News

Commitment to fast-track tech careers for women and the BAME community

A unique digital skills powerhouse is set to transform talent diversity in the North West’s tech sector, by breaking the barriers faced by those from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds and fast-tracking 450 people into careers in digital technology every year.

Huckletree announces three major corporate firms as sustainability partners

Creative workspace and accelerator, Huckletree has announced international law firm, CMS to join as their first sustainability programme partner alongside Silicon Valley Bank, and A/O Proptech – Europe’s largest proptech VC firm. All three will provide support and services to Huckletree’s educational programmes, members and events.

Cancer tech accelerator programme opens to drive innovation for cancer diagnostics

Cancer Research UK and Capital Enterprise, together with Roche UK, have launched the Cancer Tech Accelerator programme. This new initiative will help researchers translate their ideas and lifesaving discoveries into innovations that will improve the lives of cancer patients.  

CitizenLab launches open source engagement tech to empower local governments

Civic Tech platform, CitizenLab has announced a move to open up the core version of its community engagement software, in an effort to equip smaller organisations and communities with the tools to democratise policy-making by involving more citizens.

Free digital advice to help small businesses recover from pandemic

A Shropshire web tech expert is giving up his time to make sure businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic get the digital support they need to recover.

COVID secure business travel made possible

Innovative travel technology company, TapTrip has partnered with industry leading, TravelPerk to integrate TravelSafe API, a new product designed for the wider travel ecosystem to help boost fluid business travel through traveller confidence and safety. 

Amazon Launchpad Innovation Awards support and promote next generation of innovative startups

Amazon announces the launch of the Amazon Launchpad Innovation Awards, a free competition designed to support emerging, innovative European startups by giving them chance to win a ‘Startup of the year’ prize of €100,000.

UK’s top female entrepreneurs backed to fire up economy through innovation

Visionary British female entrepreneurs are receiving Government backing to drive forward their novel innovations and business ideas, as the UK builds back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and progresses its climate change ambitions.

Oxford medtech startup closes £1.2m for weight loss technology

Oxford Medical Products (OMP) has raised £1.2m in seed investment to develop a safe and affordable weight loss capsule, which uses the same mechanism of action as a gastric balloon, but can be taken at home. The funding will be used to complete pre-clinical testing, upscale and outsource manufacturing and grow the team.

Celebrating the pioneering healthtech startups

The next Mayor of London’s TechInvest, taking place 27th April, will celebrate 10 of London’s pioneering HealthTech startups. This upcoming TechInvest instalment will seek to identify industry leaders that are converging technologies with medicine and healthcare to improve the efficiency and delivery of prediction, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.

Future Leaders scholarships up for grabs from LMF Network, Jolt and Balderton

Like Minded Females (LMF) Network joined efforts with online business school Jolt and technology venture firm, Balderton Capital to grant five Future Leaders scholarships to rising female tech talent from LMF’s community. The full bursaries will allow them to attend Jolt’s Switch course, a programme designed to create pathways for those who want to begin a career in tech. 

New community-led media platform launched by serial entrepreneur

Beautystack Founder and CEO, Sharmadean Reid has launched her latest venture, a new media platform called The Stack World that will bring together content, community and commerce and put intelligence at the core of the women’s media landscape. 

Payment app raises £2.25m in its mission to support the UK’s self-employed

Osu, the payment app for the UK’s self-employed, has announced the close of a £2.25m seed round, led by early-stage experts Creandum, to fund further growth to reach 10,000 customers this year.

New mental health app launches to help return to school

New data shows fears for pupils’ well-being, increased workloads and concerns about the toll on their own health have all contributed to a massive increase in stress for teachers during the pandemic.

Next steps for first Lawtech Sandbox as pilot draws to a close

LawtechUK, the government-backed initiative within Tech Nation, to help transform the UK legal sector through technology, today brings to a close the Pilot stage of the first Lawtech Sandbox – a research and development initiative for lawtech scaleups – following a successful three month trial period.

Not long left to join cohort 3 with Transport for Wales

There is not long left to appy for the opportunity to up-skill and up-scale your business, refine, develop and launch your product to market and secure a contract of work with Transport for Wales. 

Social impact fund delivers compound annual growth of 16.1% over five years

Social impact fund Valloop, created to help employees and management buy the companies they work for, delivered compound annual growth of 16.1% over a five-year period between September 2015 and September 2020.

37% of workers said their employers took social distancing rules seriously

The past 12 months have placed many obstacles and challenges in the path of businesses, as the pandemic took grip of the nation and workplace processes were forced to change to stay within government guidelines.

Half of Brits dream of going it alone but financial fears block them from starting their business

Sage has unveiled research showing that 1 in 2 (52%) UK adults dream about starting their own business.  However, over half (53%) of those feel that money worries are stopping them from turning the idea into a reality – a fear that has been exacerbated by the stresses of COVID-19.

VR mindfulness training launched to support employee mental health

A pioneering new mindfulness training programme, powered by Virtual Reality (VR) training specialists Virti, has launched this month to help employees cope with the demands of their jobs during the pandemic.