How to get your startup featured on Startups.co.uk
TL;DR
Startups.co.uk is a UK advice site for small business owners and founders, running since 2000. It gives startups three free ways in: news and press releases to hello@startups.co.uk, expert article pitches from founders and business experts, and the annual Startups 100 index. It does not accept paid guest posts or link insertions, so it suits UK founders with real news or real know-how.
What is Startups.co.uk?
Startups.co.uk publishes guides on starting, funding, running and growing a business, software reviews and small business news. Its About page calls it the UK's longest-serving online small business advice platform, and its Startups 100 page cites 4 million readers. All content is free, with no paywall: the site earns from affiliate and lead generation fees, plus a few sponsored articles a year. The Editor is Zohra Huda.
The Startups 100 is the site's annual index of the 100 most promising new UK businesses, running since 2008. Past entrants include Monzo, Deliveroo and Revolut. To qualify, a business must be under five years old and based in the UK.
Who should pitch Startups.co.uk?
- UK founders with news for small business owners: a launch, a funding round, survey data or a new service.
- Founders and experts who can explain one topic well, such as hiring, cash flow, tax or marketing, for an audience of small business owners.
- UK startups under five years old that want a shot at the Startups 100.
- Skip it if you are outside the UK, or if you want a paid post with a backlink. The contact page says such requests get no reply.
How much does Startups.co.uk cost?
Every editorial option is free: sending news costs nothing, and the Startups 100 charges no entry fee. Commercial deals (sponsorship and customer lead generation partnerships) go through commercial@startups.co.uk. The site publishes no prices for them.
How do you share your startup on Startups.co.uk?
- Send news or a press release to hello@startups.co.uk, the address the contact page gives for small business press releases, news announcements and press queries.
- Pitch an expert article. The contact page says the team accepts pitches for expert opinion pieces from business experts or founders. It names no separate address, so send a short pitch with your topic, angle and credentials to the same inbox.
- Offer expert comment on the news. The site runs reaction pieces with quotes from several experts, such as its 28 October 2026 article on what the Budget means for small businesses.
- Apply to the Startups 100. Applications for the 2027 index closed on 9 October 2026. Email su100@startups.co.uk to hear when the next round opens. The form asks about your story, your business, your finances (kept confidential) and your five-year vision.
- For sponsorship or lead generation partnerships, write to commercial@startups.co.uk.
Tips to get more out of Startups.co.uk
- Pitch topics that help a small business owner act today: a cost-cutting method, a hiring checklist, a funding option.
- Bring UK numbers. Survey results, prices and case figures from your own customers make a pitch usable for a news story.
- Watch the news calendar. Budgets, tax deadlines and rate changes trigger expert round-ups, so send a two-line comment with your title on the day.
- For the Startups 100, prepare growth figures and an honest account of the setbacks you faced. The entry guide asks for both.
Our verdict
Startups.co.uk is a strong free target for UK founders: no paywall, a large small business audience and an index with a track record of picking future household names. It rewards know-how and real news and refuses paid link deals, so plan your pitch around what its readers need.
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