Hard Tech UK tracks the startups, investors, and job opportunities across the UK's hard tech ecosystem. This is the first quarterly snapshot of what the data shows: where the companies are, who's hiring, who's funding them, and which sectors are moving fastest.
All figures are drawn from the Hard Tech UK directory as of 31 March 2026.
How big is the UK hard tech ecosystem?
The Hard Tech UK directory currently tracks 37 startups, 127 investors, and 252 open roles across the UK hard tech ecosystem. Companies span 15 categories, from semiconductors and defence tech to climate tech, robotics, and biotech. The majority are early-stage: 12 are at seed, 10 at Series A, and 5 at Series C, with a handful at growth stage or later.
| Metric | Q1 2026 |
|---|---|
| Startups tracked | 37 |
| Investors tracked | 127 |
| Open roles | 252 |
| Sectors covered | 15 |
| Most common stage | Seed (12 companies) |
Which sectors have the most UK hard tech startups?
Defence tech leads by company count with 9 startups in the directory, followed by semiconductors with 6 and energy with 4. The defence tech count reflects both homegrown companies like Arondite and international firms like Anduril and Helsing that have established UK operations.
| Sector | Startups |
|---|---|
| Defence Tech | 9 |
| Semiconductors | 6 |
| Energy | 4 |
| Robotics | 3 |
| 3D Printing | 2 |
| Biotech | 2 |
| Climate Tech | 2 |
| Computer Hardware | 2 |
| Other (Space, Photonics, Agritech, etc.) | 7 |
Where are UK hard tech jobs?
London dominates with 149 of 252 open roles (59%), followed by Bristol with 80 roles (32%), driven almost entirely by Graphcore's semiconductor engineering operation. Cambridge accounts for 13 roles, with smaller clusters in Southampton and Plymouth.
Software engineering is the most in-demand discipline with 89 open roles, followed by hardware engineering (32) and AI engineering (31). ASIC design roles (18) reflect the strength of the UK semiconductor sector.
| Location | Open roles |
|---|---|
| London | 149 |
| Bristol | 80 |
| Cambridge | 13 |
| Southampton | 5 |
| Plymouth | 3 |
| Oxford | 1 |
| Discipline | Open roles |
|---|---|
| Software Engineering | 89 |
| Hardware Engineering | 32 |
| AI Engineering | 31 |
| ASIC Design | 18 |
| Operations | 17 |
| Hardware / Silicon | 10 |
| Engineering (General) | 6 |
| Hardware Test | 6 |
| Product | 5 |
| All other | 38 |
Which companies are hiring the most?
Graphcore leads with 64 open roles, predominantly in Bristol. Fractile, a seed-stage semiconductor startup building in-memory AI chips, is the second-largest hirer with 43 roles, all in London. Humanoid (25 roles), Helsing (22), and DeepMind (22) round out the top five.
Semiconductors is the largest hiring sector by volume with 117 open roles across 4 companies, followed by defence tech with 49 roles across 5 companies.
| Company | Open roles | Sector | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphcore | 64 | Semiconductors | Bristol |
| Fractile | 43 | Semiconductors | London |
| Humanoid | 25 | Robotics | London |
| Helsing | 22 | Defence Tech | London, Plymouth |
| DeepMind | 22 | AI Research | London |
| Wayve | 20 | Autonomous Vehicles | London |
| Anduril | 18 | Defence Tech | London |
| Mytos | 7 | Biotech | London |
| Olix | 6 | Computer Hardware | London |
| AccelerComm | 5 | Semiconductors | Southampton |
Who invests in UK hard tech?
The Hard Tech UK directory tracks 127 investors active in the UK hard tech ecosystem. VC firms make up the largest group with 59, followed by corporate VCs (19) and firms operating across both VC and private equity (10). London is the primary hub with 35 UK-based investors, though the investor base is international, with firms tracked across 15 countries.
| Investor type | Count |
|---|---|
| VC Firm | 59 |
| Corporate VC | 19 |
| VC / PE | 10 |
| Accelerator | 7 |
| Growth Equity | 7 |
| Angel Investor | 7 |
| Sovereign Wealth Fund | 5 |
| Other (Family Office, Micro VC, PE, Incubator) | 13 |
Notable funding rounds
Several companies in the directory have raised significant rounds. Anduril ($6.3B total raised, Series G), Helsing (€1.37B, Series D), and Wayve ($1.3B, Series C) are the largest. At earlier stages, Olix raised $235M at seed, Proxima Fusion raised €200M at Series A, and Paragraf has raised over £140M at Series C. Funding figures are reported in their original currency for accuracy.
What to expect in Q2 2026
Three trends to watch in the next quarter. First, semiconductor hiring continues to accelerate: Graphcore and Fractile alone account for over 100 open roles, and Cambridge GaN Devices is scaling its team in Cambridge. Second, defence tech is broadening beyond London, with Helsing hiring in Plymouth and CHAOS Industries expanding UK operations. Third, the early-stage pipeline is strong: 13 of 37 companies are at seed or pre-seed, suggesting a wave of Series A activity over the coming 12 months.
We'll update these figures quarterly. Browse the full directory at hardtechuk.com, or subscribe to the weekly newsletter for new companies and roles each Tuesday.