It’s estimated that more than 750 million edge AI chips will be sold in 2020. Just got your head around AI? Edge AI is Artificial Intelligence-driven computing on embedded systems and the growth potential in the UK is immense. Now AeroSpace Cornwall, who is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and Cornwall Council, has awarded Bluefruit Software – leaders in providing high-quality embedded software – £100k of funding for critical research and development into this mind-blowing technology, which is forecasted to expand by 20% over the next five years.
Charities from the UK and across the world are flocking to a startup social media platform which is coining itself the world’s first ‘social media for good’.
Compiled as an antidote to fast-growth lists dominated by private equity and venture capital-backed businesses, Buzzacott’s inaugural Organic Growth 25 has identified the companies achieving impressive revenue growth with minimal equity investment.
Moneyhub, the market-leading Open Banking and Open Finance data, intelligence and payments platform, is the first TPP to connect to Citibank, the consumer division of financial services multinational Citigroup. In the UK, Moneyhub offers consent-driven access to financial data via 580 live and in production connections across 200 financial services providers – of which 100 are direct UK Open Banking providers, and a further 100 more broad Open Finance providers.
Scientist and entrepreneur, Dr Harry Destecroix, has unveiled Science Creates, the deep tech ecosystem that offers specialised incubator space, a £15m investment fund and a comprehensive network of strategic partners to nurture science and engineering startups and spin-outs. The hub, in partnership with the University of Bristol and located in the heart of the city, is set to become the ‘new West Coast’, transforming disruptive discoveries through impactful commercialisation.
In the space of just two months, the UK’s data watchdog, the ICO has dished out nearly £40m in personal data breach fines to some of the country’s best-known companies – British Airways, Marriott International and Ticketmaster. Whisper it quietly but the ICO’s burst of penalty decisions, coming after significant delays, goes some way to countering mutterings that the regulator lacked the will to take on large and well-resourced opponents.
Digital insurance company, Getsafe closed a $30m Series B funding. Swiss Re’s digital platform iptiQ led the round. Existing investors, including Earlybird, CommerzVentures, btov Partners and Capnamic Ventures, also participated. Getsafe now has received a total of $53m from investors, making it one of the best-financed European insurtechs.
The benefits of satellite data to life on earth are something that the global space community celebrated at this year’s ‘World Space Week’. Female founded tech startup, Data Duopoly, have already been recognised for their innovation in the use of space data – winning the Pitch to the Primes competition at the UK Space Conference in 2019, awarded by Astronaut Tim Peake.
Valloop, founded to empower employees and management to buy the companies they work for, has emerged from stealth ready to back small business founders wishing to exit.
Startups Magazine and Fiverr have come together to bring Female Founders a Micro-Grant, to win £5,000 Fiverr credit. This competition has now closed for new entries.
Almost half of UK businesses have seen an employee move on because their mental wellbeing wasn’t being looked after, with a quarter losing a key member of their workforce, according to new research from not-for-profit healthcare provider, Benenden Health.
Although the future looks quite challenging during the pandemic, having watched 18 entrepreneurs show what risks they take to improve patients’ lives to enable better patient care, we become hopeful.
Zephr, the technology platform for media companies to grow their subscription revenue, has announced it has raised $8m, led by US-based BDMI and financing from SVB.
Brits are being called upon to offer vital support to small businesses as high streets reopen in time for Christmas. It also hopes to tap into soaring public affection for small businesses, as research from the campaign and its principal supporter American Express shows 59% of Brits support small businesses more than previously, following the major role firms played in communities during coronavirus lockdowns.
Winter alone can have a negative impact on anyone’s mental health. Couple this with spending the best part of the year dealing with a pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and it’s no surprise that according to ONS statistics, the weeks after the clocks went back saw record levels of loneliness in the UK.
Ziglu, the personal money app has successfully closed its crowdfunding campaign, having raised over £6m from over 1,250 investors.
Our physical and mental health has been at the forefront of many of our minds during Coronavirus. So should we really also be worrying about financial health? The year of 2020 saw many employees furloughed and even made redundant, causing financial stress. However, there are also many people who have been lucky to be able to continue working during COVID-19.
New to market, the patented Sanitiser Sentinel has now officially launched, making it the world’s first spoken and visual reminder for hand sanitisation, with clinical trials already secured at a number of NHS and private medical practices across the United Kingdom.
There is a misconception that the benefits of industrial robots are reserved for few manufacturing giants. However, according to the Robotics Industries Association (RIA), enterprises with less than 100 employees and less than ten robots represent a growing segment of the robotics market.
HIV social app, Positive Plus One, has announced the launch of its new and updated platform, following World AIDS Day 2020. Positive Plus One is an app designed to help those living with HIV find and connect with people who share their story. The app now includes an ‘Events’ feature, which allows members to search and explore virtual events that they can take part in.
