Great businesses don’t begin with balance sheets, boardrooms, or venture capital. They start with an idea – often a small, simple spark of inspiration that grows into something significant through determination, discipline and persistence. The journey from idea to product is rarely glamorous or straightforward. It’s messy, relentless and sometimes unforgiving. Yet when tackled with clarity and courage, it becomes one of the most rewarding adventures an entrepreneur can undertake.
As founders, our personal resilience is the foundation on which everything else is built. In the early stages of a startup, you are your brand. Your energy, attitude, and clarity directly influence the culture, direction, and ultimately the success of your business. That’s why taking care of your mental wellbeing isn’t just a personal priority – it’s a business strategy that requires an investment of your time.
Are “Trumpisms” a masterclass in branding or a perfect demonstration of how not to communicate in business? What can startups take away from the US President’s playbook?
Financial wellbeing is now the top priority for employees, with new data showing stability, security, and fair rewards matter more than ever.
Clustermarket, the lab equipment scheduling platform, has announced it is rebranding to Calira and welcoming non-executive director and investor Edmund Wilson, co-founder and former CEO of Titian Software (now Cenevo), to capitalise on increasing enterprise demand for optimising lab operations.
Attention.inc, the startup developing a desktop-native AI assistant that continuously learns from real workflows, has announced an uncapped $1.25 million pre-seed raise.
In our go faster, achieve more with the same or fewer resources world, pressure is both inescapable and a force that can manifest in various forms. The workplace in particular is a common place to feel the weight of mounting responsibilities and demands, with sources as wide ranging as shifting priorities, a sense of too much to do in too little time, lack of information or resources, and rapid change.
As a PR and Communications Expert, I’ve always known that words hold power – they can inspire, connect, persuade, and transform… but, they can also limit, diminish and belittle us if we’re not careful.
The evidence shows that small business owners are disproportionately affected by mental health issues compared to the wider population. Largely driven by the stresses of owning and operating a business, SME owners are susceptible to a range of mental health problems.
There’s an old saying in engineering circles: “automation gives you speed, but agency gives you freedom.” In the twenty years I’ve spent building systems – from personalising e-commerce at Jio to designing AI-assisted cancer diagnostics at Zedsen, and most recently crafting an AI-driven ERP in Europe – I’ve seen organisations climb the ladder from digitisation to automation. But something new is stirring. We are on the cusp of a new organisational form: the agentic organisation, where multi-agent AI systems don’t just support teams – they become active members of them.
On 10th October it is World Mental Health Day, a day to remember how deeply mental wellness shapes our lives, our communities, and our work.
This World Mental Health Day, I really want to reach out to the entrepreneurs, founders, and business builders out there. The ones chasing big visions while carrying invisible weight. The ones who know they’re capable of more but feel stuck, overwhelmed, or plagued by self-doubt. The ones who, on the outside, look successful, but inside are battling procrastination, imposter syndrome, or constant pressure to “do more.”
Over the last 20 years, I’ve worked with a wide range of young people and businesses and it’s clear that there’s a hang up around the word networking and what that means. There’s a belief that it’s having to sell, or awkwardly exchange business cards, and that it’s an ‘old fashioned’ way of doing business. Yet when I worked at Professional Liverpool on LeadHere, for those in the earlier stages of a business or career, I saw how a simple introduction could super-charge the career of a younger person.
Sitehop, the startup building UK sovereign encryption to future-proof networks against quantum-powered cyber attacks, has raised an additional £7.5 million led by Northern Gritstone, bringing the total raised to £13.5 million.
More than 170 small business founders gathered at Hyde Park Corner to take part in a founders’ ‘walk and talk’ event during Mental Health Awareness Week in May earlier this year. Organised by the not-for-profit, Virgin StartUp in collaboration with mental health service Self Space, the event encouraged business owners to take a break from their busy lives and tap into start-up support and connect with their peers.
The findings of the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest report quantifying the career and earnings impact of motherhood in England are sobering. According to the data, the average mother loses an estimated £65,618 in earnings over five years after having her first child. For a second child, the figure rises by another £26,317, and for a third, £32,456 more is lost.
When the global telecom industry gathers in Paris for Network X 2025 (October 14 – 16), attendees can expect more than keynote speeches and panel debates. This year’s edition unites the sector’s most influential players under one roof with an interactive expo floor and new event features. From AI-powered broadband networks and 5G monetisation to sustainable infrastructure and satellite connectivity, leading technology sponsors, live demonstrations and dynamic stage presentations will showcase the innovations shaping Europe’s digital future.
As Prime Minister Keir Starmer leads an international trade delegation to Mumbai this week alongside India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new efforts to boost export opportunities for Britain’s 5.6 million small businesses are also high on the agenda.
e-Residency Estonia was introduced in 2014 as a way to provide non-residents secure access to its digital public services and transparent business environment. Since its launch, the programme helps over 110,000 people and their businesses operate regardless of location, and has generated over €213 million in revenue for the Estonian state budget from taxes and state fees.
EQONIC Group has announced its battery technology that addresses the three critical challenges facing energy storage: cost, safety, and sustainability.
