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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tech Cornwall’s flagship event, the BIG Cornish Tech Showcase, is returning on February 27, 2025, at The Atlantic Hotel, Newquay, from 10am to 5pm. This free-to-attend event is the biggest opportunity of the year to connect with Cornwall’s thriving tech community, meet innovative suppliers, and gain insight from some of the most exciting names in technology.
JFrog, the Liquid Software company and creators of the JFrog Software Supply Chain Platform, has announced it has signed a strategic collaboration agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The agreement empowers enterprise customers to swiftly migrate workloads to AWS to maximise the value of their cloud-based, software supply chain investments.
Bluebook, the AI-powered software specifically designed for savvy accounting firms eager to embrace AI innovation and transform traditional accounting practices, has announced it has raised $3 million in funding including $2.5 million pre-seed round led by EQT Ventures and a separate capital injection from Y Combinator. Angel investors in the pre-seed round include Huey Lin (Founding COO of Affirm), Laura Modiano (OpenAI) and Carles Reina (Eleven Labs).






