Features

2026 is set to be a busy year for UK SMEs, bringing some of the most significant legal and regulatory shifts in recent times – including tighter payment rules, new transparency standards, and digital-first tax and reporting reforms.

I can’t remember a Budget with as much doom-mongering and speculation in the build-up as the one Rachel Reeves delivered two weeks ago.

Half-time at Old Trafford is always loud, but inside our dressing room it felt strangely focused. We were catching our breath, a few of the lads grabbing jelly babies and Jaffa Cakes, when one of the coaches slipped in and whispered something to Steve Coppell. Coppell called the room to attention and delivered the news straight: Rooney had gone off injured.

Jason Bennett is the Global VP of Startups and Venture Capital at AWS. He has been at AWS for 15 years, he has previously served as VP, US Enterprise and private equity, and GM, US-Enterprise Leader. At AWS re:Invent in Vegas, Bennett discussed all things AI, startup trends, and AWS’s commitment to supporting startups.

Most founders will tell you they are bringing AI into their business. Some talk about it with genuine excitement, others with a quiet sense of panic, and a few with the hope that automation might finally fix the chaos they’ve been ignoring for years. The truth is far less glossy. AI rarely fails because the tools are weak. It fails because the organisation behind them isn’t prepared for what the shift actually involves.

Small businesses have always been quick to adapt, and in 2025, that adaptability has been tested more than ever. Between rising costs, staffing shortages and customers who expect instant replies and 24-hour availability, many owners are stretched thin.

It’s Saturday afternoon and you suddenly get a headache. Nothing dramatic, just enough to derail your plans. You rummage through the medicine cabinet, find expired paracetamol and realise the GP is closed. So, you do what most people do: you reach for your phone for a solution.

Before you say ‘we’re not ready for PR’ – read this!

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, once said: “If I were down to my last two dollars, I’d spend one on PR.” That sentence reveals a truth many early-stage entrepreneurs need to realise. Communication doesn’t start when you become successful. It is a strategic instrument that helps you reach the pathway forward – not a reward for later.

Why am I invisible?

Most startups are convinced their product is unique. And we don’t doubt they are. They also believe everyone must know about it. So, they pitch them to top-tier journalists. And … nothing happens. Often a radio silence. Crickets. Many ask me, why?

Swimming has always been a huge part of my life. As a teenager, I competed in butterfly at a high level, representing the British youth squad and the South African national team. Butterfly is not just physically tough; it is also one of the most mentally demanding strokes.

Contributing $ 5 billion from stock-option withholding for the top four companies alone, and employing circa 1.7 million people, the Silicon Valley represents 13.1% of California’s overall GDP. It’s hardly surprising then that so many government and policy makers are wrecking their brains on trying to emulate its success back home, in the UK, in Europe and anywhere else in the world.

It’s a common workplace story: December hits, and suddenly the office turns into a ghost town of checked-out employees chasing holiday cheer over deadlines. But let’s challenge that myth head-on.

For all the talk about the golden opportunity presented by AI, the government has just published a report that confirms what many of us have known for years. The country’s biggest obstacle to unlocking AI’s potential isn’t innovation or, dare I say it, ‘investment’, but a lack of talent.

2026 is shaping up to be a complex year for employment laws and regulations affecting small businesses. Founders are expected to be proactive and ready for changes across several legal areas, including corporate transparency, employment law reform, and evolving technology regulation.

As the UK continues to position itself as a global hub for technology and innovation, two immigration routes stand out for founders, engineers, and digital specialists seeking to build their careers or businesses in the country: the UK Global Talent Visa and the Innovator Founder Visa.

In the high-stakes world of startups, a deeply ingrained myth persists: stay silent until you have something monumental to announce. This ‘stealth mode’ philosophy suggests that premature exposure risks tipping off competitors or revealing imperfections before a product is market-ready.

AI has undeniably been the headline of 2025. Every day has seemed to bring a new tool, startup or product launch, promising transformation and innovation at levels never seen before. With so many new developments, often accompanied by both excitement and caution, how can business leaders know how to navigate the evolving AI landscape and ensure they are investing their time, money and resources in a way that truly drives value?

Speed and reliability have become the foundation of any good online experience. Now, shoppers expect sites to load without hesitation, checkouts to work flawlessly, and performance to hold steady regardless of device or demand. Data reflects this shift too, with a two second delay being enough to double bounce rates. When experience falters, customers rarely wait. Instead, they’ll move on to the next merchant offering the same product with a smoother journey. In a market where alternatives are just a click away, even brief moments of friction can mean a lost sale.

Most early-stage founders spend more time dealing with money movement than they ever expected. Not fundraising, but the simple act of getting money in and out of the business. Traditional banking still slows teams down with long processing times, inconsistent cross-border transfers, and rigid rules that do not match how modern startups operate.