Jonathan Burridge, Co-Founder & CEO of Utopi, has been recognised as One to Watch in The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme for 2026, featured in The Times.
About The LDC Top 50
The programme was created by private equity investor LDC, part of Lloyds Banking Group, in partnership with The Times. Since 2018, it has celebrated the ambition and achievements of hundreds of exceptional entrepreneurs. This year it attracted more than 620 nominations from across the UK.
The businesses featured together generate £1.4bn in annual revenues and employ almost 8,500 people, headquartered in 55 towns and cities. The Ones to Watch are leaders whose achievements and ambition have already set them apart, and who have shown the potential to take their business further in the years ahead.
What the recognition reflects
Under Jonathan’s leadership, Utopi has grown into the building performance intelligence platform for purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and build-to-rent (BTR). Today, 90,000 rooms are connected across 13 countries, and the platform has collected 63bn data points over seven years.
Jonathan Burridge, Co-Founder & CEO of Utopi, said: “Being named One to Watch is a proud moment for me, and it belongs to the whole Utopi team. We started in Glasgow seven years ago with a small team and a clear view that real-time building data could change how assets perform. With 90,000 rooms and 63bn data points behind us, our clients are now seeing that in their portfolios, and it is what keeps us focused. Regulation is tightening across the UK and EU, and we are ready for the demand for evidence that follows. Thank you to LDC and The Times, and to everyone at Utopi.”
John Garner, Managing Partner at LDC, added: “This year’s Ones to Watch have already achieved a great deal, but it is their ambition for what comes next that sets them apart. They are building exciting businesses and have demonstrated the ambition needed to thrive. I would like to congratulate them all on their success so far. We look forward to following their progress and seeing where their ambition takes them next.”
What comes next
Operators, asset managers and investors are placing more weight on room-level performance evidence as they assess PBSA and BTR assets, and Utopi’s focus is on supplying it with the same rigour that has underpinned the last seven years. Recognition from LDC and The Times is a welcome marker along the way, and a reflection of the clients and colleagues who have shaped the business. Read more about The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2026.
To find out how Utopi’s building performance intelligence supports asset performance, visit utopi.co.uk.