Could coronavirus be the catalyst for a volunteering revolution?

One of the significant demands resulting from the Coronavirus crisis of 2020 has been the need for new and novel ways for voluntary support to be facilitated. The ability for assistance to reach the most vulnerable or living in isolation or quarantine in safe ways is vital to saving lives and mitigating the spread of the pandemic.

STARTUP SUMMIT SEMIFINALISTS: Futrsm.pl
This article is part 3 of 7 in the series Startup Summit

Futrsm.pl is a tech-for-good platform designed to empower purpose-led entrepreneurs to do marketing better through a series of online tools and affordable expert support. It is an online Saas platform designed to empower purpose-led entrepreneurs to develop and deliver their own marketing strategy through a series of online tools and affordable expert support. The core package focuses on supporting socially-minded businesses that are bringing in a junior marketer as their first marketing hire. Providing a framework for both the company and the new start based on 90 days plans. The two inclusive monthly support sessions with a dedicated marketing expert to provide director-level practical strategic guidance throughout. A helping hand to get community changing businesses the brand presence they deserve.

Why female entrepreneurs need to be financially savvy

A woman’s work is never done. This phrase is now more poignant than ever as we grapple with the new realities posed by the current pandemic. It is, however, especially true for successful female entrepreneurs who are left dealing with the struggles of everyday life whilst trying to run a thriving business.

Contemporary underwear brand’s celebrates first anniversary with new launches

One year on from launch, fit-centric underwear brand, Nudea is reaping the rewards of responding to the challenges of lockdown as well as celebrating new line launches. By disrupting traditional bra fitting through innovation and by modernising the measuring process with custom-designed tools, direct-to-consumer and online-only, Nudea has seen exponential growth during the lockdown period with sales of the brand’s Fit Tape up 500% since March and post-lockdown growth averaging 80% MoM.

As Crowdcube and Seedrs merge – what does it mean for equity crowdfunding?

When it comes to equity crowdfunding, the go-to platform for any European investor, young company or growth stage business is either Crowdcube, Seedrs, or both. In the first half of 2020, the two platforms topped Beauhurst’s State of UK Crowdfunding report, with similar, impressive performances. Seedrs closed 95 deals and raised £49.7m, while Crowdcube secured 97 deals and generated £48.5m  – all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Code First Girls surpasses goal to teach 20,000 UK women to code

Code First Girls, the UK social enterprise working to close the gender gap in technology, has today announced it has surpassed its 2017 campaign goal to teach over 20,000 young women how to code in the UK and Ireland. Over the past three years, Code First Girls has become the largest provider of free coding courses for women, having delivered over £14m worth of free technology education. The announcement comes at a critical time to close the IT skills gap, only 19% of those pursuing Computer Science at higher education level are women.

Serial entrepreneur injects new lease of life into Belsize Community Library

The Purposeful Project, founded and run by serial entrepreneur Simon Squibb, has launched a new initiative to create specialist entrepreneurial hubs in local libraries, with Belsize Community Library forming the first of its kind in the UK.

World Mental Health Day: Social Media is Harmful to Young Wellbeing

Saturday 10th October is World Mental Health Day. It arrives during the strangest time we’ll ever likely face in our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each year’s theme is set by the World Federation for Mental Health, and this year’s is ‘mental health for all’. This encourages us to think of different demographics and communities of people and how they are faced with issues and problems in their lives.

Gift Aid project could see charities pocket £560m extra a year

The University of Exeter Business School is involved with a project to automate Gift Aid donations and potentially unlock more than £560m for charities every year.

Wondercise turns your Apple Watch into a Motion Matching Personal Trainer

Wondercise, the advanced smart fitness service, launches globally with Apple Watch and Garmin wearable support, from just 10 cents a day.* Featuring world-first Motion Matching technology complete with on-screen heart rate data, it analyzes your movements and compares them with those of an on-screen trainer in real-time.

Using AI to change the lives of the visually impaired

WeWALK, the smart cane designed for people who are blind or with low vision which is now in use across 37 markets, has joined Microsoft’s AI for Accessibility programme to accelerate WeWALK’s capability by developing and validating a human behaviour model for visually impaired users.

My Digital announces People Hub for the new Quantum workforce

Today, one in seven UK workers are on flexible contracts, up 25% in the last two decades. To meet the demand of the modern workforce, Quantum Employment Design company My Digital is announcing its real-time digital accounting cloud service focused exclusively on the needs of contractors.

London-based startup launches new app for fashion lovers

London-based startup, SilkFred wanted to take all the things customers love about shopping with them and distill this into a simple concept: the latest fashion from brands you haven’t yet discovered, for the moments that are special to you and shoppable video content showing you how to wear from the SilkFred team.

Why NHS Test and Trace’s latest IT blunder is a lesson to us all

It baffles me that some 16,000 who had tested positive for COVID-19 did not have their information uploaded to the Test and Trace system because it was reliant on a 13-year-old legacy IT and, as it turns out, a complicated Excel sheet.

Upskilling opportunities during lockdown: UK employers miss the mark

According to new research from Pluralsight, the enterprise technology skills and engineering management platform, 43% of UK office workers are worried they will be left behind as companies seek new skills to cope with the rapid pace of change.

8 in 10 workers want a robot therapist; can AI help the mental health crisis?

2020 has been the most stressful year in history for the global workforce and people want robots to help, according to a new study by Oracle and Workplace Intelligence, an HR research and advisory firm. The study of more than 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-level executives across 11 countries found that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased workplace stress, anxiety, and burnout for people all around the world, and they prefer AI robots instead of other people to help.

Community in the times of COVID-19

Despite not feeling safe to socialise with anyone for the last six months, I’ve understood ‘community’ in new and wonderful ways.

Businesses finding new ways to innovate in the face of COVID-19 and climate change

The international outlook for R&D is remarkably promising despite strong headwinds, according to research released today by Ayming Group, the business performance consultancy specialising in innovation. Ayming’s second annual International Innovation Barometer (IIB) reveals that R&D departments are being empowered by the creation of innovation ecosystems, new funding methods, and the deployment of technology.

Stream raises $15m Series A to support in-app chat for Telemedicine

Stream, the creator of enterprise-grade activity feed and chat APIs, recently closed its $15m Series A financing. The funding round was made possible by the startup’s rapid growth amid COVID-19.

microLED display startup announces €80m closing of planned €120m investment round

Aledia, a French startup that is pioneering a disruptive technology for microLED displays, has closed an €80m first tranche of its €120m D round financing. The company will use the proceeds to complete its product development and create the first-of-its-kind, high-volume 3D microLED manufacturing facility in the Grenoble area for an estimated capex of €40m (excluding equipment).