Dill Wins Wales StartUp of the Year and AI StartUp of the Year at the 2025 UK StartUp Awards
Wales‑based start‑up Dill has been named both Wales StartUp of the Year and AI StartUp of the Year at the 2025 UK StartUp Awards.
Founded in 2022, Dill is an AI‑powered infrastructure layer that redefines labeling across the food, retail, and hospitality industries. From food‑to‑go and traceability to stock rotation, pricing, and nutrition, Dill removes the complexity of design and printing — making labels intelligent, automated, and instantly deployable, with no drivers or IT setup required.
Today, Dill works with a growing roster of brands — including BrewDog, Busaba, Atis, and Nisa Local, across hundreds of sites in the UK, including service stations under BP, Esso, and Shell, as well as institutions like Staranceand Swansea Council. Focused initially on food‑and‑beverage labeling, Dill is now expanding rapidly into retail and beyond, making labeling seamless, smart, and universal for any site.
The company launched in the United States earlier this year and is now scaling across North America to support global projects and multi‑site labeling deployments.
💬 Founder Quote
Alex Coldea, founder of Dill, said:
“Winning both Wales StartUp of the Year and AI StartUp of the Year is a huge milestone for us. We started Dill to solve a real problem for food and retail operators — making labeling effortless, accurate, and scalable. This recognition reflects the progress we’ve made and the impact our technology is having across the industry. We’re excited to keep building, keep learning, and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with AI in food and hospitality.”
🏁 Why This Matters for the Industry
Labeling is more than printing — it’s about making complexity invisible:
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Making traceability and stock rotation seamless
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Giving operators control, not relying on IT
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Unifying fragmented labeling formats into one intelligent flow
Dill is making labeling as seamless, smart, and universal as it should be, working closely with partners like Brother UK to build the Stripe of label printing.
🚀 About the UK StartUp Awards
Supported by Airwallex, Big Ideas Wales, Bodlondeb, Business Wales, Cardiff Life, Coffi Lab, Join Talent, M‑Sparc, Mentera, Town Square, and V‑Rum, the UK StartUp Awards were established to highlight the success of startups across ten UK nations and regions and to celebrate the achievements of entrepreneurs across every sector.
According to Professor Dylan Jones‑Evans OBE, creator of the UK StartUp Awards:
“Entrepreneurs across Wales are reshaping the economic landscape, turning bold ideas into thriving ventures and ambition into meaningful impact. From coastal towns to city centres, Welsh entrepreneurs are building businesses grounded in deep values, culture, and purpose — making a real difference in their communities. I’m delighted that Dill has won their category and am looking forward to seeing them join the ‘best of the best’ from across the UK at the national final later this year.”
👉 What’s Next for Dill
All regional winners will now progress to the UK StartUp Awards Final at Ideas Fest on September 11th (dubbed the “Glastonbury for Entrepreneurs”), where Dill will compete with winners from nine other nations and regions across the UK.
🔗 More Information
For more information about Dill, visit www.mydill.co.uk.
For more information about the UK StartUp Awards, visit www.startupawards.uk.
