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.

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.

Nearly two-thirds of SME invoices paid late across UK
Nearly two-thirds of SME invoices paid late across UK

The late payment problem continues to weigh heavily on UK small businesses, with new research from accounting software company FreeAgent showing that almost two-thirds (62.6%) of invoices sent by SMEs in the last year were paid late.

Why Physical AI is the next billion-dollar bet for investors
Why Physical AI is the next billion-dollar bet for investors

We’re living in a moment when technology cycles no longer stretch across decades, they compress into single-digit years. Cloud went mainstream in less than a generation, mobile rewrote consumer behaviour almost overnight, and generative AI stormed the enterprise in record time. But speed hasn’t equalled success. Scratch beneath the headlines and a sobering fact emerges: according to MIT, 95% of enterprise GenAI initiatives have yet to deliver measurable impact.

18 female-founded startups to watch

unlock VC, a global community promoting inclusion and empowerment for women in venture capital, announces its 18 female-founded startups to watch.

The quiet decline in British entrepreneurship

Since the global financial crisis of 2008, successive governments have placed high-growth companies at the heart of the UK’s economic strategy. The goal is to create an environment where innovative startups can grow into globally competitive businesses such as the fintech giants Revolut, Wise, Monzo, and Ebury.

4 AI trends shaping tech innovation in 2025 and beyond

AI is no longer just a trendy technology that companies promote as a value add; it has become a must-have for organisations aiming to stay competitive. This message is heard in many technology events and workshops during 2025.

Storytelling beyond sales: how founders win hearts, minds, and cash
Storytelling beyond sales: how founders win hearts, minds, and cash

Your startup’s story isn’t just a pitch, it’s the playbook for how you attract customers, talent, and investors. Here’s how to tell a story that sells your vision as much as your product.

Jukebox launches $15M fund to back innovation across music, tech, and culture

Jukebox is expanding its global creative footprint with the launch of Jukebox Ventures, announcing the launch of their Fund I which is raising up to $15 million dedicated to backing the next generation of startups at the convergence of music, technology, and culture.

Call for innovations in public space that can promote healthier lifestyles

Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for transport, the built environment, cities, and local growth, has announced the first project under the new Public Realm Innovation Lab.

Scaling Ukrainian startups in wartime: lessons in resilience and innovation

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 posed unprecedented challenges to the nation’s startup ecosystem. Yet, against all odds, Ukrainian entrepreneurs have demonstrated remarkable resilience and innovation. From navigating funding shortages to adapting business models and entering international markets, Ukrainian startups have not only survived but thrived.

Sol Rashidi announced as keynote at ISE 2026

In an exciting move for attendees of the world’s most innovative pro AV and systems integration event, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) has secured Sol Rashidi as a Keynote Speaker for ISE 2026. Sol will take the stage at 13:00 on Wednesday, 4 February. Her participation perfectly mirrors ISE’s 2026 theme, ‘Push Beyond,’ inviting the industry to explore every opportunity and redefine what’s possible.

From bubble to business: how AI matures

In just over a year, AI funding went from explosive to cautious optimism. After the staggering $108 billion poured into AI startups in 2024, 2025 has shown the emergence of a new pattern.

AI startups risk forgetting the ‘U’ in UX

Enterprise AI is facing a severe reality check. Amidst a massive rush of investment, a recent MIT study has delivered a sobering finding: 95% of corporate generative AI pilots are failing to progress to scaled adoption and deliver measurable financial returns.