Northern Ireland software firm earns top spot on prestigious UK and Ireland tech leaderboard

A Northern Ireland software firm has earned a top spot on a prestigious list of trailblazing tech companies.

Backed by the Financial Times, the Sifted 100 showcases innovation and excellence in the UK and Ireland’s 100 fastest-growing start-ups.

Notably, Cloudsmith, headquartered in Belfast, whose platform is used by the global brands like Vinted and Shopify, is the only Northern Ireland company to have received the coveted accolade this year.

Leaderboard appointees were selected based on their revenue growth over the past three financial years – a period in which Cloudsmith achieved a robust growth rate of 100.13%.

Cloudsmith chief executive Glenn Weinstein said he was thrilled that the company had been included.

"It’s a great privilege to have been recognised alongside other top companies in the 2024 Sifted 100: UK & Ireland leaderboard,” he said.

“Renowned for its insightful analysis of the tech industry, Sifted’s acknowledgment underscores our commitment to innovation, growth and making a positive impact on the global tech industry as we continue to revolutionise software supply chain management.

“The wider software industry needs secure and reliable software supply chain solutions, as evidenced by the increased frequency of cybersecurity attacks that are threatening reputational damage, data exfiltration and IP theft.”

He continued: “That’s why we’re continuing to invest in a comprehensive suite of artifact storage, management and distribution solutions, allowing developers and companies across the globe to streamline and control their software supply chain, improve collaboration and accelerate product delivery.

“With a focus on security, reliability and efficiency, we have emerged as a key player in the software development landscape, empowering developers to deliver their creations with confidence. As we continue to expand our reach on a global scale, recognition in the Sifted 100 serves as a testament to our success and potential for future growth.”

The news continues Cloudsmith's remarkable growth trajectory, having recently undergone an $11 million (£8.8 million) Series A2 investment round, which will be used to scale operations across a global client base, including leading software companies such as PagerDuty, Font Awesome, HP and EnterpriseDB.

In its full leaderboard research report, Sifted observed that Northern Ireland’s developing tech ecosystem has become increasingly attractive to investors, experiencing significant growth of its own over the past decade. Specifically, it noted that in 2014, VCs invested just £5m in startups compared to 2021, when the region hit £100m in VC for the first time. In 2022, this climbed to £139m and £143m a year later.

Additionally, Cloudsmith recently won three awards at the highly acclaimed Digital DNA Awards, which celebrate excellence and innovation in the Northern Ireland tech sector. Glenn Weinstein was named Business Personality of the Year, while Cloudsmith was named Scale-up of the Year and was also highly commended in the Small Tech Company of the Year category.