Rubicon Bridge founder named ‘One to Watch’ by leading growth investor LDC

The founder of a Hull-based tech business has been named as “One to Watch” by LDC, one of the UK’s leading growth investors, in partnership with The Times.

Kathryn Szymonowicz, Managing Director of fast-growing regulatory technology business Rubicon Bridge, has been recognised for her leadership in developing groundbreaking technology that helps food, food supplement and consumer packaged goods brands unlock international markets.

The prestigious accolade, which celebrates the UK’s most ambitious business leaders, recognises Kathryn’s role in building Rubicon Bridge from launch in 2023 to become a disruptive force in the regulatory technology sector.

LDC’s One to Watch recognition highlights business leaders who are making significant strides and show exceptional potential for future growth. Recipients sit alongside LDC’s Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders and are profiled in The Times.

Kathryn attended LDC’s national celebratory event at BAFTA in London, where she collected her trophy and networked with fellow ambitious business leaders from across the UK.

She said: “I’m absolutely delighted to receive this recognition. Building Rubicon Bridge has been an incredible journey and this award validates the hard work and talent of our entire team in developing technology that truly transforms how businesses approach international expansion.

“Our tool is removing barriers that have historically prevented food and supplement companies from accessing lucrative overseas markets. Not only that, but, for companies already accessing those markets, it’s helping to speed up the process, saving them time and money while enabling them to maintain compliance in an ever-changing regulatory landscape, protecting their brand integrity and keeping them selling.

“Being recognised alongside the UK’s most ambitious business leaders is both humbling and hugely motivating as we continue to scale our business.”

Rubicon Bridge has its headquarters in the C4Di tech hub in Hull, with an office in The Netherlands and a US expansion underway.

The company’s pioneering software has revolutionised regulatory compliance for brands, reducing the time it takes to ensure products meet international regulatory requirements from up to 90 days to just minutes.

Built on highly-scalable technology infrastructure that leverages bespoke AI and Machine Learning tools for rapid automated processing, the platform now serves 12 European countries with a combined population of 420 million potential customers, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria and Estonia. The company also operates extensively in the US market.

The scale of Rubicon Bridge’s impact has been recognised by Amazon, which has integrated the software within its European Service Provider Network, enabling any food supplement seller operating in the EU to access the technology. Rubicon Bridge’s client portfolio also includes major global brands such as P&G and Nestlé.

LDC has been supporting ambitious management teams for over 40 years as part of Lloyds Banking Group. Businesses supported by LDC have grown 3.3 times more than the national average over the past decade.

Kathryn founded Rubicon Bridge following decades of expertise in leadership roles within regulations and compliance businesses. The company is the sister business of Rubicon Technical, which has provided businesses with regulatory compliance support since 2008.

Rubicon Bridge is now focused on extending its technology to serve additional countries and industries beyond food and supplements, as regulation and compliance remain major barriers for businesses entering new markets worldwide.