team socials.

SUPERPOWER: Aiming big to power the next era of financial innovation

3. MONEYBOX

Start talking about savings and investments, and many young people are ready to hit the snooze button. But fear not, Moneybox makes it easy. Easy to sign up, easy to get started, easy to save money. Employees benefit not only from the company’s impressive growth, but also from a range of awesome perks, a dynamic environment, and a welcoming and friendly bunch of colleagues.

SUPERPOWER: Making savings as easy as putting money in a box

2. IMPALA

Impala works behind the scenes to make sure that travel booking is as easy as browse, book, pay and stay. Started as a remote-first business and experiencing huge growth, there is no stopping Impala on their way to revolutionising travel for good. With a list of employee benefits that looks never-ending and more than £15m funding in the bank, this is the place to be.

SUPERPOWER: Creating a better world of travel through data

1. YULIFE

More than just a cute brand, Yulife truly puts wellbeing at the heart of everything they do. Yulife’s employee insurance product protects lives and rewards living, much like the way they look after their own people. Employees feel at home and refer to colleagues as their Yulife family and they benefit from, yes you guessed it, a more than decent insurance coverage.

SUPERPOWER: Protecting, inspiring and rewarding yur life

 

ABOUT THE SUPER STARTUPS

 

This list was published in October 2020. The Tempo team has conducted extensive research into hundreds of amazing startups, and picking just 50 was a challenge on its own. The companies on the list are selected based on their company mission, employee reviews, careers pages, upfront information for potential new hires and general buzz. To be considered for the list, companies must be launched in 2014 or after, have less than 300 employees and be founded in London. See the top 20 startups to work for in Manchester here.