Zelim set to represent Scotland in race to be named top UK tech trailblazer
Zelim has seen off strong competition from a raft of tech startups to be named Scotland’s Tech Innovator 2026 winner, as part of KPMG’s bid to crown the UK’s most exciting tech businesses.
The Edinburgh-based company, which builds AI-enabled maritime safety and security systems to save lives when people fall overboard at sea, will now progress to the national UK Tech Innovator final in London in June after coming out on top following a successful pitch alongside the best tech offerings in the region.
UK Tech Innovator, now in its 13th year, aims to find the best and brightest tech scale-ups that are lighting up the UK. The competition gives a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and collectively champion the future of tech.
Andy Tipping, from Zelim, said: “2026 started off with a bang for Zelim, with major contract wins across the cruise, ferry and offshore energy sectors, as well as recently launching the world’s first Type Approved man overboard detection system.
“The business is really building momentum now, and winning the Scotland heat of the UK Tech Innovator award alongside such high calibre tech companies is fantastic recognition for our team.
“It’s testament to the hard work and dedication that has gone into reaching these milestones. We look forward to the UK final and hope we can bring home the win for Scotland.”
The competition, which has been running since 2013, has celebrated some of the UK’s best pure technology and tech-enabled businesses including What3Words, VividQ and HiiROC who have all been crowned previous winners. 2022 winner HiiROC took it a step further by winning the global final at Web Summit.
Regional winners progress to the national final, with the overall UK champion then advancing to the world stage at the KPMG Global Tech Innovator Competition later in the year, where an international panel of judges will select the Global champion.
Commenting on the regional heat, Vishal Chopra, Scotland Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “Scotland’s tech ecosystem continues to go from strength to strength, with ambitious businesses developing innovative solutions to global challenges, and Zelim is a fantastic example of that momentum in action.
“The team delivered a confident and compelling pitch, backed by a product with genuine potential to make a difference in maritime safety and security. Their use of AI to help save lives at sea clearly resonated with the judges and demonstrated both strong technical expertise and commercial ambition.
“We’re proud to see a Scottish business flying the flag for the nation at the UK final in London, and I know there will be plenty of people cheering Zelim on from north of the border.”
Last year, Midlands-based Inicio AI beat hundreds of aspiring UK tech firms to win with its use of artificial intelligence to improve how organisations assess customer affordability, initially for those in financial difficulty but now expanding into wealth management.
Amy Burnett, Emerging Giants lead in Scotland at KPMG UK, said: “Every year the standard on show in UK Tech Innovator reaches new levels and it’s fantastic to see such a diverse range of exciting tech businesses emerging from across the UK.
“Businesses like Zelim are a brilliant example of the kind of innovation the programme is designed to celebrate – combining cutting-edge technology with real-world impact and global growth potential. Their success in the Scotland heat reflects both the strength of the team and the quality of the solution they are bringing to market.
“Now in its 13th year, UK Tech Innovator gives us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on companies making waves in their industries and helping position the UK as a leading hub for innovation and investment.
“It’s incredibly exciting to follow the journeys of businesses already making an impact while also uncovering some hidden gems with huge potential and we look forward to seeing Zelim represent Scotland at the UK final.”
