“Can my business survive Coronavirus?”
This article is part 14 of 26 in the series Overheard at a startup...

Coronavirus is on everyone’s lips, not literally but figuratively. And for very good reason. It seems so long ago already that the only thing in the news was all things Brexit, and how companies will need to adapt in order to survive, and now that has been brushed aside by a much bigger and more urgent threat – coronavirus.

Navigating the R&D landscape: A guide for UK SMEs

For the UK, innovation has become a top priority. Indeed, adapting to the coronavirus economy is the most important objective for most businesses and those that innovate successfully will thrive. However, R&D has become a much more public discussion over the past few weeks. In the recent Budget, the Government put significant emphasis on increasing R&D activity. It recognises that the UK could be more of a global innovation hub.

Tickets now live for leadership conference in Shrewsbury

Tickets have been launched for a leadership conference that will bring some big names to the town on the 23rd September 2020, as part of a conference organised by Shropshire HR to ‘inspire, challenge and evolve’ leadership in the region.

It’s business time for the UK’s best-loved bank

When Monzo needed to launch their new business accounts, they asked Studio Output to help develop the visual identity. Over a series of design sprints, the partnership delivered an identity system with the simplicity and magic people love about Monzo, and the trust and reassurance businesses need from a bank.

Real-time passenger data from St Pancras station

UK startup OpenSpace, whose digital twin platform measures real-time passenger movement, have discovered a new use for their technology in the fight against coronavirus. The pioneering system currently deployed at St Pancras station in London, can monitor social distancing through detecting and visualising the distance between passengers in real-time. It can also compare historical weekly and daily information for trend analysis.

Breathing new life into air quality monitoring

As parent to a young child growing up in London, entrepreneur Chris Turner wanted a greater understanding of the air quality in the capital and how it impacts on peoples’ lives and that of his family. However, when he failed to find the air pollution monitor that he was looking for, he decided to set up his own company, BREATHE Tech, and create his own. Startups Magazine caught up with him to find out more.

What will the next decade hold for female founders?

Prior to the UK-wide lock-down, Startups Magazine attended a London-based panel discussion, hosted by business advice and consultancy company Invigorate, to address some of the barriers, misconceptions and challenges facing female founders and what the future has in store over the next ten years.

Transitioning from solo founder to startup

Every business was once a single person with an idea. Some companies stay that way of course, but most founders will inevitably reach a point where they need help from others. If not before, then at the time when they’ve finished building a product, found a foothold in the market, and their natural next step is focusing on growth. 

Kickstart opens applications for a new cohort of tech startups

Kickstart is welcoming applications for the fifth iteration of its annual B2B scale-up programme aimed at late-stage startups interested in entering the Swiss market.

AgriTech season moved online in response to Covid-19

Farm491, the AgriTech incubator based at the Royal Agricultural University, has adapted its season of events exploring the future of British Farming to comply with the UK’s Covid-19 social distancing measures. The organisation has developed a programme of webinars throughout April, many of which will be available to everyone, with a few select online events being held exclusively for its members.

Effects of the current pandemic on the insurtech industry

The current global situation has affected many different industries, businesses and individuals and it is safe to say we are only just getting into the real mix of it. A lot of people have been talking recently how this could change the world in some way forever. One area that is has affected in an interesting way in the insurance technology area. We decided to catch up with and ask a few questions to Christian Wiens, CEO and founder of Getsafe about the insurtech space, and the current situation for them. 

Encouraging technology learners to stay home

Pluralsight, the enterprise technology skills platform, has announced that in an effort to encourage technology learners around the world to stay safe and stay home, the company is offering full access to its entire platform of technology skill development courses for free throughout the month of April. Technology learners that currently do not have a paid Pluralsight subscription can now access more than 7,000 courses taught by the world’s leading experts in their respective fields free of charge.

Fees incurred on crowdfunding app to be donated

WhatWeWant (WWW) encourages people to perform acts of kindness amid Covid-19 crisis, and has there for announced that it will be donating all fees incurred by people using its crowdfunding app to charity.

VoxSmart receives £5.5m funding from NatWest

VoxSmart, the global leader in communications surveillance technology for Financial Markets, has recently announced a strategic funding round of £5.5m ($7.2m) from NatWest.

Best crowdfunding platform 2020 awarded to Smartlands

Smartlands has received the ‘Best Crowdfunding Platform’ award from the fintech breakthrough awards, which recognises the top companies and products in the financial services and technology industry today.

Put your thinking cap on – now!

If you ran a hotel right now, apart from running around looking for toilet rolls, you’d be doing some essential maintenance to the building. The sort of thing you never do because there’s always ‘the day job’ of running your establishment.

Helping female founders to blossom

When we speak of gender equality, we like to think, in 2020, that we’ve come a long way from the patriarchal society of days gone by. Which is of course true, however, when it comes to business there are still battles to be won and barriers to break down.

Tech law firm launches free Covid-19 Toolkit for businesses

Kemp Little has launched a free advisory resource to help businesses navigate tax, legal and financial processes thrown into discord by Coronavirus.

British startup offers ‘virtual graduations’ to US universities

British tech startup StageClip is in active discussions with over 250 American universities to facilitate ‘virtual graduations’ in light of many in-person ceremonies having to be postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Onboard with Ontruck

Ontruck is an innovation-oriented logistics and transport company, founded in order to develop technologies which will make the road freight experience a smooth and efficient one for both truckers and companies who send shipments.