GP Bullhound

Entries are now open for the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀, and we’re excited to introduce the expert panels helping select this year’s standout companies. Hosted by GP Bullhound, the Northern Tech Awards return to Manchester on 23 April 2026. Now in their 13th year, the Awards shine a spotlight on the fastest-growing and most promising tech companies across the North of the UK, celebrating breakthrough innovation, exceptional businesses, and the founders driving the region forward. 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦  • Adam Hildreth — Founder & Investor  • Clare Mitchell — Director, Fintech, HSBC Innovation Banking  • David Lockie — CEO, Elevare Software Group  • Hazel Savage — Ex-CEO & Co-Founder, Musiio | Current VP, Music Intelligence, SoundCloud  • Hugh Campbell — Co-founder & Managing Partner, GP Bullhound  • Humphrey Baker — Partner, Inflexion  • Ian Connatty — Managing Partner, BBB Investment Services Limited (British Growth Partnership)  • James Fitzgibbon — Partner, Squire Patton Boggs  • Joseph Quiligotti — Vice President, GP Bullhound  • Jonathan Fitchew — CEO, Apprentify Group  • Katy Trost — Coach & Advisor  • Elizabeth Scott MBE — Executive Director, Turing Innovation Catalyst  • Ken McPhail — Head, Alliance Manchester Business School  • Richard Faulkner — Managing Director, HSBC Innovation Banking  • Richard Flint — Serial Investor  • Richard Potter — CEO & Co-Founder, Peak  • Scott Fletcher MBE — Chairman, Investor, Entrepreneur  • Simon Pearson — Portfolio Director, Regional Head – North of England, Cazenove Capital 𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗡 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘𝗦  • Evgeny Yakovlev — Vice President, GP Bullhound  • Irina Chirca, PhD — Analyst, Bullhound Capital  • Nic Gowland — Director of Portfolio, University of Manchester Innovation Factory  • Richard Fallon — Founder, Investor, Coach, CTO & Chair, Manchester Angels  • Victoria Jew — Partner, Squire Patton Boggs A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this year’s event possible: HSBC Innovation Banking, Apprentify, Elevare, Cazenove Capital, Inflexion, Squire Patton Boggs, London Stock Exchange, Oakley Capital, and YFM Equity Partners. Enter now and be part of one of the North’s most prestigious tech celebrations: https://lnkd.in/gfzjeBM We look forward to celebrating with you in Manchester! #NorthernTechAwards #NTA2026 #UKTech #NorthernPowerhouse #TechFounders

GP Bullhound is pleased to announce six senior promotions across the firm and extends its warmest congratulations to our newly promoted colleagues. These promotions reflect the depth of our senior leadership team and the long-term commitment our people bring to clients globally. We are also delighted to welcome Greg Stucker as Director, San Francisco, further reinforcing our senior dealmaking capability and global platform. Alessandro Casartelli – promoted to Partner Ale has been with GP Bullhound since 2011 and is a trusted senior advisor across Business Software and Consumer Technology, leading 30+ M&A and capital raising transactions. With more than a decade of investment banking experience, he has led 30+ M&A and capital raising transactions for some of the most prominent global internet, software, and media businesses, including Spotify, Avito, Believe Digital, Jellyfish, Baltics Classified Group, and MiQ. Simon Miremadi – promoted to Partner Simon joined GP Bullhound in 2015 as an Analyst and has played a key role in building and deepening client relationships across Europe and the US, including time in our Berlin and San Francisco offices. Over the past decade, he has advised leading technology businesses including Urban Sports Club, Eversports, Motif, Signavio, 7NXT, Flightright, and Uberall. Jaime Sendagorta – promoted to Managing Director Jaime joined GP Bullhound in 2017 as an Associate and has developed into a senior leader across our Consumer Technology and Business Software practices. He brings 10+ years of technology sector experience, including prior Investment Banking experience at Credit Suisse (EMEA TMT). Pierce Lewis-Oakes – promoted to Managing Director Pierce started at GP Bullhound as an Intern in 2015 and, over a decade at the firm, has delivered 20+ transactions representing more than US$3 billion of enterprise value across consumer and enterprise software. His experience includes deals such as Flo Health’s US$230 million investment from General Atlantic, Falcon’s sale to Cision, and FATMAP’s sale to Strava. Gerry Kelliher – promoted to Director Since joining GP Bullhound in 2021, Gerry has brought strong investment banking and private equity experience, with prior roles at Citi, Alliant Partners, and Pantheon Ventures. Nansi Nistorova – promoted to Director Nansi is an experienced advisor on M&A, growth capital raises, and restructurings, having completed a double-digit number of technology transactions since 2018. She brings strong TMT credentials from STOUT and Stifel Europe (formerly ACXIT Capital Partners), supporting clients across strategic and financial transactions. These promotions underscore our dedication to excellence and our strategic vision for the future. Congratulations to all our newly promoted team members. Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eFc_FjD3

