The VTT LaunchPad is a business incubator established by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.
Every year, Startups Magazine makes a list to highlight some of the incredible women in our network and 2024 was no different.
Over the past two years, rising interest rates, and inflation in the UK have forced many businesses to scale back operations. Recent tax increases outlined in the Budget have further compounded the issue, prompting almost half of businesses to plan workforce reductions and almost two-thirds scaling back hiring.
The days where people had a “job for life” are those of the past as people are changing jobs now more frequently than ever. PWC reported that a quarter of UK workers are expected to change jobs in the next 12 months which is often due to career changes and seeking out new challenges. With 468,000 new businesses started in the UK in 2024, January is a popular time for these new year’s business ventures.
I never thought my ADHD would become my startup superpower. For years, I watched other entrepreneurs follow traditional business advice that didn’t click with my brain. But here’s the thing about founders with ADHD: we’re not just managing challenges; we’re sitting on a goldmine of unique strengths that can revolutionise how we build and grow companies.
In my experience, there is one habit in a co-founder partnership that consistently sets them up for conflict. This New Year I invite you to commit to the resolution that avoids that.
As technology continues to evolve, the potential for digital health will only grow. Moving into 2025, the healthtech sector is poised for transformative growth, driven by breakthroughs in AI, advanced data insights, and a shift toward predictive, personalised care.
For ages, founders have strived to create products so innovative that they spawn entirely new business categories. As a founder though, I believe that attempting to create new business categories from scratch is much more arduous, and potentially disastrous, than focusing on building great products that disrupt existing ones.
Customer retention is a foundation for stable business growth, and email gamification is just the right equipment. Getting customers involved and entertained forms a deeper sense of loyalty. How is that?
Every day, recyclable materials that could be recycled are thrown into general waste bins, destined for landfills or incineration. In the UK alone, over half of households admit to doing this. And even when items do make it into recycling bins, 80% of them are “wishcycled” – put there with hope, rather than certainty, about whether they belong.
Ideas fuel innovation, leading to continual developments throughout the technological landscape and redefining what is possible in the modern world. Yet, for too long, the flow of ideas has been limited to select teams or individuals, often stifling the full potential of creativity within organisations and wider society. Democratising ideas – creating equal opportunity for idea generation, deployment, and evaluation – resolves this issue.
Sustainable packaging is becoming an increasingly important aspect of product design for any modern business. It involves using materials and methods that have a minimal impact on the environment, such as recyclable, biodegradable or renewable materials.
During lockdown, remote working was mandated, with millions of British professionals having their first taste when introduced in March 2020. To sweeten the pill, the virtues of remote working were extolled by Government and business figures, and the nation laughed sympathetically, as clips of home-based public figures having video interviews crashed by children went viral.
Given how fast-paced the world of startups is, keeping an eye on the newest market trends and staying ahead of them isn’t just smart play – it’s an essential element of success and survival. In the US alone, there are roughly 4.7 million businesses that launch every year. Globally? It’s hard to even begin counting.
Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-SMEs are the backbone of the economy, driving innovation, employment, and growth. But these businesses often operate on tight margins and face numerous challenges, from economic uncertainty and rising costs to evolving risks.
From developments in AI tech to global economic uncertainty, business environments are rapidly changing. For business students, it’s no wonder why they may be facing uncertainty about their futures in the business world. That’s why it is so important to foster innovation and resilience in these students, who will need to continue to adapt to further technological disruption and workplace changes.
People – whether employees, customers or stakeholders – are the only reason any business exists. After all, it’s people who create companies to fulfil human needs and desires.
As a CEO and Managing Partner of a boutique recruitment agency specialising in scaling startups, I believe diversity is not just a moral imperative – it’s a competitive edge. Many startup founders hesitate to embrace diversity due to concerns about cultural integration, communication barriers, or team dynamics. Yet these challenges are solvable, and the rewards of building a diverse team far outweigh the risks. In this article, I’ll share why hiring diverse teams is essential for growth, innovation, and long-term success.
During October 2024, Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) GenAI Loft in London became a hub of activity, sparking collaboration and experimentation to accelerate the transformative power of generative AI. Through engaging startup demos, insightful expert panels, and educational sessions, the Loft showcased how founders are harnessing cutting-edge technologies, such as large language models (LLMs), to drive innovation across industries.
Edinburgh-based investment syndicate, Archangels, led £27.3 million of investment during 2024 in some of Scotland’s best early-stage tech and life science companies.
