Tuesday, August 11, 2026
LIVEThe Unrelenting Cyber Battle: Hacking Threats and the Imperative of Robust Data Protection///Navigating the Cyber Labyrinth: Bolstering Defenses Against Evolving Hacking Threats///The Dual Front War: Battling Hacking and Bolstering Data Protection in the Digital Age///The Ever-Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape: Navigating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///The Unseen Battle: Fortifying Data in an Age of Relentless Hacking///The Unseen War: Hacking's Relentless Advance and the Imperative of Data Protection///The Evolving Threat Landscape: Hacking, Data Protection, and the Imperative for Proactive Security///Navigating the Digital Minefield: Bolstering Data Protection in an Era of Relentless Hacking///The Dual Fronts of Digital Defense: Combating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///Hacking's New Frontier: Fortifying Data Protection in the Age of Advanced Cyber Threats///The Dual Front: Navigating Hacking Threats and Fortifying Data Protection in the Digital Age///Navigating the Digital Gauntlet: The Evolving Nexus of Hacking and Data Protection///The Unrelenting Cyber Battle: Hacking Threats and the Imperative of Robust Data Protection///Navigating the Cyber Labyrinth: Bolstering Defenses Against Evolving Hacking Threats///The Dual Front War: Battling Hacking and Bolstering Data Protection in the Digital Age///The Ever-Evolving Cyber Threat Landscape: Navigating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///The Unseen Battle: Fortifying Data in an Age of Relentless Hacking///The Unseen War: Hacking's Relentless Advance and the Imperative of Data Protection///The Evolving Threat Landscape: Hacking, Data Protection, and the Imperative for Proactive Security///Navigating the Digital Minefield: Bolstering Data Protection in an Era of Relentless Hacking///The Dual Fronts of Digital Defense: Combating Hacking and Fortifying Data Protection///Hacking's New Frontier: Fortifying Data Protection in the Age of Advanced Cyber Threats///The Dual Front: Navigating Hacking Threats and Fortifying Data Protection in the Digital Age///Navigating the Digital Gauntlet: The Evolving Nexus of Hacking and Data Protection///
Subscribe
Cyber Security
Independent · Digital
Thehackingpost
RSSSubscribe
CybersecurityAI-assisted

Why Are More UK Founders Choosing To Self Fund?

Recent research indicates a significant increase in UK founders opting for self-funding, with a 68% rise reported by Startups.co.uk. This data was derived from businesses applying to the 2025 and 2026 Startups 100 Index, which assessed their financing…

LBy Lucas NorwoodJan 20, 20261 min read

Recent research indicates a significant increase in UK founders opting for self-funding, with a 68% rise reported by Startups.co.uk. This data was derived from businesses applying to the 2025 and 2026 Startups 100 Index, which assessed their financing methods.

Self-funding has emerged as the leading choice, with 40.2% of applicants in 2026 bootstrapping their ventures, compared to 23.9% in 2025. The survey allowed respondents to select multiple funding sources.

Other funding avenues have seen a decline. Angel funding fell to 33.2% in 2026 from 42.6% the previous year, venture capital decreased slightly to 15.9% from 17.0%, and private equity dropped from 14.2% to 12.6%.

Factors Driving the Shift Towards Self-Funding

Flow Collingwood, CEO of Pan Galactic, a company ranked 23rd in the 2026 Startups 100 Index, attributes the shift to the nature of their operations, which do not align with traditional funding models. He suggests that venture capital is suitable for businesses that can scale significantly, while debt may benefit those with steady revenue streams.

Recent research indicates a significant increase in UK founders opting for self-funding, with a 68% rise reported by Startups.co.uk.
Lucas Norwood · Thehackingpost

Self-funding offers flexibility, allowing founders to test assumptions and adapt without external pressures. This independence is appealing, as evidenced by a decline in founders mixing funding sources, indicating a preference for more decisive financial strategies.

The data shows a 22% reduction in businesses utilizing multiple funding types, with 27% of startups doing so in 2025, dropping to 21% in 2026. Funding from family and friends increased to 9.3% from 5.2%, business grants rose to 11.7% from 8.0%, and business loans grew to 4.2% from 1.7%.

Zohra Huda, editor of Startups.co.uk, notes that the use of bootstrapping has transitioned from a last resort to a strategic choice, facilitated by emerging tools and reduced costs. Founders are increasingly leveraging AI to create lean, efficient businesses, minimizing traditional venture capital dependencies.

Advertisement

This trend suggests a more resilient startup community capable of responding to challenges without external investor pressure.

Based on reporting by techround.co.uk.

AI transparency. This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published under human editorial oversight. AI systems can make mistakes. Read how we use AI (EU AI Act, Art. 50).
Related Stories
Cybersecurity

Why Fintech Banking Platforms Are Reducing Operational Costs by 40%

Paige Monroe · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Dogecoin Price Prediction: SHIB Burns 172M Tokens as Pepeto Exchange Earns From Every Trade

Eric Wallace · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Solana Price Prediction: SOL Holds $86 With Commodity Status as Pepeto Targets Bigger Returns

Zachary Burns · Mar 26, 2026
Cybersecurity

Open Directory Malware Campaign Uses Obfuscated VBS, PNG Loaders and RAT Payloads

Joseph Cain · Mar 26, 2026