Anna Wood

Anna Wood is the Editor of Startups Magazine. She joined the team in June 2023 as Deputy Editor, and has since been promoted to Editor of the publication. When it comes to the startup sector, Anna has a keen interest in spacetech, biotech, medtech, anything that flies, and shining a light on the gender and diversity funding gap. Outside of work hours, you can find Anna tucking into a book, a nice meal, and playing her Switch!

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Tariff turbulence costs SMEs thousands prompts rethink of trade ties

UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are being significantly impacted by the upending of the global trading environment, propelled by the US administration’s tariff policies, according to new research from independent funder Bibby Financial Services (BFS).

Gen Z is ready for AI in the workplace, but don’t trust the hype

Gen Z workers are eager to bring AI into the workplace, but they’re not blindly buying into the buzz, according to a new survey from UKG which shows younger employees are leading the AI learning curve but are also questioning whether their employers truly understand the technology.

85% of startup tech roles now require AI fluency

AI fluency is now a standard requirement in technical roles, according to developer hiring platform Yotewo. The company reports that 85% of full stack and backend job briefs submitted to its platform over the past six months included a specific request for AI-related skills, such as prompt engineering, OpenAI API integration, or proficiency with tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Claude.

Laverock Therapeutics expands seed funding

Laverock Therapeutics, a gene control company powering the development of disease-responsive advanced therapies, announces the expansion of its seed funding round, taking the total raised to more than £20 million.

Tech employers prioritise job-ready grads, elite unis lose hiring edge

Tech employers are placing less weight on university prestige and greater emphasis on practical skills and workplace readiness when hiring graduates, according to new research highlighting a major shift in tech hiring priorities across the UK.

DeepL first to deploy NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems in Europe

DeepL has announced the deployment of an NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems. This transformative computing platform will enable DeepL to translate the entirety of the internet – which currently takes 194 days of nonstop processing – in just over 18 days, marking a significant leap forward in DeepL’s research and product capabilities.

UK risks losing healthtech startups to Gulf investors

Zaid Al-Fagih, Co-Founder and CEO of UK and Qatar-based healthtech firm Rhazes AI, has warned that unless the UK urgently upgrades its NHS AI infrastructure, it risks watching its thriving healthcare sector shift operations to Gulf nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. 

Magdrive launches first flight of next-gen plasma thruster

On 21 June, British satellite propulsion startup Magdrive will launch its Rogue thruster into space for its first in-orbit demonstration, marking a major step forward for the UK’s space industry.

SMBs race ahead in AI uptake, but 95% say they still need AI training

Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are embracing AI rapidly, but their adoption maturity still lags behind. According to a global TeamViewer survey of 1,400 business leaders (427 of them from SMBs), 95% of SMB decision makers say they need more training to use AI effectively, even though 72% describe themselves as AI experts.

Angel Academe launches UK’s first female founder EIS fund

Angel Academe, the angel network that has been investing in women leaders for over ten years, has launched the UK’s first female founder focused EIS fund in partnership with fund manager, SyndicateRoom.

Storra isn’t just another wishlist app – and that’s the point

Anastasia Kalashnikova is an expert in strategic product development expertise and hands-on digital product experience – a combination that ultimately led to the founding of Storra, and set her on the path to bring the idea to life.

AI falls short at work: 62% say it’s overhyped, 86% don’t use it fully

GoTo has released a new research report: The Pulse of Work in 2025: Trends, Truths, and the Practicality of AI. The report summarises the findings of a survey of 2,500 global employees and IT leaders on AI use and sentiment, conducted in partnership with research firm Workplace Intelligence.

Biotope Ventures secures first close of second fund to back biotech founders

biotope by VIB has secured €5 million in the first close of its second fund, marking a major step toward its €9 million target over the next 18 months. The fund will enable biotope to invest €250,000 in up to 30 international early-stage biotech startups.

Banks working to support access to finance for disabled entrepreneurs

UK Finance has released a new report on the progress made by banks following the introduction of the Disability Finance Code for Entrepreneurship (DFCE) in December 2024, which aims to improve the entrepreneurial landscape for disabled individuals.

The ‘Doorbell of Dreams’ is coming to a town near you

Are you one of the third of Brits who would love to own their own business one day? Would you jump at the chance to get your business idea in front of a global audience of up to 100 million and get feedback from some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs? Now’s your chance…

Start Up Loans ambassador stories

British Business Bank’s Start Up Loan is a government-backed personal loan for business purposes that is available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. It has provided support to aspiring entrepreneurs across the UK. In addition to the finance, successful applicants also receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers which can help them succeed in their journey.

Female leaders love tech, but US and UK representation fails to match

Eighty nine percent of female tech leaders are thriving, but opportunities are still limited with women still making a tiny fraction of tech leadership with just 5% in the UK and 11% in the US according to a new report from AND Digital.

One in three UK small businesses stuck in “survival mode”

A new report from global HR, payroll, and employment platform Employment Hero is calling for an urgent rethink of how the UK defines and measures productivity, as new data reveals a striking disconnect between how productivity is understood by SMEs and their employees.

Coralogix raises $115M Series E and hits unicorn status

Coralogix, a full-stack observability platform provider, has announced a $115 million Series E funding round.

Skills vital to propelling UK’s ambitious spending review AI growth plan

As Keir Starmer announced ambitious plans for UK AI growth at London Tech Week, and Rachel Reeves outlined £86 billion in the Spending Review for tech funding, skills investment must accompany infrastructure investment. This comes as the UK ranks 13th globally for AI readiness, according to Coursera’s inaugural AI Maturity Index.