WinWayLab is a free two-month online accelerator for zero-stage startups (you don’t even need an idea at the beginning) in the wine tech industry. The programme kicks off on March 4 2025, offering participants the chance to turn their ideas into successful businesses with expert guidance, funding and resources from Winno.
IMPOSSIBREW is a team of London-based beer lovers who are harnessing tech to create enhanced functional non-alcoholic beers that deliver both relaxation and exceptional taste. Its Social Blend technology helps drinkers unwind naturally, offering a true third choice beyond ‘drinking’ and ‘not drinking’ and pioneering a new category in functional drinking.
The global construction industry, valued at $12 trillion annually, builds the infrastructure underpinning modern life – from highways and data centres to renewable energy. Yet, for decades, it has faced persistent challenges: inefficiencies, project delays, cost overruns, and a growing labour shortage. Despite its size, the industry spends less than 1% of revenue on IT, resulting in stagnant productivity growth for decades.
FOUNDRY, the community focused co-working provider, has launched its latest location at New Acres in Wandsworth, South West London.
Ori, a UK-based provider of cloud infrastructure for AI, has secured a key strategic investment from Wa’ed Ventures, Saudi Aramco’s venture capital arm, as it eyes up explosive growth in the Middle East market over the coming 12 months. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
Healthcare is undergoing a fundamental transformation, shifting from reactive sick care to proactive health management, with consumers firmly in the driver’s seat. While the US market has seen the rise of consumer-centric healthcare champions like Hims/Hers, Headspace, and Function Health, Europe’s market remains underserved. Today, naturalX Health Ventures has announced a €100 million fund to accelerate this revolution in Europe, becoming the first specialised fund focused exclusively on the intersection of consumer and health in the European market.
Defence Builder, Ukraine’s defence tech accelerator supported by the Ministry of Defence, is starting an open call for applications for its second cohort. Building on the success and insights from the first batch, the programme will equip promising startups with mentorship, grants, and pitch opportunities to scale their solutions for the battlefield and beyond.
Latest research from The Global Payroll Association (GPA) reveals that UK PAYE employees paid £252 billion in income tax in 2024, Meanwhile, businesses paid £114 billion in employer National Insurance Contributions, a total which is set to grow significantly in 2025 following changes set out in Labour’s Autumn Budget.
The Bupa everywoman in Technology Awards have announced this year’s finalists, representing outstanding contributions and achievement at all stages of the career journey; from girls and young women still in education to tech entrepreneurs, from apprentices to C-Suite executives.
The UK’s AI Safety Institute has been recast as the UK AI Security Institute, bolstering protections against AI risks facing national security and crime, and delivering a key pillar of the government’s Plan for Change.
FLIT, an engineering company that builds folding electric bikes for urban commuters, has raised £1.2 million in new funding with participation from ACF Investors, Cambridge Angels and former Head of Technical Development at British Cycling, Tony Purnell. The funding will be used to ramp up production of its latest model, the FLIT M2 at its Cambridge facility.
Hydrogen heating technology company HYTING has announced financing from investment and venture capital firm BMH Beteiligungs-Managementgesellschaft Hessen and ebm-papst. The financing will see both firms become shareholders of HYTING, and the capital raised in this round will be used for further product development, expansion of the product portfolio, and to attract new customers.
New research suggests that many workplaces are a potential hotbed of discriminatory behaviour, with peoples’ age, appearance, and gender often being used against them in work settings.
A new industry report on compliance in the UK reveals a striking paradox: while 58% of businesses cite manual processes as their biggest challenge, 57% still haven’t adopted AI to ease the burden. As regulatory pressures mount, AI is positioned to play a transformative role in compliance practices – but many businesses remain hesitant.
Mixed reality (MR) gaming startup MixRift has revealed significant growth milestones as the MR gaming market approaches an inflection point. With IDC forecasting global XR headset shipments to surge 44.2% to 9.7 million units in 2024, MixRift’s strategy to focus on accessible, casual gaming has put them ahead of the curve.
tozero, a European startup in sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling, has achieved a major breakthrough by producing battery-grade recycled graphite at industrial scale. For the first time, this 100% recycled anode material has been successfully used in battery cell production, proving its viability for commercial applications.
Businesses will have to navigate increasingly complex requirements when handling people’s data and contend with technologies that make privacy violations easier and more widespread. According to Krete Paal, CEO of the Estonian data protection startup GDPR Register, regulatory oversight of data protection is becoming stricter, with higher penalties for non-compliance.
Enterprise Nation has appointed one of the UK’s most accomplished SME inclusive sourcing experts ahead of the Procurement Act coming into force later this month.
Eleven early-stage companies working in oncology have started ‘Discovery Spark’, a free seven week development programme hosted by leading science and innovation campus Discovery Park, in Sandwich, Kent.
Valentine’s Day is an occasion when hearts begin to race as we prepare for feelings of love – whether that’s with your Valentine or your Galentine! This year, we are shining a light on the startups on a mission to keep the beat steady by focusing on heart health – ensuring that it’ll be fluttering for years to come.
