6 UK Mobility Startups Defining 2026: From AI Driving to Heavy-Lift Drones
December 3, 2025
If 2025 was all about raising capital, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of delivery.
The UK mobility startups landscape is entering a transformative phase deep-tech firms are finally turning shiny prototypes into commercial products.
Table of Contents
With a growing push for electric vehicles, autonomous mobility, and clean energy, British innovators are stepping up. But we aren’t just talking about another app for booking trains. We are talking about hardware and software that will fundamentally reshape how people and goods move.
In this list, we explore the top UK mobility startups poised to boom in 2026, from batteries that charge in minutes to drones that do the heavy lifting for oil rigs.
1. Nyobolt: Ending Range Anxiety
- Founders: Professor Dame Clare Grey DBE, FRS and Dr. Sai Shivareddy
- Founded: 2019
- Website: nyobolt.com
While the world obsessed over building better electric cars, Nyobolt focused on the single biggest bottleneck preventing people from buying them: the charger. They are one of the most promising UK mobility startups in the energy sector.
Why Nyobolt Will Boom in 2026:
- The 5-Minute Charge: They have successfully demonstrated charging an EV from 10% to 80% in under five minutes. This isn’t just an improvement; it effectively kills “range anxiety.”
- Built to Last: Unlike standard lithium-ion batteries that degrade quickly under fast charging, Nyobolt’s proprietary anode materials allow for over 25,000 cycles.
- Asset-Light Scaling: Instead of building massive factories from scratch, they license their tech to existing manufacturers.
2. Wayve: Teaching AI to Drive
- Founders: Alex Kendall and Amar Shah
- Founded: 2017
- Website: wayve.ai
Wayve is doing something radical among UK mobility startups. Instead of telling a car “if you see a red light, stop,” they are building an “Embodied AI” that learns to drive from experience, much like a human does.
Why Wayve Will Boom in 2026:
- The “Brain” Advantage: Their AI doesn’t need expensive HD maps or lidar. It uses cameras to “see” and understand the road.
- Fleet First: Wayve is targeting delivery vans and ride-hailing fleets—the commercial backbone of the city.
- Global War Chest: With over $1 billion in the bank (backed by SoftBank and Microsoft), they have the runway to survive where others failed.
3. Skyports: Building Future Airports
- Founders: Duncan Walker and Simon Morrish
- Founded: 2018
- Website: skyports.net
Electric air taxis (eVTOLs) are coming, but they have nowhere to land. Skyports is solving this by building “Vertiports.” They are a unique player in the UK mobility startups ecosystem, focusing on infrastructure rather than vehicles.
Why Skyports Will Boom in 2026:
- First Mover: They are building the UK’s first “Vertiport” testbed at Bicester Motion, aiming for completion in 2025.
- The Ground Network: By securing prime real estate now, they ensure that when aircraft are certified, they have a destination.
- Regulatory Lead: Skyports is helping write the rulebook on how to operate these hubs safely.
4. Nodum: The Extension Lead for the Nation
- Founders: Ben Macdonald and Kohen Judd
- Founded: 2021
- Website: nodum.co.uk
The biggest barrier to EV adoption isn’t the car—it’s parking. About 40% of UK households do not have a driveway. Nodum is one of the essential UK mobility startups addressing this “terrace problem.”
Why Nodum Will Boom in 2026:
- Safe Street Charging: Their “Charge Bridge” technology safely routes charging cables across public pavements.
- Unlocking the Mass Market: They make EV ownership financially viable for millions of city dwellers who rely on street parking.
- Council-Friendly: Nodum’s solution is low-impact, making it an easy win for local councils under pressure to meet net-zero targets.
5. Certo Aerospace: The Heavy Lifters
- Founder: Shay O’Brien
- Founded: 2008
- Website: certoaero.com
Forget pizza delivery drones. Certo Aerospace is interested in heavy industrial logistics. They stand out among UK mobility startups for their focus on high-payload industrial applications.
Why Certo Will Boom in 2026:
- Industrial Muscle: Their “Capstone” uncrewed helicopter can carry payloads up to 750kg.
- Replacing Manned Risk: They target offshore wind farms and oil rigs, replacing expensive and dangerous manned helicopter flights.
- Cost Efficiency: An autonomous heavy-lift drone costs a fraction of a crewed helicopter to operate.
6. Qargo: The OS for Trucking
- Founders: Adriaan Coppens, Joeri De Turck, and Sander De Wilde
- Founded: 2020
- Website: qargo.com
It may not fly, but Qargo is revolutionizing road freight. As one of the fastest-growing UK mobility startups in software, they are digitizing the paper-heavy logistics industry.
Why Qargo Will Boom in 2026:
- Paperless Logistics: Their platform automates documentation between truckers, planners, and clients.
- The Carbon Mandate: As companies must report emissions, Qargo’s real-time tracking becomes a compliance necessity.
- Efficiency Engine: By reducing empty miles, they directly improve the bottom line for haulage firms.
Stay ahead of the curve. Follow BestStartup.co.uk for real-time insights on the ecosystem of UK mobility startups, from the factory floor to the vertiport.
