How AR has become more accessible, affordable, and open to all

There’s no doubt that Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the most exciting developments in digital advertising for a long time. Clever, catchy, shareable lenses and AR filters can propel brands into people’s consciousness as users engage with fun creatives and then share their creations with friends and family. 

Autumn Budget puts financial strain on SMEs

Novuna Business Cash Flow, a provider of financial solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has reviewed the UK’s latest budget announcement, which introduces significant changes expected to impact businesses across the country.

Causal becomes part of the Lucanet Group

Lucanet, a global provider of end-to-end CFO software solutions, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Causal, a key innovator in the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) market. This acquisition strengthens Lucanet’s market position by expanding the range of core solutions in its CFO Solution Platform to include Extended Planning and Analysis (xP&A).

UK world leading for creating quantum companies and attracting investment

The UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) is marking its tenth anniversary at the UK National Quantum Technologies Showcase 2024 on 8th November in London.

Neara raises €28m Series C to accelerate international energy resilience

Neara, the AI-powered predictive modelling platform for critical infrastructure, has announced a €28 million Series C funding round. The round was anchored by a consortium led by EQT (a global investment organisation), with participation from Partners Group (one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry), and Square Peg Capital (one of the company’s earliest investors), with additional support from existing investors Skip Capital and Prosus Ventures.

Beyond human touch: AI’s emerging role in ad content creation

Far from being a distant dream, AI’s growing influence is a palpable reality, weaving its way through the fabric of content creation and management. From the nuts and bolts of research and editorial planning to the intricacies of creative composition, AI is increasingly playing the role of both the assistant and the innovator.

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.

Kuberno closes £9.5M series A co-led by Barclays and Nasdaq Ventures

Kuberno, the global legal entity management SaaS provider, has closed on an additional £6 million of financing from Nasdaq Ventures and Barclays, concluding its Series A round with £9.5 million of total capital raised.

Aquark Technologies and the Royal Navy successfully test quantum sensing at sea

UK quantum technology company Aquark Technologies, in partnership with the Office of the Chief of Technology Officer (OCTO) for the Royal Navy, successfully demonstrated the capabilities of its novel cold atom technology on the Royal Navy’s HMS Pursuer vessel.

Female-founded Augment Aero wins “Innovative Tech of the Year”

Augment Aero, a female-led aerospace technology company, has been awarded “Innovative Tech of the Year” at the South Coast Tech and Innovation Awards 2024, held at the Hilton Southampton on October 3 and hosted by The Business Magazine.

Enifer seeks Novel Food approval for PEKILO

Finnish biotech scaleup Enifer has filed for Novel Food authorisation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its mycoprotein PEKILO – marking a major milestone in the company’s mission to bring an innovative and eco-friendly protein to the European food market.

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.