Top 10 UK AI Agencies for Mid-Size Businesses (2026)

Compare the best AI agencies for mid-size UK businesses. Strategic delivery, integration expertise, proven case studies. £100K-£1M budgets.

Target Budget

£100K-£1M

Agencies Reviewed

Last Updated

Feb 2026

Executive Summary

The UK AI agency market for mid-size uk businesses has evolved significantly in 2026. Mid-market organisations now demand agencies that understand legacy system integration, data governance, and can navigate complex stakeholder environments. The focus has shifted from pure innovation to "AI that works" with existing infrastructure.

Key focus areas for mid-size uk businesses: Strategic alignment, legacy system integration, data readiness.

Our Methodology

We evaluated over 50 agencies using a weighted scoring framework tailored to mid-size uk businesses:

Technical Depth

25% - Custom ML, data engineering, R&D capabilities

Strategic Vision

20% - Roadmapping, governance, compliance assurance

Delivery Track Record

20% - Proven case studies, UK client references

UK Market Fit

25% - UK presence, regulatory knowledge, sector expertise

Quick Verdict

Best Overall

Datasparq

The ROI-First AI Transformation Partner

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Best Value

Deeper Insights

Solving the Impossible with Unstructured Data

Rating: 4.8/5.0

Best for Integration

Airwalk Reply

Cloud-Native AI for Regulated Industries

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Best Specialist

Softwire

Engineering Rigour for AI Products

Rating: 4.7/5.0

Jump to Agency:

Datasparq Deeper Insights Airwalk Reply Softwire Mesh-AI Peak Ten10 Brainpool AI Nightingale HQ Unai

Quick Comparison

Rank	Agency	Focus	Starting From	Rating
#1	Datasparq	The ROI-First AI Transformation Partner	£700	★★★★ 4.9
#2	Deeper Insights	Solving the Impossible with Unstructured Data	£800	★★★★ 4.8
#3	Airwalk Reply	Cloud-Native AI for Regulated Industries	£795	★★★★ 4.7
#4	Softwire	Engineering Rigour for AI Products	£950	★★★★ 4.7
#5	Mesh-AI	Decentralising Data for Enterprise Agility	Custom	★★★★ 4.6
#6	Peak	The AI Platform for Commercial Decision Intelligence	Custom	★★★★ 4.6
#7	Ten10	Quality Engineering for AI Assurance	Custom	★★★★ 4.5
#8	Brainpool AI	The Academic AI Network	£1,000	★★★★ 4.5
#9	Nightingale HQ	AI for Manufacturing & Sustainability	Custom	★★★★ 4.4
#10	Unai	Data Science for Health & Life Sciences	Custom	★★★★ 4.3

Detailed Agency Profiles

#1 ★★★★☆ 4.9/5.0

Datasparq

The ROI-First AI Transformation Partner

Visit Datasparq Website

✨ BEST FOR

Datasparq is the definitive partner for mid-market companies that need "AI that works," specifically in logistics, retail, and travel. They reject hype in favor of engineered solutions that drive profit.

Company Profile

Datasparq has established itself as a leader in "Applied AI." They focus on moving clients beyond the "science project" phase into deployed, live solutions. Their culture is pragmatic and engineering-led, with a specific focus on "Sparq" solutions—accelerators that solve common business problems like routing and pricing.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Day rates and fixed-price discovery.

Rates: £700 - £2,350 per consultant/day (based on G-Cloud 14 rate card).

Typical Project: Starts with a 4-week "Discovery" sprint (approx. £20k-£30k) leading into implementation (£100k+).

Value & ROI: Targets 10x ROI on engagements.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Dynamic Pricing (SparqPrice), Route Optimization, Supply Chain efficiency, AI Strategy.

Specialised Capabilities: "SparqLabs" for rapid prototyping, Managed Data Platforms.

Delivery: Agile delivery pods embedded with client teams.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Logistics firms, Retailers, Travel operators.

UK Case Study (Gatwick Airport): Implemented dynamic pricing for car parking, using Google Analytics data to optimise revenue and occupancy.

UK Case Study (RS Group): Designed global data governance and enhanced operations.