The Tech Renaissance is here, and the stakes have changed. The race to AI is no longer about experimentation. It’s about sovereignty, infrastructure, and long-term advantage. The UK innovation economy is back at full momentum:  • $𝟮𝟯.𝟲𝗯𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗨𝗞 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 (+𝟯𝟱% 𝗬𝗼𝗬)  • $𝟭.𝟯𝘁𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝟯𝗿𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆  • 𝟮𝟬𝟬+ 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 As we look toward 2026, the following strategic imperatives will define the businesses that thrive. From multimodal → agentic AI, practical quantum infrastructure, autonomous robotics, resilient cybersecurity, and the rise of dual-use deep tech across space, defence, and industry. In our latest piece, we explore these shifts and what they mean for founders, investors, and policymakers. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e-dPFpZ7 On 23 April, we’ll bring these conversations to life at the 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 at Imperial War Museum North, celebrating the companies shaping the next decade of technology. 🏆 Nominate or enter the Northern Tech Awards: https://lnkd.in/gfzjeBM 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙢. Hugh Campbell

GP Bullhound’s Joffrey Ezerzer, who leads their Office of the CFO software practice, joined Rabia Javeed on the TechUnhinged podcast to discuss how capital & operational efficiency is the next competitive edge in Tech. They explore the post-hypergrowth reset, how AI and real-time forecasting are reshaping finance teams, and what world-class metrics and operating cadence look like for investors and buyers in the space. 🎧  Listen to the conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eFJx-DhQ

Entries open for Northern Tech Awards 2026 - awards celebrate "fastest growing and most promising #tech companies in the North of the UK" https://lnkd.in/ezenfKKJ GP Bullhound

We are delighted to announce that entries for the 2026 Northern Tech Awards are now open! If you are a technology company based in the North of the UK, this is your opportunity to gain industry recognition, connect with leading investors, and celebrate your achievements at the awards ceremony in Manchester on 23 April 2026. Entries are open to companies demonstrating sustained growth and ambition. Enter here: www.northerntechawards.com Entries close: 20 March 2026 Award Categories include: • Fastest Growing Company of the Year • Fastest Growing Larger Company of the Year • Judges’ Innovation Award • Judges’ Award for Global Ambition • Judges’ Leadership Award • Judges’ Award for Cultural Excellence • Tech4Good Award • Judges’ Entrepreneur Award • Overall Judges’ Award Now in their thirteenth year, the Northern Tech Awards celebrate the fastest-growing and most innovative technology companies across the North of the UK. A special thank you to our sponsors for their invaluable support in making this event possible: HSBC Innovation Banking, Apprentify, Elevare Software Group, Cazenove Capital Inflexion, Squire Patton Boggs, London Stock Exchange, Oakley Capital and YFM Equity Partners. Hugh Campbell Evgeny Yakovlev Joseph Quiligotti Elinor O'Neill Katie Ostler #northerntechawards #leadership #techgrowth

