Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Birmingham based Founder operating in the Information Technology space. If you think a Founder is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Nick Holzherr
Founder & CEO of Whisk
Whisk helps turn food inspiration into meals on the table, through software that makes the process seamless for users. Nick now leads Whisk at Samsung NEXT, Samsung’s software and innovation division. Before Whisk was acquired by Samsung in March 2019, Whisk had grown from a team of 2 to 32, integrating the world’s largest food ecosystem players in the US, UK, Australia and Germany. As a serial entrepreneur, Nick raised over $2m in VC funding to first found Whisk after pitching Whisk.com to Lord Sugar in the final of the BBC Apprentice 2012, where he achieved the series’ best task-win record. In 2017 Nick was awarded an honorary doctorate from Aston University. Nick and his businesses have been featured in leading publications including Newsweek, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The BBC and The Next Web.
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About Air, Samsung NEXT, Whisk: Whisk powers the creation, discovery, personalization, and monetization of food content online, in-store, and at home.
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David Brasfield
Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder of NXTsoft
Mr. Brasfield, founder and CEO of NXTsoft and ThreatAdvice, has demonstrated a track record of success in creating and developing several technology companies from inception to successful exit over the last 30 years. In these ventures, Mr. Brasfield has successfully developed and implemented strategies for sales, marketing and software product development. He is the founder and former CEO of Tri-Novus Capital, LLC, SBS Corporation, SBS Data Services, Inc., Brasfield Technology, LLC and Brasfield Data Services, LLC, all of which were providers of automation technology solutions for community financial institutions. He has been a director of a community bank and is currently a member of other boards in the Birmingham area. Mr. Brasfield holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
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About NXTsoft: NXTsoft is a secure data and connectivity solutions platform with over 1,900 Financial Institutions as our clients.
Joe Lauer
Founder & CEO of Greenback
Joe Lauer is an entrepreneur focusing on web, mobile, and cloud software. He currently is the CEO of [Greenback](/organization/greenback). His previous company [Cloudhopper](/organization/cloudhopper) was acquired by Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) in 2010 and [Simplewire](/organization/simplewire) was acquired by Qpass/Amdocs (NYSE: DOX) in 2006.
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About Greenback: Accounting automation software for growing businesses.
Muazam Sarfaraz
CEO Founder of ascert.me
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About ascert.me, Bullioncard: your identity, personal again
Noel Ady
Principal Consultant and Founder of Gravity 9 Solutions
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About Gravity 9 Solutions: Gravity 9 Solutions combines arts and Science to help organizations create digital products.
Chris Woods
Founder and CEO of CyberQ Group
Chris Woods is the Founder and CEO of CyberQ Group.
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About CyberQ Group, CyberSparta: CyberQ Group – We Make Your Business Cyber Resilient.
Alex Fisher
Founder & CEO of Saturn Bioponics
Alex has driven the Saturn Grower technology from initial experiments through to market ready product over the last 7 years. He has significant experience in all aspects of the technology and its application in the commercial growing market place. He is working with some of the UK’s leading horticultural crop growers, processors, industry figures and researchers, as well as with commercial partners in international markets. Alex has overall responsibility for the direction of the company but remains involved with all customers at both sales and support levels.
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About Saturn Bioponics: Saturn Bioponics provides crop production systems to improve profitability by increasing yields and reducing labour and resource costs.
Henry Porter
CEO & Founder of Bluewater Capital
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About Bluewater Capital: Bluewater Capital provides consulting services on using financial assets in developing businesses.
Mukul Mehra
Founder & Chief Medical Officer of IllumiCare
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About Gastro Health, IllumiCare: IllumiCare Smart Ribbons are non-intrusive ribbons of information that hover over a hospital’s electronic medical.
Antonio Giarrusso
Founder & CEO of Userbot
Founder & CEO at Userbot.
