London based FinTech Flagstone, developer of the UK’s largest cash deposit marketplace, has raised $15m (£12m) in venture capital in a round led by OMERS Ventures and supported by existing investors including Kindred Capital and Moneysupermarket Group plc.
The Institute of Economic Development (IED) has today launched the Commission for Economic Renewal, which will bring together some of the UK’s foremost economic development practitioners and academics to formulate the policies and interventions it believes will be needed to rebuild economies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) should check the security and data protection of the technology they are using during COVID-19 lockdown, urges the MCA. Although there has been a rapid adoption of technology by firms, some have not been able to assess security quickly enough, risking exposure of confidential data and client information. The MCA has created a free checklist for SMEs to ensure that they ask the right questions about technology and how staff could use it before it is purchased.
Bot-Hive, a digital marketplace for robotics and AI solutions has successfully completed a six-figure equity funding round. Bot-Hive is a digital marketplace which connects SMEs with the right automation technology for their business and shows them the best way to introduce robots to their workflow processes.
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s growing tech ecosystem, has expanded to 51 startups with the announcement of 15 new joiners to the Hub71 Incentive Program. The Hub71 Selection Committee prioritized global startups in the field of HealthTech and EdTech, which provide essential technologies to support the private and public sector as they adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Founded in early 2019, Funded.club provides recruiting services for startups and scale-ups. Rather than charging based on a percentage of annual salary, Funded.club receives only low success fees that come in 70-80% less than a regular recruiting agency, irrespective of the salary offered or how long it takes to fill a position.
Robotical, the edtech startup behind Marty the Robot, has today announced that it is working with South African NGO, Got Game, on Nokia’s Helping hands project to deliver education to previously disadvantaged youths in South Africa.
Temenos, the banking software company, has announced the launch of Explainable AI (XAI) models to enable banks and credit unions to rapidly offer loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have seen their cash flow disrupted by the Covid-19 outbreak. These patented XAI models allow banks to accelerate digital onboarding, conduct eligibility checks and process loan applications for SMEs and retail customers.
The process of obtaining a business loan can be challenging at the best of times. Normally, though, the loan is part of a larger restructuring or growth plan, whereas at present companies across the UK are requiring financial support just to survive.
The world has been turned upside down and shaken vigorously. Businesses are now scrambling to pick up the pieces and regain a handle on how they can push ahead during these difficult, uncertain times.
More than 28-days on from the Prime Minister’s lockdown measures closed the door on many businesses, Toby Harper said help, for many, was still ‘painfully slow.’ He said the Chancellor’s new £1.25bn coronavirus package to protect firms driving innovation in UK , which includes a £500m investment fund, asks more questions than it answers.
Around nine million accidents happen in Germany every year – sometimes with lasting health consequences for those affected. Personal accident insurance helps to cushion the financial burden. Getsafe has decided to offer its customers a digital accident insurance product. This marks an important step for the company towards life insurance and shows that even personal, complex insurance products work on the smartphone.
Confidence levels among UK tech startups have dropped significantly over the past three months as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic takes hold, Studio Graphene’s latest Tech Tracker survey reveals, as Studio Graphene has published the results of its Q1 2020 Tech Tracker survey.
Job roles within tech increased by 40% in the first third of the year thanks to a surge in-demand within the ‘hybrid-tech sector’ – namely fintech, edtech, healthtech, and agritech – according to global recruiter Robert Walters.
Youth Business International (YBI) has been awarded a $5m grant by Google.org to support over 200,000 underserved micro, small and medium businesses in 32 countries to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The global economy is suffering from an unprecedented shock as a result of COVID-19. With typically tight margins, micro, small and medium businesses are particularly vulnerable to economic downturn.
Tide, the UK’s leading business banking platform, has launched a new Invoice Protection product in partnership with insurance solutions provider, Hokodo, to help micro, small and medium-sized businesses protect their cash flow against the late and non-payment of invoices.
Growth mindset rests on the idea that essential things such as talent and achievements can be developed through hard work and practice. Also, the concept of growth mindset explores how passion and training can help a person develop skills that people don’t originally have.
The current pandemic has brought shock and uncertainty to businesses across the world. From global heavyweights to SMEs that are the backbone of the British economy, the question for many leaders is, how can we keep afloat during this crisis? Thankfully we live in a digital age where many businesses can be taken online. Along with government support, there are many tools that can be easily accessed to pivot during this period.
The modern consumer is demanding a future in which the products they use leave no trace on the planet. Brands who can’t meet this demand will see their customer base move towards those who can deliver products that are in line with this vision.
For the majority, the word entrepreneur conjures an image of a male in his twenties or early thirties. It’s unlikely the picture of someone in retirement age would come to mind and even less likely a woman in her 60s. However, a new wave of silver start-ups is emerging and with good reason! One such disruptor is Sheila Holt. Having traded on a smaller scale for a few years, Sheila embraced her entrepreneurial spirit and began scaling her finance business, Sapphire Lending Ltd, at the age of 60.
