英国在早期风险投资创造独角兽企业方面表现优于美国。

英国在早期风险投资创造独角兽企业方面表现优于美国。
UK outperforms US in creating unicorns from early stage VC investment

原始链接: https://www.cityam.com/uk-outperforms-us-in-creating-unicorns-from-early-stage-vc-investment/

## 英国成为初创投资热点伦敦和英国对风险投资公司（VC）越来越有吸引力，在将早期投资转化为估值极高的“独角兽”公司（估值10亿美元以上）方面表现出惊人的效率。过去十年中，英国每投资一美元产生的独角兽数量几乎是美国的三倍——用185亿美元投资产生了57家独角兽，而美国用6250亿美元投资产生了每10亿美元1.22家独角兽。这一成功得益于强大的法律框架、伦敦的金融实力以及金融和保险等蓬勃发展的行业（包括Monzo和Marshmallow）。人工智能也正在获得势头，六家英国人工智能公司已达到数十亿美元的估值。英国的种子期和早期投资显著增加，分别从2014年的5000万美元增加到2024年的5.38亿美元，以及从5.76亿美元增加到30亿美元。专家认为，持续支持人工智能、网络安全和生物技术等新兴技术将巩固英国作为全球领先创新中心的地位。

## UK vs. US Unicorn Creation: A Statistical Debate A recent article claims the UK outperforms the US in creating unicorns (companies valued at $1 billion+) from early-stage VC investment. However, Hacker News commenters are skeptical, arguing the statistic – “unicorns per dollar invested” – is misleading. Many believe focusing solely on this metric ignores a crucial factor: the US fosters a more vibrant ecosystem that invests in a wider range of ideas, even those unlikely to become unicorns. Some suggest the UK’s apparent efficiency stems from greater risk aversion, potentially stifling innovation and missing out on opportunities. Discussion points include the UK’s historically frugal business culture, potentially limiting ambition, and the impact of US investment trends (like those during the ZIRP era) which may have included a degree of “foolishness” alongside genuine success. Ultimately, the debate centers on whether prioritizing efficiency in unicorn creation is more valuable than supporting a broader, riskier, and potentially more innovative startup landscape. Several commenters also point out the limitations of using "unicorn" status as a primary measure of success.

Thursday 09 October 2025 4:25 pm

VC firms see London as a financial powerhouse for investment into start ups

The UK has created nearly three times as many unicorns than the US per dollar in early stage venture capital (VC) investment in the past decade, highlighting its attractiveness as an investment destination.

According to analysis from venture-building firm IMS Digital Ventures, the UK has converted $18.5bn (£13.8bn) of early stage investment into 57 successful unicorns, a ratio of 3.08 start ups per $1bn in seed investment.

In contrast, the US created just 1.22 unicorns per $1bn, as the country received a staggering $625bn in VC investment over the past decade.

Unicorns are privately held start up companies, with valuations of $1bn or more.

The UK’s ability to turn funding into successful start-up companies has caused it to become the second most attractive major economy in Europe and North America for early VC investment.

Anastasios Papadopoulos, founder and chief executive of IMS Digital Ventures, said: “The UK has been a breeding ground for some of the world’s most innovative and exciting start ups in the last decade.

“The UK has all the right ingredients to thrive as a hub for the companies that can shape the industries of the future.”

VC firms eyeball the UK

VC investors have increasingly recognised the UK’s potential as an investment destination over the past ten years, significantly increasing the pool of capital available to investors.

Seed investment has jumped from $50m in 2014 to $538m in 2024, while early stage investment surged from $576m to $3bn over the same period.

This has been credited to the country’s strong legal framework as well as London’s global status as a major financial centre, able to provide start-ups with both the stability and capital needed to get their business off the ground.

Finance and insurance driving UK success

In particular, the finance and insurance sectors have been key in driving the UK’s growing success, representing nearly 50 per cent of all companies that have hit unicorn status since 2014.

This included neobank Monzo, which raised roughly $50m in funding between 2015 and 2017, and insurance tech firm Marshmallow, which raised $190m.

However, artificial intelligence is also widening its UK influence, creating six billion dollar valuation companies since 2014, as more VC firms eye opportunities in the growing sector.

Papadopoulos said: “There’s a clear opportunity to support more start-ups in high-growth areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and biotech.

“With the right regulatory environment and continued support for emerging technologies, the UK is well-positioned to build on its strong foundation and create the next generation of British tech unicorns.”