News

Economic uncertainty is on the rise for the UK’s 5.6 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) following the Autumn Budget, according to iwoca’s Q3 2024 SME Expert Index.

Open science startup and preprint network DeSci Labs has been listed as one of the 20 Most Innovative Companies to Watch, 2024, by Business Worldwide Magazine. This is DeSci Labs’ second accolade within a month following its Lab Awards success in the Best Automation & Data Innovation category at Lab Innovations 2024.

A new partnership aims to transform the performance of the £14.7 billion UK search market by creating a transparent approach to paid search and setting a new standard in digital advertising.

This year’s final of the EIT Jumpstarter programme was held on 28 November in Budapest, Hungary, along with the EIT Community conference “The next decade of innovation for the future of Europe. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme”. EIT Jumpstarter is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union.

The Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), an initiative launched by then-Chancellor Ken Clarke in November 1994.

Three innovative UK tech companies – specialising in renewable energy, advanced sensors and hydrogen-powered systems – have been given government support to expand into Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Each has been selected to participate in the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, an initiative that helps British scaleups unlock commercial opportunities in 11 markets across the Asia Pacific region.

Over £20 billion could be spent by households across the festive season in the UK this year, as small businesses prepare to target a fifth of Christmas spend – equating to approximately up to £4.4 billion.

BOW, the universal robotics software company, has announced the appointment of Liz Upton, Co-Founder of Raspberry Pi, as Chair of its board.

As part of its mission to empower customers across the UK and beyond to meet their financial needs while fostering a sense of community and connection, financial services platform Kixy has announced an exciting new partnership with British Wrestling Association (BWA).

In anticipation of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, European Visa Fintech Partner, Rivero is urging banks, neobanks, and financial institutions to prepare for a potential spike in cardholder disputes.

Litera has announced the acquisition of Office & Dragons, the platform for mass drafting and editing, which leverages intuitive automation and generative AI to streamline document workflows for lawyers.

Seven businesses have joined Digital Catapult’s latest quantum innovation accelerator to fast track the development of solutions and accelerate the practical application of deeptech. Aiming to help solve complex market challenges in major sectors of the UK economy including transport, defence, and telecommunications, the programme convenes unique quantum capabilities and innovation consultancy to de-risk technology adoption.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is announcing its CES Innovation Awards 2025 honorees. The 2025 awards program received a record-breaking number of submissions, over 3400, a 13% increase from CES 2024. The CES Innovation Awards annually recognises and honours exceptional designs and engineering in technology that tackle global challenges and drive meaningful change.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES, the world’s most powerful tech event, announces Jennifer Witz, CEO of SiriusXM, a leading audio entertainment company in North America, will keynote at CES 2025. During an event at McIntosh Group’s House of Sound this afternoon, CTA shared the news that Witz will take the stage alongside Ashley Flowers, the #1 female podcaster in the U.S., host of the hit podcast Crime Junkie, and Founder of audiochuck, a leading media company. Witz and Flowers will participate in a fireside chat on the evolution of audio and what they believe is next for the industry.

Black Friday 2024 is almost upon us, and new data from Criteo shows it promises to be a significant moment for retail. With UK consumer spend set to rise year-on-year, the insights demonstrate that tailored product recommendations, omnichannel experiences, and discounted offerings will be key to attracting high-intent shoppers.

A new framework designed to guide businesses to introduce and implement new ideas, processes, products, or services that improve an organisation’s overall efficiency, productivity, or culture has been published by UK national standards body BSI.

YouLend, the global embedded financing platform, has reported that a growing number of UK SMEs are turning to embedded financing to secure vital capital ahead of the most important sales period of the year – Black Friday and Christmas.

As an entrepreneur, life can be full of ups and downs, with founders facing all kinds of hurdles along the way. However, one thing that can always help you find your way is events. Hearing insights and advice from people who have been there can help you figure out the next steps on your journey. And what a range of events, conferences, summits, and expos there are out there for entrepreneurs to attend!

Donut Lab has developed an entirely new approach to building electric vehicles. The company’s development platform offers manufacturers a library of inter-compatible components that can be used to produce new electric vehicles such as supercars, buses, drones, or SUVs in record time. In addition, the company promises that vehicles built on the platform have significantly better performance and they are lighter and more affordable to manufacture.

Global research group, The Hurun Research Institute, has just released the Hurun UK Under30s 2024, showcasing outstanding young entrepreneurs in the UK who are driving growth and job creation.