In the 12 months ending 31 October 2024, one in 427 adults in England and Wales entered insolvency, higher than the 12 months to October 2023. Combine this with overall registered company insolvencies in 2024 tracking similarly to 2023’s figures – which were the highest for a decade – leading finance and small business experts have pooled their wisdom and launched a new eBook to help SMEs survive.
Berlin-headquartered fintech bunch has launched in the UK, bringing its operating system for private equity and venture capital funds to the largest market in Europe. The move builds on a stellar year of growth for the company, which has tripled both its revenue and Assets under Administration over the past 12 months.
Economic uncertainty is on the rise for the UK’s 5.6 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) following the Autumn Budget, according to iwoca’s Q3 2024 SME Expert Index.
Predium, a provider of ESG management solutions for the real estate and finance industry, has successfully closed a Series A financing round of €13 million. With this investment, Predium strengthens its position as the Real Estate Intelligence Platform for sustainable and economical real estate management.
Vente AI, the startup building AI to automate business development for recruiters, has raised £500k just six months after being founded.
The planet is facing a real biodiversity crisis that can no longer be ignored. More than half of the global GDP relies to some extent on nature, and according to the IPBES, one million species are currently threatened, representing the sixth mass extinction. This is a matter of urgency, and businesses have an important role to play in protecting biodiversity. Together with darwin, they will find the keys to more sustainable business models.
Tembo, the award-winning digital savings and mortgage platform, specialising in maximising affordability, has raised £14 million in funding. The Series B round was led by Goodwater Capital with participation from Tembo’s existing investors including Aviva, Ascension Ventures, Love Ventures and McPike Family Office. This brings the company’s total funding raised to £20 million.
Akhetonics, the pioneer of the a true all-optical digital processor, has raised €6 million in a funding round led by Matterwave Ventures, with participation from 468 Capital, Bayern Kapital, and existing investors Runa Capital, Rheingau Founders, and more.
Open science startup and preprint network DeSci Labs has been listed as one of the 20 Most Innovative Companies to Watch, 2024, by Business Worldwide Magazine. This is DeSci Labs’ second accolade within a month following its Lab Awards success in the Best Automation & Data Innovation category at Lab Innovations 2024.
A new partnership aims to transform the performance of the £14.7 billion UK search market by creating a transparent approach to paid search and setting a new standard in digital advertising.
This year’s final of the EIT Jumpstarter programme was held on 28 November in Budapest, Hungary, along with the EIT Community conference “The next decade of innovation for the future of Europe. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme”. EIT Jumpstarter is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union.
The Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA) is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the introduction of Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), an initiative launched by then-Chancellor Ken Clarke in November 1994.
Three innovative UK tech companies – specialising in renewable energy, advanced sensors and hydrogen-powered systems – have been given government support to expand into Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Each has been selected to participate in the UK-APAC Tech Growth Programme, an initiative that helps British scaleups unlock commercial opportunities in 11 markets across the Asia Pacific region.
A London businesswoman has been selected from more than 800 other female entrepreneurs to win £15,000 in business support to help scale her new finance app which will encourage more women to invest their money.
SatVu, a global company in climate technology, has secured £20 million in strategic funding, comprising a £10 million landmark equity round co-led by European venture capital firm Adara Ventures and existing investor Molten Ventures, and an insurance payout.
Nearly half (46%) of IT and tech hiring managers planning to expand their teams with permanent, full-time employees, with technology hiring is expected to increase in 2025, according to recruitment firm Robert Half. Additionally, 25% aim to recruit contract talent for project-based needs and growth initiatives.
Seven businesses have joined Digital Catapult’s latest quantum innovation accelerator to fast track the development of solutions and accelerate the practical application of deeptech. Aiming to help solve complex market challenges in major sectors of the UK economy including transport, defence, and telecommunications, the programme convenes unique quantum capabilities and innovation consultancy to de-risk technology adoption.
One-in-four (24%) UK employees have taken time off work in the past 12 months due to stress, new research from Avilio has found.
BOW, the universal robotics software company, has announced the appointment of Liz Upton, Co-Founder of Raspberry Pi, as Chair of its board.
Volter, the operating system for commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop solar, has secured $3.2 million in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Transition, with participation from Seedcamp as well as Neptunia, a prominent real estate investor.
