For almost two decades, since the SaaS boom, it’s become standard for businesses to rely on patchworks of third-party platforms, apps, and tools. Either to support their own operations, offer new services, or simply keep up with the pace of tech. In the early days, such solutions were the most cost-effective way to scale. They gave quick access to features without the need for in-house development, and the costs that come with it, and could be built around legacy systems that were too expensive to replace.
Ongoing discussions among industry leaders about AI, including those from this month’s Paris AI summit, have the potential to democratise AI and inspire larger enterprises to actively support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in adopting it, levelling the playing field and driving innovation.
More than a third (38%) of finance brokers say lower taxes are needed to boost SME growth this year, according to iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index. This is double the next choice of reforming business rates (19%).
RegNav, an AI-powered compliance management platform, and MedTech Innovator (MTI), the large accelerator of medical technology companies, have announced that RegNav has joined MTI’s Industry Partners ecosystem.
The year 2025 started with a shockwave for the AI community. Launched by a relatively obscure Chinese startup, DeepSeek not only challenged the rules of the AI game by sending NVIDIA’s stock plummeting 17% in one day and becoming the most-downloaded app on the App Store and Play Store, but also showed the persisting security problems by accidentally exposing its database and leaking sensitive data including chat histories, API keys, and backend operational details.
Stacks, the AI-powered workspace helping companies close their books quickly and efficiently, has announced a $3 million pre-seed round led by EQT Ventures, followed by a fast-tracked $7 million seed round led by General Catalyst, with EQT Ventures doubling down on their investment. The rounds also saw participation from s16vc and prominent angel investors including Mike Taylor, CFO of Gusto, and Simone Rüschenberg, CFO at Taktile.
New research from YuLife’s ‘Getting Workplace Wellbeing Right in 2025’ report highlights a gender gap in employee wellbeing, with financial uncertainty and job stability influencing career decisions in the coming year.
We’ve all experienced how online shopping has transformed retail. But this digital revolution comes with an inconvenient truth: every package delivered to our doorsteps has an environmental cost.
Augury, a company in Industrial AI solutions for Reliability and Process Optimisation, has announced that it has raised $75 million in growth funding from Lightrock, a global investment platform committed to building a sustainable future as part of its climate investment portfolio.
Humane’s Ai Pin has been on a journey since it was originally teased at Paris Fashion Week. Becoming one of the most talked about gadgets in recent years, to receiving scathing reviews upon launch and dropping the price of the product, to the news of Humane’s assets being acquired by tech giant HP.
Vinita Rathi is the CEO and Founder of Systango, a digital engineering services company specialising in generative AI, Web3, blockchain, automation, and cloud solutions.
Aura Funerals, the digital end-of-life planning and funeral service, has announced a successful £750,000 funding round through Angel Investment Network, the online angel investment platform. This marks Aura’s third successful raise through the network. The funds were raised as part of a larger £3.2 million growth funding round.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has welcomed the first businesses to join its new 5G Ecosystem at Daresbury Laboratory, designed to support and accelerate innovation among businesses.
Latitude59, a startup and technology event in the Baltic States, New Nordics, and Kenya, is set to return to Tallinn in May 2025 with a new theme: Integrity & Perspective.
According to GRiD, over the next 12 months, nearly a third (31%) of employers intend to increase their investment in employee benefits to provide support for staff. However, almost the same number (29%) of employers are looking to increase investment into funding support directly, which the industry body for the group risk sector believes is a concern.
A new survey by foodtech startup Revyve has revealed positive European attitudes towards yeast protein as a potential key player in the flourishing alternative protein market. The consumer study gathered insight from French, German, and British consumers through AI-moderated individual interviews. The goal was to gauge interest in its functional brewers and baker’s yeast ingredients as substitutes to egg proteins and synthetic texturisers.
Brexit’s official 5th anniversary was on 31st January, and – for some businesses – international trade remains a point of great frustration. Brexit, for many British enterprises, has been more shock and less awe. A recent LSE study revealed that the UK lost £27 billion in trade during Brexit’s first two years, with the value of British goods exports falling by 6.4% and total goods imports by 3.1%.
Augmetec, the legaltech startup founded and led by Kritin Sundaram, announces that it has raised over £2 million in seed funding to turbo charge its growth. The round is led by UK-based early-stage investors Fuel Ventures, with participation from Swiss fund 14Peaks Capital, and three industry angel investors, including the Founding Partner of one of the world’s largest law firms, the family office of a $1 billion+ legaltech organisation, and the Head of Fraud at Asia’s largest law firm.
StructureFlow, the visual modelling platform designed for navigating complex corporate structures, transactions, and processes, has acquired Blue J Diagramming, a visualisation tool widely used by accountancy and tax professionals. This move aligns with Blue J’s broader strategy to concentrate on its generative AI solution for tax research, marking a shift in its business focus.
Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD), a startup working in gallium nitride (GaN) power devices, has successfully closed a $32 million Series C funding round. The investment was led by a strategic investor with participation from British Patient Capital and supported by existing investors Parkwalk, BGF, Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC), Foresight Group, and IQ Capital.
