AI startups for the ageing population

By 2050, one in six people worldwide will be over 65. In Europe, it will be closer to one in three. Although this stems from the positive reality of longer lives and better health, healthcare systems built for younger, shorter-lived populations now face the growing burdens of chronic disease, multimorbidity, and long-term care. And while we can celebrate the advancements that have taken us here, the ageing population is certainly an economic challenge that we must adapt to.

32% of applicants for SME funding are female founders

365 Finance has reported that during the last 12 months, 32% of applicants for its revenue-based funding have been women – which is a significant increase on previous years.

Start Up Loans celebrates £100M of loans delivered

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has announced that the programme has delivered more than 9,500 loans worth more than £100 million to founders from across the East of England.

Supercharged support for digital startups announced at Birmingham Tech Week

Digital startups throughout the West Midlands are set to benefit from a wealth of increased investment opportunities, expert support services, and methods to introduce AI integration, all designed to help reinforce the West Midlands as a global tech powerhouse.

UK enters its Winter Arc as productivity peaks

As summer holidays have wrapped up, Brits are entering what’s becoming known as the “Winter Arc” – the late autumn period where people focus on productivity, goal-setting, and getting ahead before the year-end rush. Employment Hero data shows that households and employees largely back in rhythm, making October and November key months for productivity.

Female leaders to support women who have experienced domestic abuse

The Female Advisory Board (FAB), the UK’s first all-female peer advisory group, has announced a new charitable partnership with New Beginnings Peer Support, a peer-led after-crisis domestic abuse service supporting women and children in North Yorkshire who have experienced domestic abuse.

Accounting & Business Show Asia 2025 Returns to Singapore to Drive Growth Through Technology and Finance

The Accounting & Business Show Asia 2025 will take place on October 22-23, 2025 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Singapore, bringing together more than 4,000 accountants, finance leaders, and business decision-makers from across Asia.

Sanlam Investments Renews Sponsorship of Africa’s Green Economy Summit 2026

Sanlam Investments has confirmed its third sponsorship of Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES), taking place in February 2026, reaffirming its commitment to financing Africa’s sustainable future through innovation in renewable energy, water security, waste reduction, ocean and climate finance.

Amsterdam’s Workspace Design Show Unveils Sensory-Driven Feature Spaces Across Every Corner of Hall 5

This November, Workspace Design Show (5th – 6th November 2025, RAI Amsterdam) doesn’t just ask what the workplace should be; it lets you feel the answer. Across Hall 5, five of the Netherlands’ most creative design studios have turned conversation into atmosphere, theory into tactility, and workplace talk into spaces you can smell, hear, shift and claim as your own.

ZainTECH strengthens presence in Bahrain through partnership with DATAPATROL

ZainTECH, the integrated digital solutions provider of Zain Group, announced a strategic partnership with DataPatrol to expand and strengthen its presence in the Bahrain market, focusing on advanced data security and insider threats management.

Stasher’s journey: a Q&A with Anthony Collias

Stasher is a luggage storage platform, connecting travellers with over 8,500 vetted locations across 75+ countries. What started as Oxford roommates charging friends to store bags near King’s Cross has evolved into a profitable, multi-million pound business that’s transforming urban travel infrastructure.

4 underserved consumer segments driving the next wave of startup growth

As a founder or product lead, you may have noticed how crowded the obvious markets are, leaving you with massive market opportunities that large corporations often overlook. Changing demographics, cultural shifts, and greater public awareness have created unmet needs that agile startups can service in various ways.

Why brand truly matters for early-stage founders

There’s a dangerous myth that continues to linger in startup culture – if you build a great product, they will come. Though it’s the mantra widely attributed to Facebook’s rise in 2004, it simply no longer holds true in today’s world.

The next frontier of AI isn’t about replacing people – it’s about empowering them

Raising the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) often sparks debates about job losses and automation replacing humans, and this can be the case in hospitality, but in my view, in an industry built on personal connection, a different story is unfolding. In hospitality, AI isn’t replacing people – it’s empowering them. The next frontier of automation is human-centred, using technology to amplify empathy, not erase it. I believe everyone in hospitality needs AI.

Innovate UK launches Agentic AI Pioneers Prize

Innovate UK has launched the Agentic AI Pioneers Prize. This national competition aims to unlock the transformative potential of agentic AI across the UK’s most dynamic sectors, including advanced manufacturing, health and life sciences, and the creative industries.

UK businesses urge government to prioritise trade certainty

Government leaders across the globe have adopted different negotiation tactics to the sweeping trade tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, with varying degrees of success. The approach taken by the UK Government to secure a deal early on appears to be supported by UK Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Humanoid and QSS AI & Robotics partner to advance Saudi Arabia robotics

Humanoid has announced a strategic partnership with QSS AI & Robotics, Saudi Arabia’s robotics and AI company pioneering the localisation of advanced technologies under Vision 2030.

everywoman Entrepreneur Awards 2025 finalists announced

The Tide everywoman Entrepreneur Awards, in association with BGF, has unveiled a powerhouse lineup of extraordinary female founders in the running for the UK’s most prestigious entrepreneurship honours.

The cost of getting payroll wrong

When National Australia Bank (NAB) recently disclosed it faces a staggering AUSD 130 million in costs due to historical payroll underpayments, some dating back more than a decade, it was headline news. However, while reports tend to focus on the scale of such mistakes made by large institutions, the underlying message should resonate deeply with organisations of every size: payroll errors are a serious issue, and can lead to significant financial, regulatory, and reputational consequences, for organisations of any size.

AI’s mixed impact on work

The Adecco Group has announced the release of its sixth annual Global Workforce of the Future report, titled Humanity at work: How to thrive in the AI era. The report uncovers how AI, purpose, and human connection are reshaping work – and what leaders should do to keep pace amid workforce transformation.