The UK startup ecosystem reported a steady week of dealmaking, with 16 startups raising a combined £130 million. Activity was concentrated in fintech and applied AI, supported by strong investor interest in automation, enterprise intelligence, and next-generation financial infrastructure. Funding activity also spanned HRtech, healthtech, proptech, and workforce solutions, reflecting a broad appetite for operational software and regulated-sector innovation.
Applied AI Drives Enterprise Automation Push
A clear theme this week was the rapid integration of agentic AI and machine learning into enterprise workflows — from industrial operations to banking documentation and workforce training. Investors actively backed automation tools aimed at reducing repetitive tasks, speeding up decision-making, and providing real-time operational insights.
Key Funding Highlights
Model ML led the week with a £57.27M Series A, aimed at scaling its agent-driven document automation for investment banks and supporting global expansion after relocating key functions to London’s King’s Cross.
Monq secured £2.28M pre-seed, led by Outward VC, to develop an AI-powered negotiation platform for high-value procurement deals.
Intelligent Core raised £2M in a round led by Fuel Ventures to expand its real-time industrial monitoring and autonomous-action platform across energy, manufacturing and utilities.
Moralbox closed £550K, led by Northstar Ventures’ Venture Sunderland Fund, to grow its workforce intelligence and training management platform with live qualification verification.
Together, these deals highlight London’s growing leadership in applied AI, alongside strong investor preference for solutions integrated with physical or regulated operations.
This Week’s AI & Data Deals
Model ML — £57.27M
Closed a major Series A backed by FT Partners, Y Combinator and QED Investors. The funding will accelerate international expansion and deepen engineering capabilities for its agent-driven document automation tools used in investment banking.
Monq — £2.28M (Pre-Seed, led by Outward VC)
The capital will support AI-driven negotiation tools for enterprise procurement, expand pilot deployments, and drive entry into the EU, US and Middle Eastern markets.
Intelligent Core — £2M (Led by Fuel Ventures)
Funds will advance modular industrial AI systems enabling real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and automated decisioning across heavy-industry clients.
Moralbox — £550K
The round supports scaling an AI-powered workforce intelligence ecosystem built for regulated and labour-intensive sectors.
Fintech Doubles Down on AI, M&A and Institutional Capital
Fintech remained a core driver of UK activity, with investors favouring firms combining AI-driven product development with strategic acquisitions to accelerate regional expansion.
BKN301 — £29.03M
BKN301 extended its Series B, raising the equivalent of £29M to advance its AI-driven banking architecture and complete the acquisition of UK analytics firm Planky. The round — backed by funds and accounts managed by BlackRock — will support both product development and further M&A as the company expands across EMEA.
The deal underscores a rising trend: institutional investors are increasingly supporting fintechs that blend organic scale with bolt-on acquisitions to speed up capability development.
Healthtech, HRtech & Workforce Solutions See Steady Momentum
Beyond AI and fintech, the week also saw funding activity in care, workforce finance and compliance tooling. These rounds show investor focus on:
frontline workforce enablement
consumer health products
finance solutions for staffing firms
compliance and credentialing in regulated industries
Recent deals in the sector include investments into care-focused product startups, staffing-finance platforms offering working capital, and HRtech solutions built for high-turnover industries. The momentum signals ongoing demand for tools that address systemic shortages, quality assurance, and operational inefficiencies across health and labour markets.
Weekly Snapshot
16 startups funded
£130 million raised
32 founders involved
54 VCs & angels participated.
