Maya Research: The Business of Culture I 2026 I Download Now
Why FunnelFuel is Among the Most Loved Companies to Work For in The UK.
CULTURE 100 AWARD WINNER I 2026
Founded in 2022, FunnelFuel is the B2B managed service specialising in omnichannel digital advertising, audience analytics, and lead gen solutions. With decades of experience spanning marketing agency, client, and publisher industries, their leadership and wider team have a profound understanding of the advertising industry ecosystem, its unique challenges, as well as the opportunities for improving marketing ROI in B2B terms.
The world of B2B digital advertising is predicated on a technology ecosystem designed for the B2C landscape. The supply chain has evolved into a convoluted and inefficient network of transactions, resulting in complexity, high costs, questionable quality, and a lack of transparency, all of which affect the return on commercial value from a business’s marketing expenditure. Many B2B marketing practitioners are not fully aware of this reality, as the Adtech systems had previously "worked" albeit at a superficial level.
Advertisers and suppliers have tended to focus on managing client exceptions or exploring new opportunities like Generative AI, neglecting the need for ongoing fundamental improvements in working practices, as the technology landscape, supply chain ecosystems and regulatory changes have demonstrably impacted the industry in recent years.
As CEO, Dan Shaw explains, the entire B2B digital advertising ecosystem needs a catalyst of positive change. CMO Paul Collier adds that major changes to the tech landscape, buyer behaviours, and the digital advertising supply chain are creating a perfect storm for the world of B2B marketing. CPO Mike Harty notes that time is running out for today's programmatic advertising ecosystem as seismic changes catalyse a transition to a new way of thinking.
Recently named one of the UK's fastest-growing companies and ranked among the top 25 in London by the 2025 UK Fast Growth Index, they're executing on that vision whilst building something else alongside it: a culture where anyone can drive change.
In 2026, FunnelFuel was named on the Culture 100 Awards list as one of the UK's most thriving companies to work for. After reviewing over 5,000 companies and surveying over 20,000 employees, what made FunnelFuel stand out? Building a culture where the most junior employee in the business partnered with a mid-level manager to start a culture revolution that became the single biggest strategic impact on the company.
The genesis of their Culture Committee and Programme came from two team members who had a passion for culture and felt comfortable putting forward something different. No permissions needed. That initiative has now driven six dedicated culture workstreams designed to actively improve the office environment, employee experience, and ways of working.
The culture programme gives people a voice in shaping the company regardless of their role or tenure. This supports their core belief: anyone can drive meaningful change across the business if they feel empowered in their roles.
The culture is oriented around being inclusive and empathetic. Everyone should feel comfortable being completely themselves at work, recognised and appreciated for who they are. They're committed to ensuring everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to speak openly. Diverse perspectives are essential to stronger decision-making, so they encourage collaboration, curiosity, and respectful challenge.
The ambition is to create an environment where people genuinely love their jobs. Not just because of the work they do but because of the people they work with, the support they feel, and the clarity they have around how their contributions drive the company forward.
Employees feel safe experimenting, sharing ideas, and pushing boundaries without fear of failure. The culture is organic, transparent, and team-led.
Typical of a rapid growth start-up / scale-up business, their employees asked for greater visibility. They responded with a clear communication and engagement plan to build trust, reduce uncertainty, and connect daily work to company-wide goals.
Transparency now shows up in specific systems. Monthly rundowns led by their MD. Weekly revenue updates from their CRO. An employee newsletter managed by the Culture Committee. Understanding how the business performs, how decisions get made, and how individual roles influence strategic direction means every employee feels informed and aligned.
FunnelFuel feel everyone should feel passionate about their work and proud of what they're building by understanding how it connects to a greater purpose. They lead with transparency, openly sharing how the business is performing, where they're heading, and what challenges or opportunities lie ahead. This clarity helps employees understand how their work directly affects outcomes and why their contributions matter.
Personal development gets prioritised through annual development budgets. Every employee receives funding to invest in training, learning, or experiences that genuinely matter to them. When people love their roles and feel supported, they naturally produce their best work, collaborate more openly, and contribute to a healthier, happier organisation.
At its core, FunnelFuel is built on the belief that anyone can thrive there. The culture is rooted in belonging, where every person has a voice and every perspective is welcome. They're intentionally designing an environment where individuality gets celebrated, and people from all backgrounds feel supported and empowered.
People who truly excel bring passion to what they do, care deeply about their role, their teammates, and the impact of their work. These individuals naturally go beyond expectations because they're genuinely invested in the collective success of the business.
As one of the key catalysts of change within their chosen industry, they look for proactive problem-solvers who don't just identify where things could be better but actively speak up and help drive improvements. Pressure testing the B2B advertising industry means those who can embrace change, challenge assumptions, and aren't afraid to propose new ideas or experiment with fresh approaches really excel.
Those who thrive want to grow with them. They're open, empathetic, curious, adaptable, and eager to develop new skills whilst helping others do the same. They recognise by the very nature of why the company exists, they don't know everything but will learn together for mutual benefit and the furtherment of the industry.
In 2026, they will roll out an EMI (enterprise management incentive) scheme for all employees. This commitment to shared ownership reflects the belief that everyone contributes to building something bigger together and should benefit accordingly.
"In FunnelFuel, we've found a strategic partner who can match the high levels of performance that we at Fox Agency stand for. They regularly exceed our expectations and have a great level of service," says Chau Wang, Head of Media NAM at Fox Agency.
“FunnelFuel, arguably the poster-child of B2B Martech / AdTech new player, having made great strides in the digital advertising world in a very short space of time (and threatening to move into other areas) guided as they are by the ‘dream team’ of Paul Collier, Daniel Shaw, Mark Burton and of course Kevin Flood” says Joel Harrison, B2B evangelist and Founder, B2B Marketing.net
Recognition on the Culture 100 Awards proves what happens when you empower teams to originate and develop culture themselves. When the most junior employee can partner with mid-management to start a culture programme without feeling the need to ask permission, when that initiative subsequently becomes the single biggest strategic impact on the development of the company culture, and when six organically defined workstreams give everyone a voice regardless of role or tenure, that's culture creating genuine belonging. And that's what makes FunnelFuel a place where people aren't just part of something special but actively contribute to it every day.
