We’re excited to share that Skillwork has been selected as a finalist for the Santander X UK Awards 2025, a program recognizing high-growth startups making a real-world impact through innovation, execution, and leadership.

Out of hundreds of companies across the UK, it’s an honor to be shortlisted alongside a group of ventures pushing boundaries across sectors like fintech, AI, healthtech, climate, and education.

For us, this moment is more than just recognition. It’s a reflection of the journey we’ve been on and the people who’ve helped us get here.

From Zero Network to Finalist

When our founders, Ali Youssef and Jan Gasiewski, started Skillwork, we had no funding, no investor network, and no warm intros.

What we did have was a belief: that if we could bring together brilliant engineers, sharp product thinking, and a people-first approach, we could build something that mattered.

We didn’t want to be “just another agency.”

We wanted to be a long-term partner to founders and innovation leaders, the kind of team you call when you need to go from vague ambition to real product.

Since then, we’ve grown Skillwork to a team of 40+ across the UK and Eastern Europe, helping startups and corporates alike launch everything from AI pilots and MVPs to enterprise-scale platforms.

What This Recognition Means

The Santander X Awards are about more than pitch decks and metrics — they’re about potential. About backing companies that not only move fast, but build with purpose.

Being named a finalist tells us two things:

1. The model we’ve built, rooted in trust, transparency, and execution — works

2. The demand for lean, high-impact product teams is only growing — especially in regulated, complex industries like health, finance, and infrastructure

It’s also a validation of our cross-border strategy. By tapping into top-tier engineering and AI talent in Eastern Europe, we’ve been able to give clients the velocity and depth they need without the overhead that often slows startups down post-Series A.

What’s Next for Skillwork

We’re doubling down on two things:

• AI execution: helping companies move from experimentation to delivery

• Real relationships: building with and alongside our clients, not just for them

As we look ahead, we’re focused on scaling the core of what’s always worked for us:
People first. Outcomes driven. No fluff.

Whether you’re a founder validating an idea, a scaling company building your next platform, or a corporate team exploring applied AI, we’re always happy to get in the room, challenge assumptions, and help you ship.

Thank You

A huge thank you to the Santander X team for backing UK startups and creating real opportunities for founders to grow. And to the Skillwork team this recognition belongs to every one of you.

We’re proud of how far we’ve come and even more excited about where we’re headed.