News

Startup founder joins UK review tackling barriers to entrepreneurship

Finance lecturer, author, and award-winning entrepreneur, Tara Askham, has been appointed to the Steering Committee for the Maple Review, a government-backed independent review led by Small Business Britain and supported by Xero, focused on tackling the barriers that economic deprivation creates for UK entrepreneurs.

OptAI wins CES 2026 Innovation Award

OptAI has announced that it has been named a CES 2026 ‘Innovation Award Honouree’ for its proprietary platform, OptHancer. The award recognises OptAI’s technological achievements ahead of CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition, taking place this January in Las Vegas.

World’s first AI app measuring period blood volume launches in UK

Menstrual health startup Joii is launching the world’s first AI-powered app that measures period blood volume in the UK, transforming a guessing game into data that doctors can’t dismiss.  

Ada Ventures launches AI “Deck Genius” to help founders fine-tune their pitch
Ada Ventures launches AI “Deck Genius” to help founders fine-tune their pitch

Ada Ventures, the pre-seed investment firm backing inclusive alpha founders across the UK and Europe, has launched an AI-powered pitch deck review tool for founders that allows them to access VC-grade feedback before they share their materials with prospective investors.

CGT shake-up could net Treasury £100Bn while supporting UK entrepreneurs

A reformed Capital Gains Tax (CGT) regime could be a powerful tool to incentivise wealth creation while boosting long-term productivity, according to research commissioned by Ryan Howsam, CEO of Howsam Ventures and founder of travel insurer, Staysure.     

Catalyst and Ulster University partner to empower Northern Ireland innovators

Catalyst, Northern Ireland’s science and technology hub, has announced a new partnership with Ulster University that will embed entrepreneurial thinking and innovation into the academic experience of more than 450 second and final-year students across the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

Gen Z leads Britain’s entrepreneurial boom
Gen Z leads Britain’s entrepreneurial boom, but lacks support to succeed

Entrepreneurship is at the heart of Britain’s ambitions for the future, but a lack of support could threaten the next generation of business leaders. That is according to new research from Young Enterprise, released today ahead of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Global entrepreneurs see UK as top destination for business

Entrepreneurs around the world rank the UK as one of the most popular countries to conduct business, with only Singapore ranking higher in term of appeal.

DeepL unveils next-gen language AI tools and game-changing agentic productivity solution

DeepL, a leading global AI product and research company, announced two major business innovations for knowledge workers – DeepL Agent and Customisation Hub. 

During its annual conference, DeepL Dialogues, the company unveiled the general availability of DeepL Agent, an autonomous AI coworker designed to streamline and automate a broad range of tasks for knowledge workers. DeepL also announced continued innovations in Language AI with the release of Customisation Hub and the announcement of over 70 new languages to the platform.

£92m investment at risk as 77% of UK ecommerce retailers admit AI initiatives are falling short

Most UK ecommerce retailers are failing to get AI right, despite consumers becoming increasingly accustomed to AI in online shopping, according to new research commissioned by ecommerce agency Quickfire Digital.

 

Cizzle Biotech signs LOI to bring early lung cancer blood test to NHS

Cizzle Biotech, a British biotech company has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) that could lead to a transformational partnership in delivering how lung cancer is diagnosed across the NHS.

UK layoffs rise amid AI surge and Employment Rights Bill

UK businesses have increased the number of proposed mass dismissal programmes by 5% over the past year, as companies restructure ahead of the upcoming Employment Rights Bill and the growing adoption of AI.

Cornerstone and Future Worlds seek applicants for new silicon photonics startup stream
Cornerstone and Future Worlds seek applicants for new silicon photonics startup stream

Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Centre (C-PIC), the UK’s dedicated Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) for silicon photonics, has partnered with Future Worlds, the University of Southampton’s startup accelerator, to launch a dedicated Silicon Photonics Stream at an upcoming Future Worlds Bootcamp, taking place on 29–30 November 2025.

Lack of sales and marketing skills biggest threat to startup success

A lack of confidence in sales and marketing is the biggest hurdle for aspiring entrepreneurs in the UK, preventing many from launching their dream businesses, according to the Start Gap Report.

London sees biggest coworking cost drop in Europe

A slowdown in cost increases across Western Europe, alongside rising prices in parts of Eastern Europe, is creating a more varied picture of affordability for expats and remote workers, according to bunq’s latest findings from the Working Abroad Index 2025. With the global digital nomad community now exceeding 40 million, borderless living has become an established part of modern work life.

The inaugural edition of CARE in Dubai is set to accelerate green innovation and investment across the MENA region

The inaugural edition of CARE (Climate Action, Renewable Energy & Sustainability) forum series by Trescon, is set to become the MENA region’s most influential platform for sustainability investment and climate innovation. The forum will unite regional and global leaders driving the Middle East’s clean energy transition. Co-located with DATE, a Digitization, AI & Emerging Tech Summit, CARE MENA will take place on 26th – 27th November at the iconic Madinat Jumeirah.

Start Up Loans programme to help unemployed start businesses

A brand-new guide to support and encourage unemployed people to set up a business has been launched by Start Up Loans, in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC.

SMBs race for embedded capital ahead of Black Friday

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching, small businesses are faced with a familiar challenge: a lack of working capital to make the most of peak season sales.

Estonian Startup Awards 2025 is seeking nominees in 11 impactful categories

For the seventh year in a row, the Estonian Startup Awards will celebrate the success and growth of Estonia’s vibrant startup ecosystem. This year, the Estonian Startup Awards 2025 is seeking nominees in 11 impactful categories.

Deeptech future startups join CSEM’s ACCELERATE programme

CSEM has announced the four promising entrepreneurial projects selected for its ACCELERATE Programme 2025, an initiative designed to help transform deeptech innovations into market-ready solutions.