Aquis IPO Academy Reveals Its Inaugural 2026 Cohort
Aquis Stock Exchange (AQSE) has announced the first cohort of the Aquis IPO Academy. The six-month programme is the UK’s only public markets readiness programme by an exchange. The Academy will help ambitious UK growth companies understand public markets and explore an IPO as a potential route for their next stage of growth. Aquis runs the programme in partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs. The initiative also draws on the experience of SIX, which acquired Aquis in 2025.
Women Founders
The inaugural cohort includes more than 25 UK growth companies. Half of them are founded by women. Aquis set a target of 50% female-founded participation when it launched the Academy. The first cohort has achieved that goal.
Female-founded businesses have accounted for only around 7% of UK high-growth IPOs since 2011. The Academy wants to address this imbalance by giving more women founders access to the capital and support needed to scale. The female-founded companies in the cohort cover sectors including apparel, food and drink, health, IT, medtech and data platforms.
Technology-Enabled Businesses
The cohort also shows the Academy’s focus on technology-enabled businesses. The selected companies include businesses working in AI, fintech, robotics, cyber and enterprise software. The Academy will help more high-growth companies understand public markets and consider them as an option for future growth. Aquis said too many UK companies are lost at the scale-up stage, with fewer businesses choosing a public listing to support their next phase.
What Academy Offers
The six-month programme will officially launch later this month. Participants will get direct access to investors and funding advice. They will also receive support with pitch development and expert mentoring. The programme will cover areas such as finance, governance and regulation. It will also provide a structured pathway aligned with AQSE’s market segments. Participants will receive discounted admission fees and pre-eligibility support.
Who Is Joining?
The inaugural cohort includes:
- Almace Asset Management
- Archax
- Ark Immersive
- BANG! Curry
- Battalion Advanced Technology
- Bold Bean Co
- Cheeky Panda
- ChicP
- ClicknClear
- Ethicronics
- GetHarley
- Grace & Green
- Grafterr
- Itarmi
- J3 Debt Solutions
- Kin
- Modus Infrastructure
- Nomad Neuro
- Renewablox
- Rio AI
- Sherloc
- Simplex Services
- Simudyne
- Solo60
- Stripe & Stare
- Surghive
What Aquis Says
Aquis CEO David Stevens said the first cohort shows that the UK has many ambitious and high-quality growth businesses. He explained that the main challenge is getting more of these companies to view public markets as a realistic option for their next stage of growth. He said the Academy will support founders early and give them the tools to understand their growth options and engage with public markets.
Stevens also stressed SIX’s experience with its IPO Academy in Switzerland and its training and growth programmes in Spain. Aquis is bringing that experience to the UK through the new Academy. He also pointed to the 50% female-founded participation as an important achievement. In his view, the diverse cohort can help build the pipeline of future public companies that UK capital markets need.
What Barclays Says
Abdul Qureshi, Head of Barclays Business Bank, said the first cohort shows the strength and diversity of the UK’s next generation of growth businesses. He explained that the programme will give founders access to expertise, networks and practical insights. These resources can help them understand public markets and assess their growth options. Qureshi said women-founded businesses' participation shows the quality of women-led companies and the importance of giving them wider access to growth opportunities.
What Stripe & Stare Says
Nicola Piercy, Co-Founder of Stripe & Stare and an Academy participant, said the programme gives the company an opportunity to learn more about public markets. She explained that Stripe & Stare wants to understand what it takes to prepare for the next stage of growth. The company will also explore whether a future listing could become part of its journey. Piercy said more female-founded companies need opportunities to scale, access capital and succeed on public markets.
Wrapping Up
The Aquis IPO Academy has started its first cohort with more than 25 UK growth companies. The programme will give these businesses access to investors, funding advice, mentoring and public-market expertise.
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