Features

Once an afterthought in most transactions – except in pure technology acquisitions – intellectual property (IP) is moving to the centre of deal-making. Software, data, and AI shape nearly every product and service, and the know-how, data sets, and IP rights behind them increasingly determine whether a deal delivers its growth story.

Since its UK launch in April 2023, Temu has quickly made a name for itself. Last year it was the most downloaded iPhone app in the UK App Store and it’s getting a great reception from its users.

Running a small business is rewarding, but demanding. From serving customers to managing cashflow and dealing with economic uncertainty, you are constantly juggling different demands and roles. The daily grind can also make it easy to forget about your accomplishments, and our latest research shows fewer than half (43%) of small businesses regularly get the opportunity to pause and celebrate their wins.

Over my career I’ve worked with countless startups – some of which have gone on to become household names. The ones that stand out offer more than great products or clever marketing. They have a beating heart. They create moments that make people feel – joy, excitement, pride, nostalgia.

Small and mid-sized businesses have always won on something enterprise giants can’t copy: the personal relationship with their customers. But now those same customers expect AI-powered experiences as part of the service, and the tools on the market are built for companies with entire AI teams, six-month budgets, and enterprise-scale infrastructure. SMBs can’t afford to build that, but they also can’t afford not to have it.

For startups, there are two important metrics – speed and cost. Most early-stage companies require an app that looks stylish, works without a hitch, doesn’t require an enormous budget or an army of developers, and can be delivered in a tight schedule.

Data from SproutSocial reveals that short-form video delivers the highest ROI over other marketing trends. Generationally, expectations and engagement levels vary, but everyone is consuming short-form content across all platforms. 

If you told me four years ago, I’d be running a thriving creative hub in the middle of Yorkshire – supporting nearly 50 local makers, hosting events, and heading to the House of Lords as part of the UK’s SmallBiz100 – I’d have laughed and said nope not me!

Ask any AI founder what keeps them up at night, and you’ll hear many of the same stories. Hidden infrastructure costs that blow up the burn rate without warning. Waiting weeks, or even months, for GPU capacity to come online. Scrambling to navigate compliance requirements that feel like a full-time job. These aren’t abstract problems. They are everyday hurdles that can delay product launches, frustrate investors, and stretch teams thin.

Launching a startup is a balancing act. You’re driving product development, fundraising, sales, and recruitment, often simultaneously. But for many non-technical founders, the most challenging area isn’t fundraising or sales. It’s building the product itself, especially when outsourcing to software consultancies.

Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the national economy, comprising a staggering 99.8% of all businesses. However, despite their importance, the majority of these SMEs are not exporting.

“The companies that thrive in this new era will not be the ones that hand over the keys to an algorithm. They will be the ones where leaders treat AI as a force multiplier,” writes Alexander Walsh, Co-Founder and CEO of Oraion

When you run a small or medium-sized business, it’s tempting to believe that building your own technology is the best way to stay in control. After all, nobody knows your customers like you do. Surely the smartest move is to develop the tools you need, tailor-made for your market.

It is not news that sustainability has become an issue for societies across the globe. To understand the extent of the problem, you only have to consider that the UK alone generates approximately 191.2 million tonnes of waste annually to picture the global crisis at hand.

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace is moving at pace, nearly doubling in the past two years. This technology is reshaping everything in the world of work from recruitment and customer service to data analysis and employee experience.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have always impressed me with their agility and creativity. They are the ones who take bold risks, experiment quickly, and often bring real innovation to market first. But there’s no denying that, for years, large corporations had the upper hand in terms of resources, technology, and reach. What I’m seeing now, however, is a real shift. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is giving SMEs the kind of leverage that used to be reserved for the biggest players.

In the world of startups, resilience is often considered to be a key indicator of success, and typically approached as an individualistic trait. Who has grit, stamina, or can persevere?

Demand is growing for the ability to collect and analyse the outputs of Generative AI (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. These tools, which use Large Language Models (LLMs), are increasingly being used as alternatives to traditional internet search engines. For this reason, professionals working with search engine optimisation (SEO) and its new incarnation, generative engine optimisation (GEO), are keen to understand what sources LLMs draw from and how they present topics relevant to particular brands and industries.

Here’s the thing: voice-enabled building is different from attaching a mic to your app. It’s a stack, a series of product choices, and a series of legal requirements that feel inconsequential in a prototype and acutely real the moment you receive your first inbound call. When done right, voice accelerates time-to-value for users, opens up accessibility, and expands your funnel. If you hurry, you send lag, mishear, and trust issues that are difficult to overcome.