An AI startup co-founded by UCL graduates has been bought by professional services company Accenture in a deal reportedly worth $1 billion (£746 million) – the largest takeover ever of a British privately held AI startup.
Faculty, previously called Advanced Skills Initiative, was set up in 2014 by UCL graduates Marc Warner (PhD Physics and Astronomy), Angie Ma (PhD Physics), and Andy Brookes to develop AI tools and technology to improve businesses’ performance.
In 2023, Faculty partnered with Accenture, with the startup providing AI consultancy services and its AI products to various projects for the company.
Accenture has now agreed to buy Faculty in a deal reportedly worth $1 billion, granting the company ‘unicorn’ status, shorthand for private technology companies valued at $1billion or more. In a LinkedIn post, Alan Hudson, partner at one of Faculty’s investors, Mercuri, hailed Faculty as “the first UK tech unicorn of 2026”.
Around 400 Faculty staff are now expected to move to Accenture, all of whom are described as native AI professionals.
Marc Warner, who served as CEO of Faculty, will become chief technology officer of Accenture and join the company’s Global Management Committee.
Marc said: “Our vision has always been a world in which safe AI delivers widespread benefits to humanity.
“We have spent the last ten years supporting our clients to bring this world about, step by step. As AI advances rapidly, the ambition of our clients is now, rightly, no less than the reinvention of their business. I am delighted that by teaming up with Accenture, we have everything in place to support AI transformation from start to finish.”
Julie Sweet, chair and CEO of Accenture said: “With Faculty, we will further accelerate our strategy to bring trusted, advanced AI to the heart of our clients’ businesses.
“I’m pleased to welcome the Faculty team to Accenture and look forward to Marc’s contribution shaping our technology vision and strategy as Chief Technology Officer.”
Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) said: “We are delighted to hear of Faculty’s success and its acquisition by Accenture.
“Marc Warner and Angie Ma’s involvement is a true testament to their hard work, talent and the fantastic career-launching platform that UCL continues to provide for our graduates. At UCL we pride ourselves in offering a thriving entrepreneurial community.”
UCL anchors an innovation district at the heart of Euston and King’s Cross already home to world-leading UK AI companies such as Faculty, Synthesia and Google DeepMind.
Entrepreneurship adds to this thriving innovation ecosystem and forms a key part of UCL AI innovation pipeline – where frontier research leads to venture creation.
UCL’s thriving entrepreneurial community creates startups that attract millions of pounds of investment, creating jobs and spearheading innovation that boosts the UK economy.
Over the last five years more than 400 new student startups were created at UCL. Collectively they have raised more than £355 million in external investment and currently employ more than 1,900 people.