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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Poor quality performance data hindering SME sale and refinancing ambitions

Economic challenges have prompted an increase in the number of UK SMEs considering a sale of their business in 2025, according to new research from strategic advisory firm K3 Advantage. However, their ambitions to divest or refinance their company may be seriously hampered by a lack of access to the meaningful data needed to support these critical milestones.

UK CTOs share their biggest data challenges

Almost half of CTOs (47%) say that a lack of data is slowing down their decision making, according to a newly released poll from data streaming platform Confluent.

Revenir: The VAT refund revolution
Revenir: The VAT refund revolution

Revenir is a fintech startup dedicated to revolutionising the entire VAT refund and processing industry. It automates tax recovery through partnerships with banks, governments, and digital receipt companies.

The challenges of scaling a healthtech startup
The challenges of scaling a healthtech startup

Scaling a healthtech startup can present many challenges, but it’s the way founders overcome them that make the company stronger. Barclays understands these unique challenges and is here to support business owners like Kate from Health & Her.

Startup hotspot: hustle in Ho Chi Minh City
Startup hotspot: hustle in Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is a vibrant metropolis. It is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of around 10 million in 2023. The city is often referred to as the economic powerhouse of Vietnam, and in recent years, the city has quickly emerged as a tech hub, as well as becoming a hotspot for startups and entrepreneurial learning opportunities.

Tech titans descend on Manchester for DTX & UCX 2025

DTX & UCX Manchester, the North’s enterprise IT and technology event, is set to return to Manchester Central on April 2-3, 2025, bringing together world-class speakers, cutting-edge technologies and an agenda dedicated to “Innovation with Integrity.”

From fixing phones in school to running a sustainable tech company

A young entrepreneur who started out fixing school friends’ and teachers’ smashed screens now runs a sustainable tech company that employs 17 people.

CloudFO forecasts a brighter future for small business finance
CloudFO forecasts a brighter future for small business finance

CloudFO co-founders, Adrian Stamp and Afiya Chohollo, have been family friends for over 20 years, brought together at family gatherings due to their joint backgrounds in engineering.

Younger employees bear the brunt of work-related stress

Younger employees are disproportionately experiencing stress and burnout at work, new research from Avilio has found.

Birmingham brothers secure £90K from Emma Grede on Dragons’ Den

Birmingham-based entrepreneurs Brendon and Jaydon, the brothers behind the rapidly growing seasoning and sauce brand Lumberjaxe, have secured a £90,000 investment for 20% equity from guest Dragon Emma Grede on BBC One’s Dragons’ Den.

UK employees push for bigger say in shaping their workplace amid AI and economic shifts

New research from monday.com reveals that UK employees are seeking greater influence over strategic decisions as workplaces undergo rapid change.

Cutting taxes is key to SME growth, say finance brokers

More than a third (38%) of finance brokers say lower taxes are needed to boost SME growth this year, according to iwoca’s latest SME Expert Index. This is double the next choice of reforming business rates (19%).

Running on empty: small business owners can’t take a proper break

Small business owners across the UK are facing a harsh reality – many are too overworked and financially stretched to take a much-needed holiday, potentially pushing themselves to the brink of burnout. According to new research from InsureandGo, a significant portion of the UK’s 5.51 million small business owners are missing out on holidays to keep their businesses running, highlighting the challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

GOZEN’s LUNAFORM scales up, bringing biodesign to fashion and beyond

GOZEN has announced the launch of its debut LUNAFORM range, together with the go-live of its vast new facility in Turkey and industry-first short film. LUNAFORM is an advanced biomaterial, which first featured in Balenciaga’s LUNAFORM Maxi Bathrobe Coat. The biotechnology startup’s design-led approach and commercial scalability will finally make biodesign a reality for global fashion and design brands, and is the result of less than three years of rapid GOZEN progress.

RegNav partners with MedTech Innovator

RegNav, an AI-powered compliance management platform, and MedTech Innovator (MTI), the large accelerator of medical technology companies, have announced that RegNav has joined MTI’s Industry Partners ecosystem.

Safe Intelligence raises £4M to deliver advanced validation for reliable AI

Safe Intelligence, a startup in deep validation artificial intelligence (AI) systems, has announced that it has secured £4.15 million in seed funding in an investment round led by Amadeus Capital Partners, with participation from new investor OTB Ventures and existing investor Vsquared Ventures.

Stacks raises $10M in two consecutive rounds to simplify financial close

Stacks, the AI-powered workspace helping companies close their books quickly and efficiently, has announced a $3 million pre-seed round led by EQT Ventures, followed by a fast-tracked $7 million seed round led by General Catalyst, with EQT Ventures doubling down on their investment. The rounds also saw participation from s16vc and prominent angel investors including Mike Taylor, CFO of Gusto, and Simone Rüschenberg, CFO at Taktile.

Employers intend to increase self-funding for health and wellbeing support

According to GRiD, over the next 12 months, nearly a third (31%) of employers intend to increase their investment in employee benefits to provide support for staff. However, almost the same number (29%) of employers are looking to increase investment into funding support directly, which the industry body for the group risk sector believes is a concern.

Revyve yeast protein egg-replacers win consumer enthusiasm

A new survey by foodtech startup Revyve has revealed positive European attitudes towards yeast protein as a potential key player in the flourishing alternative protein market. The consumer study gathered insight from  French, German, and British consumers through AI-moderated individual interviews. The goal was to gauge interest in its functional brewers and baker’s yeast ingredients as substitutes to egg proteins and synthetic texturisers. 

Ai Pin scrapped as HP acquires Humane assets
Ai Pin scrapped as HP acquires Humane assets

Humane’s Ai Pin has been on a journey since it was originally teased at Paris Fashion Week. Becoming one of the most talked about gadgets in recent years, to receiving scathing reviews upon launch and dropping the price of the product, to the news of Humane’s assets being acquired by tech giant HP.