News

GitLab selects Remote to help hire the best talent in the world

Remote, a self-serve platform for global employment, announced that GitLab will use Remote to employ the best talent in the world with full local legal compliance.

Startup accelerator program integrates mental health support

Starting a company and being a founder is stressful – especially in the current COVID-19 environment. Last year, 19% of all European founders said starting a company had a negative impact on their wellbeing, and a global pandemic will not bring that number down. However, mental health issues are not widely discussed in the startup ecosystem and beyond.

$2.5m investment round for supply chain platform

International Supply Chain (ISC) platform transforming the global supply chain by connecting global supply with global demand, Mercado Labs has closed a $2.5m funding round led by Ironspring Ventures and joined by new investor Supply Chain Ventures.

Businesses hit by rise in late payments

Many businesses in the UK are both getting paid – and paying – later, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing a surge in late payments. According to the latest independent research from Close Brothers Asset Finance, three in five UK SMEs have experienced delays in receiving payments, while a significant number of business owners have admitted to being forced into delaying paying invoices.

Big tech spenders: the cities that contribute most to tech

A new index by Business Fibre has analysed 34 of the world’s Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) capital cities to find 2020’s best cities to be a tech student. The index has analysed each city according to metrics such as the number of universities offering technology and engineering courses, total tech companies and employees in each city, the monthly living cost and the top cities investing in tech-related research. An infographic is available here.

A review of the business loan scheme statistics

In light of the business loan scheme statistics out today, Stephen Kelly, Chair of Tech Nation has shared his thoughts.

Medtech startup to develop novel respiratory monitoring device

Israeli medical startup, NanoVation has been awarded a €2.5m grant as part of the European Union’s prestigious Horizon 2020 EIC Accelerator program. The Haifa-based company is developing a new respiratory monitoring device, based on its proprietary nano-sensor technology.

The thriving state of student startups

Creator Fund, the university-focused venture capital fund, has released its “State of Student Startups” report, which gives a comprehensive national picture of what the UK’s best young minds are starting, and how to best support them. The report found that more than half of UK campus ventures have a foreign student founder.

Smart home security startup completes £1.7m funding round

Edinburgh-based startup, Boundary is preparing for the official launch of its smart home security system in August, and will use the funding to complete product testing and for its post-launch operations.

Optimising silage harvesting and ensuring consistent dry matter intake

Ag-tech startup, Consumer Physics, is introducing SCiO Cup – according to the company it is the world’s fastest, portable, lab-grade forage dry matter analyser. The smartphone-operated device transforms feed analysis by enabling frequent dry matter analysis. SCiO Cup enables on-farm decision making ensuring consistent dry matter intake and reducing feed leftovers. In addition, SCiO Cup can be used on-field for planning silage harvest timing at optimal moisture levels.

SMEs plan to make COVID-19 innovations permanent

New research from Santander UK reveals that a third (32%) of the UK’s SMEs who implemented changes plan to make their COVID-19 adaptations a permanent feature post-pandemic as almost half found they not only survived, but actually grew their customer base during COVID-19. The study – which polled 2,050 senior leaders in UK SMEs – suggests that the pandemic has driven long-term change to the way businesses operate.

LACROIX Group acquires IoT startup eSoftThings

With the acquisition of eSoftThings, an expert in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), based in Cesson-Sevigne (Rennes metropolitan area, France), LACROIX Group has consolidated its R&D division already present in Brittany in the area and strengthened its positioning in the industrial IoT and AI, particularly in the field of connected vehicles.

The top countries embracing the new norm as working from home

With businesses across the world seeing the tangible benefits of a mobile workforce over the last few months, returning to the office may become temporary as working from home potentially becomes a new way of working, according to research collated by Instant Offices. 

Moneybox secures £30 million in Series C funding

Moneybox, the award-winning saving and investing app, today announces it has secured £30m in Series C funding earlier this year from existing investors including Eight Roads, and new investors Breega and CNP. Moneybox also reveals it now has £1bn in assets under administration, and announces plans to bring customers closer to its growth journey through an upcoming crowdfund.

Digital donations app helps charities fundraise in a crisis

Roundups is a new donation app that helps charities with their fundraising whilst the economy continues to battle through challenging times. The app links with users’ payment cards in order to round up their payments and donate pennies to their chosen charity as they spend.

Entering a new era of Artificial Intelligence in the fast food industry

White Castle has announced a planned pilot with Miso Robotics – creators of the autonomous grilling and frying kitchen assistant, Flippy – to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and robotics in the restaurant industry.

HERMES Startup AWARD 2020 goes to Indonesian startup

Deutsche Messe premiered a startup category for the HERMES AWARD, presenting Mitra Sejahtera Membangun Bangsa, a young company from HANNOVER MESSE partner country Indonesia, with the new award. The jury, chaired by Prof. Dr. Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, selected the winner for its Smart Farming 4.0 project.

Resurgence of entrepreneurship expected following the pandemic

The home kitchen and dining area have become the most lucrative money making locations in Britain, that combined are generating £37.4bn to the British economy during lockdown – that’s being coined as ‘Kitchen Table Talent’. The research commissioned by Attic Self Storage, revealed that although restrictions are being lifted, 41% of office workers are expected to continue their jobs from home, with 44% saying it’s the most productive place they have ever worked.

AI-driven family travel website already making waves

tripAbrood, the travel business set to reinvent the online family travel experience, has become part of the UK’s startup elite by being named a TechRound 100 Finalist alongside a host of innovative brands including Too Good To Go, Pip & Nut and lockdown favourite Zoom.

Startup Summit returns some big confirmed speakers

Startup Summit, an international festival of entrepreneurship, has announced dates for its 2020 edition and first headline speakers from globally-recognised brands including David Wilding, Director of Planning at Twitter, Irana Wasti, Regional President for GoDaddy EMEA, and Matt Davey, Chief Operation Optimist at 1Password