Fimple raises $12M to pioneer composable, cloud-native banking solutions

Fimple, a provider of flexible, cloud-native core banking software, has raised $12 million in its Series A funding round. The investment, led by DN Capital and Smartfin, saw continued participation from existing investors, including Albaraka Portfolio and Tera Portfolio.

Embracing ESG: a strategic imperative for startups

In the rapidly evolving landscape of sustainability, startups face unique challenges and opportunities. The UK government has intensified efforts to decarbonise the nation’s electricity system through substantial investments in low-carbon infrastructure. Here we discuss the opportunity for startups to gain access to this investment.

Sidekick launches bespoke investment solution for big tech employees

Sidekick, the wealth management platform for the financially ambitious, has launched Custom Index portfolios explicitly designed to help Big Tech employees invest more strategically.

Sustainable growth: the art of acquiring and retaining the right customers
Sustainable growth: the art of acquiring and retaining the right customers

Growth is every new business’s dream. Expanding market share, increasing customer numbers, boosting revenue, and driving profit are ambitions that drive entrepreneurs. But in the quest to achieve these milestones, many businesses focus heavily on acquiring customers – any customers – because it feels rewarding and tangible.

Windows end of life challenges ahead in 2025

Cloudhouse, a company in application compatibility and cloud enablement, has reported a sharp increase in enquiries from large organisations seeking guidance on Microsoft Teams and legacy technology upgrades.

Innovation in the hair loss market

As the founder of Megi Wellness, my journey into the hair loss industry has been both personal and professional. Hair loss affects millions worldwide, yet many existing solutions overlook key factors such as ageing, hormonal changes, and overall scalp health.

Startup Hotspot: Tech in Taiwan

Taiwan is known for its natural beauty, culture, and its many beautiful attractions such as Sun Moon Lake, Rainbow Village, and Taroko Gorge. However, looking at Taiwan through a tech lens, the country is most known for its semiconductor industry, which is the biggest in the world. According to The Economist, Taiwan makes 65% of the world’s semiconductors and roughly 90% of the world’s most advanced computer chips.

Deel announces $800 million run-rate and new anchor investors

Payroll and HR company Deel has announced that new anchor investors, including General Catalyst and a sovereign investor, have purchased close to $300 million in Deel secondaries from early investors in the company. These investments signal not only Deel’s momentum, but also the long-term vision investors see in the company.

Over a quarter of employers concerned about cancer for older staff

Twenty-seven percent of employers cite living with serious ill-health, including cancer, as a concern for their Baby-boomer staff, 23% of employers have the same concern for Gen X staff, 13% for Millennial employees, and 11% for their Gen Z workforce, according to new research conducted during January 2025 by GRiD and released today for World Cancer Day (4 February 2025).

‘YC for VC’ selection announced for Europe’s first VC accelerator

Mountside Ventures has announced the selection of Europe’ first Emerging VC Manager Programme.

South Summit Extends Registration Deadline for Madrid Startup Competition

South Summit, the leading international event for the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, co-organised by IE University, has extended the registration deadline for its Startup Competition in Madrid until February 28. Startups interested in participating can register using the following link.

Female Advisory Board launches peer group to accelerate growth of Yorkshire businesses

The Female Advisory Board (FAB), the UK’s first all-female peer advisory group, has launched FAB Enterprise to help female-led businesses with a turnover of £3 million+ to accelerate growth. Building on the success of its FAB Scale and FAB Grow groups, the Yorkshire-based company continues its mission to unite like-minded business leaders, offering a collaborative space to support, challenge, and learn from shared experiences.

Achieving startup success in the creator economy: trust, technology, and monetisation

The creator economy has recently become a very promising field, and by 2030, it is predicted to reach a half-trillion worth. Given this, it becomes unsurprising that many startups are willing to enter this dynamic area. However, it is quite different from the other sectors,  with a tailored approach as a top requirement for working with creators and ensuring their trust.

Keeping your startup safe in 2025

Rachel Jones, Founder of leading anti-counterfeiting organisation SnapDragon Monitoring, gives her top tips to businesses on how to protect intellectual property from criminals.

NatWest Group invests AI platform Serene to tackle financial vulnerability

NatWest Group has made a minority investment in Serene, an early-stage AI platform dedicated to tackling financial vulnerability. Through real-time customer insights driven by AI and behavioural science, the platform detects early signs of financial distress and predicts risks to help financial institutions deliver personalised, timely support at scale.

Prioritising podcasts, photos, and personalisation for startup success

Today’s startups face the typical set of challenges when it comes to launching a new company in a crowded market. With a niche product or service, you need to cultivate a strong brand identity with a marketing campaign that will be visible. Speaking to potential customers, and gaining their trust are all increasingly important to make your mark entering a market. 

AllBright assets acquired by Cain International investee company

Following rumours that AllBright entered into administration, news has broken that the organisation’s assets have been acquired by a Cain International investee company, to enable the long-term growth of the business. Cain International remains committed to the management team, long-term strategy, and of the organisation.

Puma Growth Partners leads $4.3M funding round for finance-focused legal AI specialist, Semeris

Puma Growth Partners has led a $4.3 million investment into legal and financial technology specialist, Semeris.

US data collection professionals lead AI adoption compared to UK counterparts

86% of data collection professionals believe AI adoption in web scraping saves time and resources as the demand for web intelligence continues to rise. This is one of the key findings from the new Oxylabs white paper, Meeting the Increasing Business Demand for Web Intelligence, which demonstrates the growth and impact of web intelligence solutions.

iplicit secures £25M to scale its next-gen accounting software platform

iplicit, the cloud accounting software platform purpose-built for the UK mid-market, has announced a £25 million investment from technology growth investor One Peak. This new investment marks iplicit’s first external institutional funding round and will be used to significantly accelerate iplicit’s product development and fuel its exponential growth.