Upp.ai named in Barclays Eagle Labs AI 100 'Ones to Watch' list of UK AI companies shaping 2026

London-based AI platform recognised among the 100 UK scaleups defining the future of British artificial intelligence, in a cohort that has collectively raised £11.3 billion and employs more than 8,500 people.

LONDON, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Upp.ai, the AI platform that builds Ad campaigns that leverage real-time demand data to deliver exceptional returns from spend on Google, Meta and Microsoft Ads, today announced its inclusion in the Barclays Eagle Labs AI 100 "Ones to Watch" report — a definitive ranking of 100 UK artificial intelligence companies shaping the future of the sector.

Published by Barclays Eagle Labs, the report profiles the highest-growth AI businesses in the country across categories ranging from AI infrastructure and semiconductors to life sciences, robotics and voice generation. Together, the named companies have raised £11.3 billion in funding, employ over 8,500 people, and generate £734 million in combined annual revenue.

The list arrives at a record moment for UK artificial intelligence: investment in the sector hit £8.3 billion in 2025, with 49.4% of all AI deals representing first-time fundraises — what Barclays describes as the strongest-ever pipeline of new market entrants. Upp.ai's inclusion places it among the businesses Barclays believes are best positioned to turn that momentum into globally competitive growth.

A vote of confidence for AI in paid media

"Being named in the Barclays AI 100 is a significant moment for everyone at Upp.ai. It validates the work we've done with some of the UK's most ambitious retailers to prove that AI can deliver measurable, repeatable commercial outcomes — not just promise them. The retail sector is at the front line of the AI transition, and we're proud to be helping shape what 'good' looks like for paid media in 2026 and beyond."

Jonathan Gale, CEO, Upp.ai

Upp.ai's platform allows advertisers to effectively deploy, measure and plan their multi-million pound paid media spend safely and predictably. Upp.ai analyses more than 7 billion product and market data points every day, manages over 102 million SKUs, and takes more than 48,000 optimisation actions on Google, Meta and Microsoft Ad platforms each week on behalf of customers, including B&Q, Charles Tyrwhitt, Charlies Stores and Secret Sales. The platform was recently recognised with the Performance Marketing World AI Innovation Award for its work with B&Q, where product visibility rose from 35% to over 84% and revenue grew by 30%.

Commenting on the broader AI 100 cohort, Abdul Qureshi, Head of Barclays Business Banking, said: "The UK has no shortage of world-class AI innovation. The real challenge is helping the strongest businesses turn that innovation into long-term, scalable growth." Alongside the report, Barclays announced its new Scaleup Consortium — bringing together Cooper Parry, Emerald Technologies, EY, Google Cloud and Wilson Sonsini — to support the companies in the cohort, including Upp.ai, as they expand internationally.

The full Barclays Eagle Labs 'Ones to Watch' AI 100 report is available to download now.

About Upp.ai

Upp.ai is an independent platform for paid media teams delivering predictable, scalable performance that redefines how retailers and brands operate in paid media. The platform monitors live market signals, trend data and first-party company data to make continuous, controlled adjustments to budgets, campaigns and ad exposure. By translating these inputs into automated campaign execution across Google, Meta, and Microsoft Ad platforms, Upp.ai delivers stronger performance, ensures precision and predictability, delivering financial confidence to C-level leaders and a reliable cross-platform deployment solution for practitioners.

The company was recognised for its leading solutions at the PMW Awards and UK eCommerce Awards 2025.

About the Barclays Eagle Labs AI 100

The Ones to Watch: AI 100 Report is published by Barclays Eagle Labs and identifies 100 high-growth UK AI scaleups operating across sectors including AI infrastructure, semiconductors, life sciences, robotics, voice generation and software-as-a-service. The 2026 cohort has collectively raised £11.3 billion, employs more than 8,500 people, and generates £734 million in annual revenue. The report aims to map where the UK's most promising AI companies are heading next and to address the "scaleup gap" facing British technology businesses.

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