News

UK SMEs optimistic for 2022

Over half of the UK’s small and medium size businesses have a positive financial outlook for 2022 despite increased levels of debt, reveals Legal & General research

New dawn for SMB credit lenders with Uplinq launch

Transformational small business data provider, Uplinq Financial Technologies (Uplinq), has now fully launched its service to customers and sales partners worldwide.

79% of adults report stress in the workplace

Effectively managing mental wellbeing at work is an area of growing importance for many business owners, as the impact of the last year and a half continues to take its toll on the employment market.

Cook My Grub launches £1.5m funding round

Disruptive food tech start-up provides unique investment opportunity as business sets sights on nationwide expansion and a £3m gross merchandise value in 2022

Ready, set…go green: a sustainable future for UK businesses

There’s more of an onus than ever for businesses to adopt greener practices and help to preserve the planet for future generations. The COP26 summit, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, has elevated consumer awareness of wider environmental issues and amplified the pressure on businesses to make conspicuous and meaningful changes.

From e-commerce to v-commerce: How the metaverse is transforming online shopping

Welsh technology firm BrandLab360 has launched ‘Maison Too Faced’ – a first-of-its-kind virtual reality shopping experience for Estée Lauder Companies brand, Too Faced

Solivus’ lightweight solar panels and ARC generators set to ‘rewrite the rules’

Solivus’ crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube has raised over £2.6m from over 1,000 investors

London tech set to reach new heights in 2022

London’s tech ecosystem shows signs of maturity with rapid increase in unicorns, megarounds and exits following a record year for VC investment

investment app Koia, raises $1.4m pre-seed round led by Seedcamp

Koia, an investment platform which is bringing alternative assets to Europe, is announcing a $1.4m pre-seed round.

The award-winning accelerator Lloyd’s Lab is back and on the look-out

Lloyd’s Lab is once again seeking applications from innovative start-ups with solutions for the insurance industry – this time with an extra focus on decarbonisation and supply chain.

Smart collaboration can help startups avoid ‘greenwashing’ and ‘greenhushing’

Large-scale global events such as last year’s COP26, are an opportunity to take stock of how far we’ve come, and more importantly the mountain we still need to climb, in the fight against climate change. Events like this also act as a catalyst for both encouraging action and changing the way in which we think and talk about those actions – in other words, evolving our communication around sustainability.

More than 3 million UK workers want to start their own business in 2022

Almost half (42%) of UK employees dream of owning their own business

New levelling up power tech league revealed

UK tech sector achieves best year ever as success feeds cities outside London: more VC investment, more unicorns, more jobs, more futurecorns

Effective Visual Communication the Key to Future Growth for SMEs

Canvas GFX CEO Pat Hume looks at the advantages of sophisticated remote collaborative design and illustration tools and techniques and shows that these are available to SMEs just as they are to ‘big business’

SMEs believe insurance brokers should operate with full transparency

Over 80% of SMEs believe insurance brokers should operate with full transparency by disclosing all potential commission or conflicts of interest when recommending a commercial insurance provider, according to new research by challenger insurance broker, hubb.

Record growth for Polish ECF market

In 2021 the sum of funds collected in equity crowdfunding campaigns by the Polish startups cooperating with the Crowdway platform has exceeded the value of €9m, 57% more than in the entire 2020.

4 Simple ways to boost your team’s wellbeing this Blue Monday

Dubbed the most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday is the epitome of the post Christmas come down, with short days and gloomy weather making it no surprise that motivation levels are often at an all time low. 

Start a business or become a franchisee?

If you are looking to start a business, an important consideration is whether you want to start from scratch or whether to purchase a franchise.

Glucose Republic raises £500,000

Glucose Republic raises £500,000 investment round to build the first app focused on the impact of food

Self-powered portable speakers with infinite playtime unveiled at CES

Exeger, the Swedish deep-tech company behind Powerfoyle, last year announced their latest collaboration with Dutch audio-tech startup, Mayht to create the world’s first light-powered speakers with infinite playtime.