Small business confidence rebounds with 68% eyeing new growth initiatives

New research suggests a rise in small business confidence following the formation of the new Government. A study by Novuna Business Finance, surveying 1,000 small business owners and senior managers, found that 68% of companies are now considering new projects to drive growth, up from 66% earlier this year.

South Summit Madrid 2025 opens the registration period for the Startup Competition

Registration is now open for the South Summit Madrid 2025 startup Competition, co-organised by IE University to select the most innovative and disruptive projects in the market. Interested startups can submit their applications before January 31 through the following link:

Herbert Smith Freehills and Carbon13 partner to accelerate net zero startups

Herbert Smith Freehills has teamed up with Carbon13 to support the development of high-impact climatetech startups aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

5 Things New Founders Need to Know About Payroll

As we celebrate National Payroll Week, it’s important to recognise the vital role that payroll professionals and processes play in ensuring a business runs smoothly. For startup founders, navigating the complexities of payroll can be especially challenging amid the pressures of managing daily operations, growing the business, recruiting talent, and ensuring profitability.

Reonic raises €13m Series A to help deploy sustainable energy solutions across Europe

Reonic, a climatetech SaaS startup dedicated to advancing sustainable energy solutions across Europe, has secured €13 million in a Series A funding round. Northzone led the investment, with support from existing backers Point Nine and Puzzle Ventures.

Palm Secures $6.1 Million Seed Funding to Revolutionise Enterprise Treasury Management

Palm, a fintech startup based in Sweden and the Netherlands, has raised $6.1 million in seed funding to modernise cash management for enterprise treasury teams. The funding round was led by Speedinvest and Target Global, with participation from Upfin, Liquid2, and Greens. The round also included investments from notable angels like Job van der Voort, Founder & CEO of Remote, and Philippe Teixeira da Mota, former partner at Hedosophia.

Stylus secures investment to take the ‘work’ out of ‘paperwork’ in schools

Stylus, a startup aiming to transform teacher workloads through AI-powered marking and feedback, has raised £500,000 in a funding round led by Sure Valley Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on AI-driven innovation.

Treasury Confirms Extension of EIS Sunset Clause to 2035

HM Treasury has officially confirmed the extension of the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) sunset clause to 2035, ensuring that EIS relief and Venture Capital Trusts relief will apply to shares issued before 6 April 2035.

Root Signals secures $2.8M to boost GenAI adoption by having AI watch AI

Helsinki- and Palo Alto-based startup Root Signals has secured $2.8 million in funding to advance its generative AI (GenAI) measurement platform, which employs LLM-as-a-judge techniques.

How eCommerce platforms can become fintech hubs in 2024

The fast-paced advancements in fintech are reshaping industries by making financial services more accessible, intuitive, and customised to meet consumer demands. This surge in innovation is reaching beyond the realm of traditional finance, offering eCommerce platforms the chance to integrate fintech solutions that not only elevate customer experience but also boost revenue, streamline operations, and unlock substantial cost savings.

41 international startups in Switzerland to make deals in the coming weeks

Over a six-week period, a panel of more than 170 experts selected 41 international startups to participate in the 11-week Kickstart Innovation programme in Switzerland. These startups now have the chance to connect with key decision-makers, test and scale their business models, and secure significant deals.

Custocy partners with Enea for AI-based network threat detection and response

Custocy is set to enhance its AI-powered network detection and response (NDR) platform by integrating Enea Qosmos’ deep packet inspection (DPI) and intrusion detection (IDS) software libraries. This collaboration aims to boost the platform’s accuracy, performance, and product differentiation through enhanced traffic visibility and efficient data inspection.

Leo Capital Establishes Nordic HQ in Helsinki, Launches €25M Fund

Helsinki’s tech scene continues to draw the attention of global investors, with Singapore-based venture capital firm Leo Capital setting up its Nordic headquarters in the Finnish capital. This strategic expansion coincides with the launch of a €25 million fund dedicated to supporting B2B startups in the Nordic region, marking Leo Capital’s first fund specifically focused on Europe.

70% of managers struggle with managing Gen Z, but their creativity is valued

Recent research from HiBob has highlighted a significant challenge for businesses: seven in ten managers believe that companies struggle to effectively manage younger employees. This generational tension is further underscored by nearly a quarter of Brits expressing a desire to replace younger workers with their older counterparts if given the chance.

Allye Energy: BE100 2023 Finalists

In the rapidly evolving landscape of clean energy, few companies have made as significant an impact as Allye Energy. With its vision and relentless drive, Allye Energy has swiftly emerged as a leader in the sector, and its participation in Blue Earth Summit 2023 was a pivotal moment in its journey.

Real estate startup Placy raises €1M in pre-seed funding

Cypriot startup Placy has secured €1 million in pre-seed funding to advance its AI-driven platform. Placy, founded just 10 months ago in Limassol by former CIAN and Wargaming colleagues, aims to streamline and automate the often cumbersome processes involved in property transactions.

A Lack of Resources and Talent Leaves UK SMEs Dangerously Exposed

In the last few years, we have witnessed some of the most seismic changes to the IT security landscape; from global pandemics and geo-political issues to a global energy crisis, to growing cybersecurity threats, to multiple country elections and subdued economic conditions.

Setting CEOs Up for Successful M&A Exits

Many sale memorandums often miss the mark when it comes to capturing a buyer’s attention, merely compiling data without telling a compelling story. According to Victor Basta, CEO and Founder of DAI Magister, while assembling key information is useful, it is not enough to secure the highest sale price.

Multilingual considerations in paid advertising

Tapping into the power of multilingual paid marketing can help you break new markets, attract new audiences, and engage with people in their native languages – but there’s more to it than simply translating your existing ads into a different language.

Retrograde raises €1.8M to empower content creators with AI

Retrograde, the AI talent agency for content creators co-founded by Grace Beverley, has raised €1.8 million in pre-seed funding.