Accenture has acquired AI startup Faculty, co-founded by UCL graduates, in a landmark deal valued at $1 billion, establishing Faculty as the first UK tech unicorn of 2026.

Target Information

Faculty, an AI startup co-founded by graduates from University College London (UCL), has been acquired by Accenture in a significant deal worth $1 billion (£746 million), marking it as the largest acquisition of a privately held AI startup in the UK. Founded in 2014 by Marc Warner, Angie Ma, and Andy Brookes, Faculty originally operated under the name Advanced Skills Initiative, focusing on the development of AI tools and technologies aimed at enhancing business performance.

In 2023, Faculty established a partnership with Accenture, through which it provided AI consultancy services and technology for various projects. Following this collaboration, Accenture's acquisition positions Faculty as a 'unicorn', a term that denotes a private tech company valued at over $1 billion. Alan Hudson, a partner at Faculty's investor Mercuri, noted on LinkedIn that Faculty is regarded as “the first UK tech unicorn of 2026.”

Industry Overview

The AI industry in the UK has rapidly expanded, driven by advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and data analytics. UK-based AI companies have been instrumental in reshaping sectors such as healthcare, finance, and tra