We are delighted to announce GP Bullhound has advised AB Tasty on its merger with Everstone Capital-backed VWO, with Everstone Capital investing significant additional capital to create a scaled platform. AB Tasty and VWO, two pioneers in the optimisation software space, have entered into an agreement to combine, subject to customary closing conditions. This combination will create an industry-leading digital experience optimisation platform offering AI-led experimentation, real-time adaptive personalisation, behavioural insights and analytics. The combined entity will have meaningful scale, surpassing $100 million in annual revenue from more than 4,000 customers globally. It will have a dominant presence in its two largest regions – the United States and Europe, accounting for ~90% of its revenue. With 11 offices and distributed teams across North America, LATAM, Europe, and APAC, this combination unlocks global reach with local execution. The goal is to forge deeper customer partnerships through in-market expertise and make significant investments in a full stack tech platform, offering AI-native capabilities. The transaction is led by Singapore-headquartered Everstone Capital, the private equity arm of the Everstone Group, which focuses on control investments in the mid-market space with strong focus on the technology sector. Everstone Capital is a majority shareholder in VWO and is investing significant additional capital to remain the largest institutional shareholder in the combined entity. 🔗  Read full announcement at: https://lnkd.in/eE9tNB9g Guillaume Bonneton Joffrey Ezerzer

GP Bullhound has released its fourth annual #European #SaaS report, providing a comprehensive update on the sector's performance metrics, deal activity, and public market valuations. Drawing on benchmarking data from over 100 private European SaaS companies, the report evaluates critical performance drivers, including growth rates and operational efficiency. It also explores public market valuation trends, fundraising, and M&A activity, offering quarterly breakdowns and country-specific insights. Alexis Scorer, Partner at GP Bullhound, commented: “This year’s survey highlights the continued focus on disciplined and efficient growth. We are seeing healthy topline performance - particularly among companies with sub-€25m and €50m+ ARR. Operational efficiency continues to improve, and a growing majority of companies we surveyed are now EBITDA positive. Against the backdrop of a resilient fundraising environment, alongside a more selective but active M&A market, European SaaS companies are well-positioned to explore a broader range of strategic options and benefit from the anticipated pick-up in deal activity throughout 2026.” Highlighted in this post are two notable trends from the 2025 report: - Net Revenue Retention is expanding for enterprise SaaS despite growing divergence across segments. NRR has softened for SME-focused companies and mixed SME/Enterprise models, while improving for Enterprise-focused vendors; however, overall retention is still above 100%. - Gross margins remain stable and broadly in line with previous years. Median gross margins across ARR cohorts remain in the mid-70s to low-80s with mixed movements by sector. A must-read for SaaS investors, founders, and executives across the ecosystem. Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gfqcV77K Ben Pittari #insights #NRR #ARR #benchmarking

On 16 October 2025, Europe’s leading founders, investors, and innovators came together in London for a night that captured the very best of European tech. From breakout disruptors to global category leaders, the GP Bullhound #AllstarsAwards celebrated the spirit that turns uncertainty into opportunity and ambition into action, featuring an impressive keynote by Eliza Manningham-Buller, Former Director General of MI5, and a room full of exceptional talent, ambition, and resilience. It was a community united around building the next generation of global tech champions. Watch the highlights from this unforgettable evening and relive the energy, connections, and celebrations that define Allstars. SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, 15 October 2026. We look forward to welcoming Europe’s tech ecosystem back together again! Learn more about Allstars at: https://lnkd.in/dpCNxdAp Manish Madhvani Alexis Scorer Jade Williams

GP Bullhound is proud to present the Northern Tech Awards 2026, returning to Manchester on 23 April 2026. Now in their thirteenth year, the Awards shine a spotlight on the fastest-growing and most promising tech companies in the North of the UK. Join us as we celebrate the region’s innovative technologies, outstanding businesses, and the inspirational founders whose vision continues to drive its success. A huge thank you to our sponsors for making this year’s event possible: HSBC Innovation Banking, Apprentify, Elevare, Cazenove Capital, Inflexion, Squire Patton Boggs, London Stock Exchange, Oakley Capital, and YFM Equity Partners. We look forward to celebrating with you in Manchester! Entries will open in January 2026, and we’re calling on fast-growing companies from across the North to put themselves forward and be recognised for their achievements. Read more at: https://lnkd.in/gfzjeBM Hugh Campbell Javed Huq Evgeny Yakovlev Joseph Quiligotti Elinor O'Neill Katie Ostler