✓ Strengths

• Laser focus on ROI
• strong GCP expertise
• proven accelerators.

⚠ Considerations

• Heavy GCP focus (less ideal for Azure shops)
• premium pricing compared to smaller agencies.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Strong presence in UK infrastructure and retail sectors.

#2 ★★★★☆ 4.8/5.0

Deeper Insights

Solving the Impossible with Unstructured Data

Visit Deeper Insights Website

✨ BEST FOR

The specialists for companies sitting on mountains of documents, images, or video. Deeper Insights turns unstructured chaos into structured value.

Company Profile

Deeper Insights is a UK-based consultancy that focuses specifically on the "hard" problems of AI—analyzing unstructured data. They have a strong ethical stance and work to ISO 27001 standards, making them a safe pair of hands for sensitive industries like healthcare.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Project-based and T&M.

Rates: £800 - £1,500+ per day depending on seniority.

Typical Project: £50k - £250k.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Data Extraction, Computer Vision, NLP, Predictive Analytics.

Specialised Capabilities: Medical Imaging analysis, Document Intelligence, Knowledge Graphs.

Platform: "Floating Point" platform to accelerate model selection and training.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Healthcare, Real Estate, Financial Services.

UK Case Study (Smith & Nephew): Developed AI-driven insights for medical devices.

UK Case Study: Assisted the NHS with clinical data analysis projects.

✓ Strengths

• Unrivalled in unstructured data/computer vision
• strong ethics
• own platform IP.

⚠ Considerations

• Premium pricing
• specialised rather than generalist IT support.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Strong alignment with UK data privacy (GDPR) and healthcare regulations.

#3 ★★★★☆ 4.7/5.0

Airwalk Reply

Cloud-Native AI for Regulated Industries

Visit Airwalk Reply Website

✨ BEST FOR

The bridge between "Cloud" and "AI" for the financial sector. Airwalk Reply ensures your infrastructure is secure enough to handle advanced AI.

Company Profile

Part of the Reply Group but operating with the agility of a boutique, Airwalk Reply specialises in highly regulated industries. They combine deep cloud infrastructure expertise with AI enablement, ensuring that the underlying platform is secure and compliant—a critical prerequisite for FinTechs.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Day rates (G-Cloud).

Rates: £795 (Junior) - £1,800 (Partner) per day.

Engagement: Flexible—Time & Materials or Fixed Outcome.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: AI Enablement, MLOps, Cloud Security, Contact Centre AI.

Specialised Capabilities: Financial regulation compliance (FCA alignment), AWS Connect integration.

Delivery: Strategic consultancy and engineering delivery.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Retail Banks, FinTech Scale-ups, Government.

UK Case Study: Delivered the digital service platform for the Restoration and Renewal of the Houses of Parliament.

✓ Strengths

• Deep security/compliance knowledge
• backing of Reply Group
• cloud mastery.

⚠ Considerations

• Can be expensive
• heavy focus on AWS/Cloud infrastructure may be overkill for simple projects.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Specifically targets the UK's massive financial services sector.

#4 ★★★★☆ 4.7/5.0

Softwire

Engineering Rigour for AI Products

Visit Softwire Website

✨ BEST FOR

A premier software engineering consultancy that treats AI as a core engineering discipline, not a magic trick.

Company Profile

Softwire is one of the UK's most respected software consultancies. Their Data & AI practice is built on a foundation of engineering excellence. They are trusted by major media and public sector organisations to build robust, scalable systems where AI is an embedded feature.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Time & Materials.

Rates: Average blended rate approx £950/day.

Value: High-quality code that is maintainable and scalable.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Custom Software Development with embedded AI, AI Transformation, Data Engineering.

Specialised Capabilities: Generative AI accelerators, Recommendation engines, Large-scale data platforms.

Delivery: Agile squads.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Media, Government, Healthcare.

UK Case Study (BBC Sport): Built scalable architecture for live data.

UK Case Study (Moorfields Eye Hospital): Cloud data platform for healthcare research.

✓ Strengths

• Engineering quality
• reliability
• ability to build complex custom software.

