Company news
Malted Named 'AI Ones to Watch' in the Sunday Times 100 Tech 2026
Iain Mackie
We're proud to share that Malted has been named as one of nine "AI Ones to Watch" in the 2026 edition of the Sunday Times 100 Tech.
The list recognises the UK companies the Sunday Times believes will shape how AI gets applied across industry over the next few years. We're in strong company — the other eight are CuspAI, Dexory, ElevenLabs, Monumo, PhysicsX, Riverlane, Ultromics and Wayve.
What the recognition means to us
What stands out about this year's cohort is how varied the application domains are. Wayve is building autonomous vehicles. Riverlane is tackling quantum error correction. ElevenLabs is pushing the boundaries of voice AI. And we're building purpose-built language models for enterprise.
The common thread isn't the technology itself — it's that every company on the list is solving a hard, specific problem with AI rather than building general-purpose tooling. That's a signal we think matters. The AI that will create durable value for organisations isn't a chatbot bolted onto existing workflows. It's systems designed from the ground up for a particular domain, with all its constraints and complexities built in.
That's been our thesis from the start, and it's good to see it reflected in where the industry is heading.
Proud to represent Scotland
We're also proud to represent Scotland on this list and to show that world-class AI work isn't confined to London. Edinburgh has a deep talent pipeline — from Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde — and a financial services sector with real experience deploying technology in regulated environments.
That combination of academic depth and industry context is hard to replicate. It's a big part of why we're based here, and it shapes the way we build.
Capital is concentrating where real, deployable AI is being built. Not research projects. Not demo environments. Production systems that work in the real world.
The bigger picture
UK AI startups raised over £6 billion in 2025 — more than a third of all UK venture capital, the highest AI share on record (NatWest/PitchBook, March 2026). Capital is concentrating where real, deployable AI is being built. Not research projects. Not demo environments. Production systems that work in the real world.
Three-quarters of UK financial services firms are already using AI, and the median number of use cases is expected to more than double over the next three years (Bank of England/FCA, 2024). That's the wave we're building for — and this recognition gives us even more confidence that we're pointed in the right direction.
What's next
We're heads down on what we've always been focused on: building AI that gets deployed at scale in regulated environments. Not proof-of-concepts. Not innovation theatre. Systems that change how organisations actually operate.
Thanks to the Sunday Times team for the recognition, and to everyone who's been part of the journey so far. More to come.