Features

As economic uncertainty looms large in Western markets – from political instability in the US to rising regulatory headwinds – a new centre of gravity is emerging for forward-thinking businesses: the Middle East. At WOLF, a UK-founded tech company built around creating community-led online entertainment for Arabic speakers, we’ve experienced first-hand the region’s exceptional growth potential.

In a digital economy, no business is too small to be a target. Yet when we talk about cybersecurity policy and resilience, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) still don’t get the attention – or support – they need. That has to change.

Being a founder is lonely. You’re pulled in a hundred directions, expected to have all the answers, and often left without a safe space to voice doubts or test ideas.

Sales isn’t a dirty word – it’s a survival skill. In today’s high-stakes, high-noise business environment, mastering the art of closing is the difference between having a great idea and building a great company. Whether you’re a Gen Z founder fluent in digital storytelling or a seasoned entrepreneur adjusting to a new economy, one truth remains: meetings don’t move markets – deals do.

At the AWS Summit in London, I sat down with Tricia Troth, Head of Startups UK and Ireland at Amazon Web Services (AWS), to explore how the company is supporting early-stage businesses through technical enablement, investment guidance, and a broad ecosystem of resources.

AI startups in the UK are raising billions in funding, yet there’s a startling gap between capital and real-world impact. Recent studies reveal that only one in seven UK AI companies are working towards solving actual market or societal problems. Given that there are more than 3,000 AI firms operating in the region, it feels appropriate to ask – what’s going wrong?

Hackathons have long been a launchpad for innovation, but what if they could do more than just spark ideas? What if they could become structured, real-time engines for building, learning, and connecting? These are the questions AI Product Engineer Igor Luchenkov set out to explore. 

Despite being built on great ideas, 90% of startups eventually fail. Fernando Amaral, Chief Revenue Officer at expense management solution Rydoo shares his insights on the common pitfalls and best practices for building a successful startup.

The digital identity landscape in the UK has undergone a seismic shift in recent years, driven by government initiatives like the Digital Identity and Attributes Trust Framework (DIATF).

When you think of the next global digital infrastructure hub, Armenia may not be the first place that comes to mind. But that’s precisely what makes it so compelling.

When you have a brilliant product idea, it’s easy to fall in love with it. So deeply in love that it seems impossible for it to fail. All it needs is hard work and execution; everyone will see how brilliant it is. Right?

Emerging fintechs are speeding ahead with ESG at their core, while many traditional financial institutions are struggling to keep up – slowed by the complexities of legacy systems and rigid internal processes.

Today’s mortgage lenders face significant operational challenges, particularly when relying on third-party processors for outsourcing services. These services, while potentially streamlining certain tasks, often come with high costs and can limit the lender’s control over their operations.

Forbes recently revealed that hackers sell full cyber access to small businesses for as little as $600 on the dark web. The rise of AI-driven scams has made it easier for hackers to access company data, giving business owners an unprecedented concern. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of Vodafone secure device manager provider Crystaline, provides tips on how small-to-medium businesses (SMEs) can enhance their cyber resilience.

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is gaining recognition among many businesses serving the EU market as a key driver of circularity and sustainability. 

You have a brilliant idea for a new business, and part of the brilliance is taking advantage of where the world is now. But how long will that world remain the same? Every startup needs to consider how things might change because of curve balls such as pandemics, tariff wars, and new technology.

Risk management has long been the Achilles’ heel of business strategy. Even with sophisticated forecasting models, businesses have often struggled to identify and action potential disruptions before they have impacted performance.

UK SME confidence in growth opportunities is currently riding high. Today, more than three-quarters (87%) of SME decision-makers plan to invest in their businesses in 2025 and two-thirds (66%) expect their sales to rise over the next six months – a notable uptick in sentiment.

When startups think about scaling, their minds often go straight to funding rounds, growth metrics, and major product launches. But while these are all important, they’re not what determines success in new markets.

For just about any business, one of the main goals is to grow. But none are perhaps as focused and dedicated to growth as startups. When startups think about growth, they tend to focus on big-picture goals like funding rounds, new hires and expanding into fresh markets. However, one thing that is usually overlooked is their IT system.