⚠ Considerations

• Not a pure "strategy" house
• they build software. Rates reflect high quality.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Deeply embedded in the UK tech scene.

#5 ★★★★☆ 4.6/5.0

Mesh-AI

Decentralising Data for Enterprise Agility

Visit Mesh-AI Website

✨ BEST FOR

The leaders in "Data Mesh" implementation. They solve the data bottleneck that prevents AI adoption in large, complex mid-market firms.

Company Profile

Mesh-AI addresses the root cause of AI failure: data inaccessibility. By implementing "Data Mesh" principles (treating data as a product), they enable federated organisations (like energy companies) to scale AI. They are heavily active in the Energy Transition sector.2

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Day rates and outcome-based.

Budget: Mid-to-high tier pricing reflecting specialised data architecture skills.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Data Strategy, Data Mesh implementation, AI & ML scaling.

Specialised Capabilities: Energy usage forecasting, predictive maintenance, grid optimisation.

Delivery: Transformation consulting.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Energy, Utilities, Highly federated organisations.

UK Case Study (TotalEnergies): Harnessing data to support the energy transition.

UK Case Study (EDF): Transforming energy insights.

✓ Strengths

• Thought leadership in Data Mesh
• deep energy sector expertise.

⚠ Considerations

• "Data Mesh" is a complex paradigm that requires organisational buy-in
• overkill for simple setups.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Crucial for UK energy sector's Net Zero targets.

#6 ★★★★☆ 4.6/5.0

Peak

The AI Platform for Commercial Decision Intelligence

Visit Peak Website

✨ BEST FOR

A Manchester success story (now UiPath-owned) offering a platform + service model to optimise inventory and pricing for retail/manufacturing.

Company Profile

Peak defines the category of "Decision Intelligence." Their platform centralises data to help non-technical commercial teams make better decisions (e.g., how much stock to buy). Their acquisition by UiPath in 2025 has bolstered their automation capabilities.4

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: SaaS Platform Fee + Implementation Services.

Value: Rapid payback through working capital optimisation (reduced stock holding).

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Inventory Optimization, Dynamic Pricing, Personalisation.

Delivery: "Hub and Spoke" model—central platform with custom "spokes" (apps) for specific business logic.

Support: Customer Success teams drive adoption.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Retailers (£50M+ turnover), Manufacturers, CPG.

UK Case Study: Optimised stock levels for AO.com and PepsiCo.

✓ Strengths

• Proven platform
• commercial focus
• strong retail track record.

⚠ Considerations

• It is a platform play
• so there is vendor lock-in compared to custom build.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Born in Manchester, deep ties to UK retail.

#7 ★★★★☆ 4.5/5.0

Ten10

Quality Engineering for AI Assurance

Visit Ten10 Website

✨ BEST FOR

The safety net for AI. Ten10 tests and assures AI systems to prevent bias, hallucinations, and failure.

Company Profile

Ten10 is the UK's leading quality engineering consultancy. As AI regulation tightens, their role has shifted from software testing to "AI Assurance." They help mid-market firms deploy AI with confidence by rigorously testing models before they go live.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Flexible resourcing model.

Value: Risk mitigation.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: AI Quality Engineering, GenAI Testing, Test Automation.

Specialised Capabilities: Testing for bias, fairness, and performance; "Echo" framework for LLM testing.

Delivery: Consultancy + "Academy" resourcing (junior testers).

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Legal, Finance, Healthcare.

Focus: Regulated industries where failure is expensive.

✓ Strengths

• Market leader in QA
• cost-effective Academy model.

⚠ Considerations

• Focused on testing/QA
• not building the AI from scratch.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Key for compliance with UK AI safety guidelines.

#8 ★★★★☆ 4.5/5.0

Brainpool AI

The Academic AI Network

Visit Brainpool AI Website

✨ BEST FOR

Access to 500+ PhD-level experts for solving highly complex, novel mathematical problems.

Company Profile

Brainpool is a network of AI experts from top universities (UCL, Oxford, Cambridge). They function as a consultancy that matches specific academic expertise to business challenges, making them ideal for deep R&D projects that require novel algorithms.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Day rates or project fees.

Rates: £1,000+ per day for senior researchers.