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About Userbot: Userbot is an AI powered customer interaction platform
Yiannis Maos
Founder & CEO of Birmingham Tech (Birmingham Tech Week)
I’m the Founder of Birmingham Tech Week, a collaborative series of events that celebrate our region’s technology scene. The week is government-backed, highlights new and emerging innovation and inspires people from all walks of life to get involved in technology. Prior to this, I was Co-Founder of Hyve, a SaaS platform that helps brands to collaborate with their customers and help turn their loyal customers into word of mouth advocates. The first 10 years of my career I was spent at Rant & Rave, where I was responsible for the marketing strategy, helping them go from a challenger brand to a well established, multi-million pound SaaS company. I have over 15 years of experience in technology, marketing and CX – specialising in helping innovative brands achieve fast-growth by developing strategic customer relationships. During my career, I’ve been named Central England’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, spoken at some of the UK’s top business schools and mentored young marketers as part of Google’s Squared programme. Highlights: • Currently a mentor for Google’s Squared Digital Marketing programme where I’m helping young marketers understand, and how to take advantage of future technologies and trends • Recognised as one of the country’s most promising marketers through the Marketing Academy, where I’ve been coached and mentored by some of the world’s top Marketing Directors from companies including; Facebook, Google, BT and Twitter • Selected to judge at the DMA Awards (Best Digital Destination), Digital Experience Awards (Best Mobile Experience), Shell Livewire Awards (Digital Innovation) and Customer Experience Awards (Global Experience Programme) • Presented at Henley Business School (Customer Experience), Coventry Business School (Inbound Marketing), The Media Trust (Mobile Marketing and Social Media), Warwick Business School (Innovative Marketing) and The International Institute of Innovation (Digital Marketing) • Awarded Central England Young Entrepreneur of the Year for achievements in Digital Marketing – Shell UK PLC
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About Birmingham Tech (Birmingham Tech Week), Bruntwood: Birmingham Tech is a not-for-profit organisation that supports the growth of the Birmingham (UK) and West Midlands Technology Sector.
Ben Williams
Co-Founder and Chief Engineer of Spica Technologies
Ben is a great software designer and engineer with over 15 years experience of designing and implementing a wide range of technical products and solutions.
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About Spica Technologies: SPICA – A Nordomatic Company is a specialist IOT Systems Integrator that uses a combination of technical assets, hardware (device).
Paul Collins
Founder and Managing Director of Spica Technologies
Paul is a highly experienced, client centric technical leader, having previously founded and grown one of the UK’s most successful IBM Business Partners.
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About Spica Technologies: SPICA – A Nordomatic Company is a specialist IOT Systems Integrator that uses a combination of technical assets, hardware (device).
Rachel Maclean
Founder and Director of Skilled and Ready
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About Skilled and Ready: Skilled and Ready is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which runs an innovative, business and government supported employability award.
Rachel Maclean
Founder and Director of Skilled and Ready
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About Skilled and Ready: Skilled and Ready is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation which runs an innovative, business and government supported employability award.
Sean Nicholson
Founder and CEO of Sign Solutions
As founder and now Non Executive Director of Sign Solutions, Sean, based in Warwickshire, has been able to watch the company grow from a small seed into a blossoming tree branching out in many directions. The bulk of his efforts are spent on devising strategy, whether that be regarding the day to day running of the company or exciting new projects; Sean is always eager to introduce new ideas to the company, constantly seeking ways to expand and improve. A hands-on director, he has taken the company into the field of video interpreting with innovations including E -learning, an app for the Smartphone and a DVD for Police. Sean qualified as an interpreter in 1991 and is a registered Expert Witness. Not wishing to forget his roots, Sean still enjoys BSL interpreting assignments. He strives to work directly with the Deaf Community as much as possible, be that a 15 minute doctor’s appointment or a training course. On his precious days off, he enjoys spending time with his family, taking every opportunity to travel, and likes to wind down with a glass of wine.
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About Sign Solutions: Sign Solutions is a language and learning company, specialising in interpretation support for Deaf people
