Bath-based Pure Planet, Britain’s first digital green energy supplier, has been named among the UK’s top fast-growth tech firms.
The firm, which uses smart technology and a shared community to make being sustainable the easy choice, is one of 22 companies joining the Future Fifty programme, Europe’s leading growth programme for late-stage UK tech scale-ups.
The programme is produced by Tech Nation, the growth platform for UK tech companies, to identify the innovative tech firms of tomorrow.
Previous firms named among the 50 have included Deliveroo, Monzo and Starling Bank.
Pure Planet’s vision is to create a sustainable, compelling, mass-market company, which offers its members 100% clean, renewable power at game changing, value-for money prices.
It was founded in Bristol in 2015 by some of the UK mobile telecoms industry’s most experienced executives but relocated to Bath three years later, attracted by what it called the city’s “dynamic tech industry and entrepreneurial community”.
Last year it was recognised as the best employer in the South West and the second best small company to work for in the country by The Sunday Times and became a Which? recommended energy provider, and the first domestic supplier to offer 100% renewable electricity and 100% carbon offset gas.
Pure Planet co-founder and chief executive Andrew Ralston, pictured, said: “We’re privileged to be part of Future Fifty 2021 and to be among a select cohort of Britain’s most exciting companies.
“As a young digital renewable energy supplier, Pure Planet is resolutely committed to being a brilliant employer, as well as helping Britain get to Net Zero and tackle climate change.”
Andrew and his co-founder Chris Alliott, Steven Day and Tom Alexander have worked together since 1999 and were responsible for the launch of Virgin Mobile in the UK before going on to run Orange, T-Mobile and EE together.
Tom Alexander is one of Britain’s best-known telecoms entrepreneurs, having created and founded Virgin Mobile alongside Andrew and Steven.
He was chief executive of Trowbridge-based Virgin Mobile, where he was credited with democratising mobile phones by offering a simple, and value-for-money service. He went on to become chief executive of Bristol-based Orange, T-Mobile and EE.
Tech Nation Future Fifty lead Ana Lucia Buckman said: “Despite the challenging year for UK businesses, and the rigorous selection process of the Future Fifty programme, the companies in this year’s cohort have overcome tremendous obstacles and achieved unprecedented levels of growth.
“They have demonstrated their position as UK tech leaders and I would like to congratulate them for having a real impact on the UK economy and the world at large.”
Tech Nation data shows that the South West’s tech sector is growing, with the sector in the region as a whole turning over £9bn last year.
Pure Planet is one of three South West firms in the Future Fifty, the others being Bristol’s Ultraleap, which specialises in hand tracking software, and Immersive Labs, which is on a mission to empower organisations to equip, exercise, and evidence human cyber capabilities.