Project Size: Typically £50k+.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Custom Algorithm Development, Feasibility Studies, R&D.

Products: DAISY (Construction design AI), Forstack (Financial prediction).

Delivery: Consulting teams assembled for specific projects.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Engineering firms, Hedge Funds, Deep Tech startups.

UK Case Study: DAISY AI for construction layout optimisation.

✓ Strengths

• unmatched intellectual firepower for novel problems.

⚠ Considerations

• Can be "academic" in approach
• focus on R\&D over simple commercial deployment.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Taps into the UK's world-class academic AI ecosystem.

#9 ★★★★☆ 4.4/5.0

Nightingale HQ

AI for Manufacturing & Sustainability

Visit Nightingale HQ Website

✨ BEST FOR

Helping UK manufacturers digitize operations and report on carbon usage using AI.

Company Profile

Nightingale HQ focuses on the "AI Readiness" of the manufacturing sector. They offer a suite of low-code tools ("GoSmarter") and consultancy to help traditional industries adopt digital tools, with a strong angle on sustainability.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Services + SaaS.

Budget: Accessible for mid-sized manufacturers.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: AI Readiness Assessment, Low-code automation, Carbon reporting.

Tools: "AI Connect" marketplace.

Delivery: Hybrid tools + consulting.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: Manufacturers, Supply Chain.

Value: Modernisation of legacy processes.

✓ Strengths

• Manufacturing niche
• sustainability focus
• practical tools.

⚠ Considerations

• Less relevant for service industries.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Supports UK manufacturing digitization and Net Zero goals.

#10 ★★★★☆ 4.3/5.0

Unai

Data Science for Health & Life Sciences

Visit Unai Website

✨ BEST FOR

Specialised data science for the NHS and genomics sector, focusing on secure, compliant implementation.

Company Profile

Unai specialises in "Data Science for Health." Based in Bristol/London, they have deep experience with NHS datasets and genomic data. They focus on "operationalizing" data science—getting it out of the lab and into the clinic.

💰 Pricing & Commercial Model

Pricing Structure: Project/Consultancy.

Budget: Mid-market appropriate.

Service Offerings

AI/ML Services: Genomic Data pipelines, NHS integration, Clinical decision support.

Focus: Rare disease diagnosis, patient pathway optimisation.

🇬🇧 UK Case Studies

Typical Client: NHS Trusts, Genomics England, HealthTech.

UK Case Study: Projects involving genomic data processing.

✓ Strengths

• Deep health/genomics expertise
• trusted by NHS.

⚠ Considerations

• Very niche focus.

🎯 UK Market Fit: * Alignment: Integral to the UK's Life Sciences strategy.

How to Choose the Right Agency

Step 1: Define Your Objective

Strategic Transformation: Datasparq, Deeper Insights
Integration & Data: Airwalk Reply, Softwire
Innovation & R&D: Mesh-AI

Step 2: Assess Budget Alignment

For mid-size uk businesses, expect typical project budgets in the £100K-£1M range. Discovery phases typically start at £100K.

Step 3: Evaluate UK Market Fit

Prioritise agencies with proven UK case studies, understanding of UK regulations (GDPR, sector-specific compliance), and local delivery teams.

⚠️ Red Flags to Watch For

• Vague Pricing: Agencies unwilling to provide rate cards or typical project ranges
• No UK Case Studies: Lack of verifiable UK client references in your sector
• Overpromising: Guarantees of specific ROI without discovery phase
• Lack of Governance: No clear approach to ethics, bias testing, or regulatory compliance
• Vendor Lock-In: Proprietary platforms with no exit strategy

Final Verdict

The UK AI agency market for mid-size uk businesses offers exceptional depth in 2026. Success requires matching technical capability with cultural fit, sector expertise, and proven delivery in environments similar to yours.

Key Takeaways:

• Focus on agencies with proven integration experience and data governance capabilities
• UK market knowledge (regulations, procurement) is a critical differentiator
• Verified case studies in your sector are essential—demand references
• Look for agencies offering both strategic consulting and hands-on delivery

Last updated: 02 February 2026 | Reviewed by UK AI specialists