Your startup has raised funds; now how do you spread the word?

Well done on raising investments, but what’s next? Making investment news go viral can be a powerful way to enhance a company’s visibility and attract further interest from customers and investors alike. TechCrunch found that startups with robust media engagement achieve approximately 30% more market traction than their competitors. Stepan Burov, Co-Founder of 8bitPR Agency, will explore strategies to enhance your business profile by leveraging investment announcements.

How fintechs are closing the credit gap for UK SMEs

Access to financing is critical for small and medium-sized enterprises’ survival. It’s been a challenge for years, with lenders less likely to risk significant sums on businesses with less of a track record or fewer assets for collateral.

UK small businesses await impact of interest rate cuts as sales remain soft

UK small business sales growth continued to slow over the last quarter (July to September), not helped by rising late payments times, according to the latest Xero Small Business Insights (XSBI) data from Xero, the global small business platform.

DeSci Labs wins gold at the Lab Awards

Open access publishing startup DeSci Labs has won the Best Automation & Data Innovation – Organisation prize at this year’s Lab Awards, held at Lab Innovations 2024. The award recognises the innovation behind DeSci Publish, the world’s first open science publishing infrastructure based on Web3 technology.

Verax AI raises $7.6M in seed funding led by TQ Ventures

Verax AI, a developer of enterprise-grade software solutions that provide visibility and control of AI in production, announced today that it secured $7.6 million in seed funding led by TQ Ventures and with participation from Concept Ventures, Cardumen Capital, Seedcamp, InMotion Ventures, and XTX Ventures.

Emidat secures €4M to simplify construction emission management ahead of EU deadline

Emidat, the provider of environmental data solutions for the construction industry, has announced a €4 million seed funding round led by General Catalyst. This funding will enable Emidat to support the construction industry to reduce the environmental footprint of the whole built world, starting with a revolution in the labelling of every single building material.

National HealthTech Series: AI Integration into the UK’s NHS and Private Health Systems Brings a Combination of Risk and Reward

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions into front-line healthcare services in the UK is set to grow exponentially over the next decade, providing opportunities for faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment. However, risks exist and there are concerns around patient data management, according to an expert group in Leeds.

Half of C-suite want to ‘completely overhaul’ how they use data

More than half of C-level leaders (58%) want to ‘completely overhaul’ their approach to data in 2025. That’s according to new research from data streaming platform Confluent.

Avenue HQ Celebrates 5 Years Leading Coworking and Flexible Office Space in the Liverpool City Region

Avenue HQ, a flexible workspace provider, has marked its fifth anniversary at St Paul’s Square. A major milestone celebrating half a decade of innovation and growth within the city’s booming business district. The anniversary was commemorated with a whole week of events, bringing together Avenue HQ’s community of current members, alumni and supporters from the local ecosystem.

Xiphera and Crypto Quantique partner for quantum-resilient hardware trust engines

Xiphera, provider of highly-optimised, hardware-based cryptographic security, has announced its partnership with Crypto Quantique, a provider of quantum-driven IoT device security.

The growing role of freelancers in startups and beyond

Startups often face rapid changes and resource limitations. To grow, and in many cases grow fast, they increasingly rely on external expertise to bridge the gap between in-house capabilities and specific, high-demand skills. Think of trying to build a plane while flying it! This is where freelancers come in.

Bendi secures $1.04M to accelerate supply chain risk management with AI

Bendi, the AI-driven platform that helps businesses manage and mitigate business disruption, sustainability challenges and reputational risks in their supply chains, has announced it has raised $1.04 million in pre-seed funding.

DeepL to debut NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 Systems in Europe

DeepL, a global Language AI company, has announced it will be among the first to commercially deploy the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems. The NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD, which is expected to be operational at DeepL by mid-2025, will be used to power research computation.

Lola takes major stake in PACETEQ, boosting data tech and software

Lola Cars has become a major stakeholder in PACETEQ, one of the automotive industry’s foremost data technology and software companies. The investment sees Lola gain access to knowledge and expertise critical to the brand’s ambitions to re-establish itself as a world leader in sustainable engineering and motorsport.

Lithuanian startup Traxlo wins regional finals of the Startup World Cup in Prague

The Startup World Cup regional finals have crowned a new champion. Lithuanian startup Traxlo, with its platform “Tasku.app” – a short-term gig work portal offering flexible tasks in local stores, has won the opportunity to represent Central and Eastern Europe in Silicon Valley’s grand finale and compete for the $1 million prize. The event took place during the Engaged Investments conference, hosted by DEPO Ventures and J&T Ventures in Prague, Czech Republic.

New ‘On-demand’ ESG reporting platform launches for sustainability frameworks

The Sustainability Analytics platform GaiaLens, has launched its new on-demand sustainability reporting product for ESG analysts today. Offering a flexible, monthly subscription-based model, analysts can now access fully automated reporting for all major sustainability frameworks at the click of a button.

The Access Group acquires AI-powered presentation solution Hireara

The Access Group, a provider of business management software to mid-market organisations in Europe, USA and Asia Pacific, has announced that it has acquired HireAra, a UK based AI-powered candidate presentation platform that automates the process of formatting and presenting candidate CVs/resumes for recruiters.

3D animation platform Swoove Studios raises $7.5m seed round

3D animation software company Swoove Studios has closed a $7.5 million seed funding round led by European angel investors.

Auquan raises $4.5M to automate deep work in finance with AI

Auquan, an AI innovator for financial services, has announced a $4.5 million addition to its seed round, led by Peak XV with continued participation from Neotribe Ventures, bringing total seed funding to $8 million.

Chancellor’s Budget must encourage investment in skills and tech adoption, says CIPD

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget announcement, the CIPD is calling on the government to increase apprenticeship opportunities for young people, encourage innovation, and improve labour market enforcement.