From Shoreditch to Seoul: How One London Tech Founder Built a £240m Global Trade Platform

Walk into the converted warehouse on Curtain Road in Shoreditch and you'll find the kind of organised chaos that defines modern tech startups: standing desks clustered around exposed brick, a kitchen perpetually stocked with cold brew, and whiteboards dense with market diagrams. Yet TradeLink's modest office belies the scale of its ambition. The platform, founded in 2019 by a former logistics analyst, now facilitates over £8 billion in annual cross-border transactions for more than 12,000 businesses worldwide.

What began as a frustration with outdated trade processes has evolved into one of London's most promising exports—a homegrown solution to a genuinely global problem. Small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly those clustered in districts like Canary Wharf and the City, have traditionally struggled to navigate the labyrinthine complexities of international supply chains. Currency fluctuations, regulatory compliance, shipping delays, and verifying supplier credentials across continents remain expensive headaches that disproportionately affect British manufacturers and importers.

TradeLink's software streamlines this chaos through a single dashboard. Buyers can instantly compare quotes from vetted suppliers in Vietnam, Kenya, and Colombia. Real-time tracking provides visibility from factory floor to UK port. Integrated payments and insurance options eliminate the need for multiple intermediaries. The platform charges transaction-based fees averaging 1.2 per cent, positioning itself as considerably cheaper than traditional freight forwarders and trading houses.

The timing has proved fortuitous. Post-Brexit, British firms have increasingly diversified supply chains away from European neighbours, seeking cost advantages and supply resilience elsewhere. TradeLink reports that 34 per cent of its new sign-ups in 2025 cited post-Brexit restructuring as a driver. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions and reshoring initiatives have made supply-chain transparency a boardroom priority.

What distinguishes TradeLink from Silicon Valley competitors is its foundational focus on emerging markets. While rivals concentrate on developed economies, this London firm has invested heavily in compliance infrastructure for African and South Asian jurisdictions where documentation standards are less standardised. That approach has resonated with UK businesses seeking alternatives to China, particularly in textiles, electronics components, and fast-moving consumer goods.

Last month, the firm secured a £45 million Series B funding round, with backers including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Plans include opening regional hubs in Lagos, Mumbai, and Jakarta by 2027. For London's thriving business community, TradeLink exemplifies how local talent and deep understanding of global market friction can translate into a genuinely transformative platform—one that positions British entrepreneurs not merely as market participants, but as infrastructure builders reshaping international commerce itself.

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