How Companies Capitalised During Brexit’s Organizational Delay

From Referendum to Rising Stars: How UK Start‑Ups Blew Up Post‑Brexit

Bet you thought the 2016 vote to ditch the EU would slow everyone down. Turns out some bold ideas launched right around the referendum have been sprinting ahead, breaking through uncertainty and riding the waves of economic tremors like seasoned sailors in a stormy sea.

The 5 Power‑Ups that Shook 1,000 Days Worth of Uncertainty

Mush – “Tinder for Mums”

Started in June 2016 with a splash of £920,000 from Crowdcube, Mush grew into a buzzing community for parents looking for local connections. By end‑2018, assets hit £1.5 million and the team swelled to 20+, turning a niche idea into a parent‑hood powerhouse.
Graphcore – AI in a Nutshell

Just a month before the referendum, Bristol’s Graphcore cut a processor designed for artificial intelligence. Those chips are basically the Swiss Army knives of machine learning now, and the company’s valuation topped £1.28 billion while the staff count scaled past 180.
Patch – Urban Garden Gurus

Founded by Freddie Blackett & Ed Barrow, Patch lets people discover the best indoor/outdoor plants. With over £3 million in venture funding and 25+ staff, the brand is turning boring balconies into green paradises.
Koru Kids – Match‑Making for Childcare

London’s Koru Kids operates like a dating app for parents & nannies. After a £600,000 injection from Gumtree founder Michael Pennington, the company owns 150 staff and holds £3.8 million in assets, proving sights are better when you match people.
The Vurger Co – 100% Vegan Fast Food

Rachel Hugh & Neil Potts launched a market stall post‑referendum that quickly became the capital’s vegan hot‑spot. With Shoreditch & Canary Wharf locations and a fresh £600,000 capital raise, the burger brigade is still turning heads (and taste buds).

Inside the Minds Behind the Hustle

Rachel Hugh, co‑founder of The Vurger Co, admits that the EU‑Brexit jitters hit her staff hard. “People from Europe worry about their future and look to us for reassurance, but we’re just a boot‑strapped eatery. Banks are finicky, funding feels as elusive as finding a decent parking spot at rush hour.”

Meanwhile, Cato Syversen, Global CEO at Creditsafe, writes, “You can bottle ambition and still let it fly. Even amid a choppy economy, these founders kept their clarity and pushed past the noise. The message? A sharp vision + relentless grit can still outpace politics.”

What the Biz‑Boom Means for Britain

While the UK government has struggled to set a clear exit strategy, these six powerhouses show that the country can still innovate, create jobs, and grow— even when the skies look cloudy. Their success is a gentle nudge that a clear purpose and a supportive roadmap can help any enterprise thrive.