Opportuna has officially launched, unveiling its first investment strategy, with a target of $30 million. The fund will focus on direct venture secondaries and late-stage primaries, seeking to meet the rising demand for liquidity in the venture capital market.
Last year was a record year for new business. According to NatWest’s New StartUp Index, more than 900,000 new companies were incorporated in the UK in 2023, representing 12% year-on-year growth.
London Business Partnership (LBP) has announced the launch of its new Harrow Female Startup Accelerator Programme, a free six-week course designed to equip local women with the tools to start their own businesses.
The American poet Emily Dickinson wrote that “the truth must dazzle gradually, or every man be blind.” When it comes to startups harnessing technology and the future of work, however, there is no time for gradual discovery.
Oxford-based startup FluoRok has secured £7.7 million in an oversubscribed funding round to accelerate its scaleup, manufacturing, and commercialisation of cutting-edge fluorochemical reagents and battery electrolyte salts.
Hushed hybrid is a workplace phenomenon sweeping the nation, involving some of the UK’s biggest companies such as Barclays, Tesco, and Dell Technologies. However, HR managers warn hushed hybrid encourages insubordination and could lead to isolation if team members are not treated equally. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of specialist IT services provider Crystaline, explains how investing in suitable telecommunications systems can help your business avoid the trend’s consequences.
The UK is home to a thriving startup ecosystem, with innovative companies across sectors like technology and life sciences making a real global impact. While the UK offers strong support for early-stage businesses, the sheer scale and resources available across the Atlantic can open new doors for global ambitions.
A recent study by claims automation firm, Sprout.ai, highlighted that 65% of insurance claims handlers have observed a rise in fraudulent claims since the onset of the cost of living crisis. Of those surveyed, 19% estimated that up to one in four claims now include fake or altered documentation, generated through AI and digital tools.
The SEMICON Taiwan expo saw a strong presence from the UK this month, showcasing the country’s technological advancements on a global stage. The British Office in Taipei coordinated the participation of 24 UK innovators, while the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme organised 31 high-level meetings for seven of these companies.
Switchee, a UK-based tech company focused on improving social housing, has developed an approach to measuring home efficiency at scale using real-world data. Its Smart Meter Insights technology enables housing providers to accurately assess the thermal performance of homes, including metrics like Heat Transfer Coefficient (HTC), Heat Loss Parameter (HLP), Space Heat Demand (SHD), and running costs.
Small businesses across the UK are seeing revenue on the rise, driven by a notable surge in ecommerce, according to QuickBooks Small Business Insights – a quarterly report examining small business trends in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
AI Expo Europe 2024, the continent’s leading artificial intelligence conference, is set to bring together over 3,000 industry leaders, innovators, and AI enthusiasts on October 6-7, 2024. This landmark event, organised by the founders of Crypto Expo Europe, will feature 100+ international speakers, 30+ exhibitors, and 50+ workshops and seminars, making it the largest and most comprehensive AI gathering in Europe this year.
AxonJay, a deeptech AI company and multi-award winner, has secured €1.5 million in seed funding to scale its AI-assistants globally. Known for its Self-Machine-Learning Platform, AxonJay’s AI tools empower business leaders to make real-time decisions with 80% greater accuracy.
Join us on 25-26 September 2024 for 2 powerful days of expert keynotes, workshops and panel discussions about Freedom Business, Global Citizenship and Freedom Lifestyle organised in official partnership with e-Residency Estonia, Incorp Indonesia and EC Holdings Singapore.
Biotope by VIB, a biotech startup incubator and early-stage investor, has announced its fifth cohort of startups. From 11 teams participating in a three-week basecamp, three standout companies have been selected to receive €250,000 in funding, as well as tailored support and access to advanced laboratory, greenhouse, and pilot facilities through VIB and its partner network.
Before I start, I want to make one thing very clear, the rise of women is never about the fall of men. For me, this statement encapsulates the essence of equality, it’s not a zero-sum game.
LG Electronics has unveiled the LG NOVA Partner Alliance Program, a new initiative designed to foster collaboration between corporate partners and startups, driving innovation across industries. This platform focuses on facilitating the development of new technologies, business models, and partnerships to accelerate the pace of innovation.
Finnish venture capital firm Innovestor announced new investments in three university spinouts, made through its €90 million Life Science fund. The companies – Polku Therapeutics, Kasvu Therapeutics, and Soihtu DTx – are working on innovative treatments for neurological conditions.
Real estate is among the largest industries in the world. In 2023, the largest European commercial real estate market was in Germany – about 1.9 trillion US dollars. Real estate companies must focus on advanced technologies and other solutions that enhance their business operations to maintain future success.
The past few years have pushed many small businesses across the UK to breaking point. A harmful combination of rising costs, reduced funding, and increasingly delayed payments has made cash flow management a more pressing concern than it has been in recent memory.
