When it’s time to scale, many businesses grind to a halt – not because of market conditions, but because their internal systems aren’t built for growth. These businesses often have the demand, the talent, and the ambition, but their outdated financial systems hold them back. This is the scale-up trap: when growing businesses stall not for lack of opportunity, but because they’re not operationally ready.

In the whirlwind pace of a startup, where every sprint feels like a make-or-break moment, Quality Assurance (QA) often finds itself playing catch-up. But what if QA could become a startup’s most strategic lever for product success?

Small and medium sized companies are the backbone of the global economy. In the UK alone, these businesses account for three-fifths of employment and almost half of turnover in the UK private sector. But their influence is not limited to UK borders. They are internationally ambitious, often purchasing from global suppliers, and sending goods and services to buyers overseas. Their growth, and that of the economy, relies upon favourable and fair market conditions – something which has been found lacking in recent months.

You cannot operate in organised chaos while expecting success. Strong foundations distinguish those geared for success from those that are not. Most companies follow a typical data analytics journey, and we do not use the term journey lightly.

Patrick Murray is a seasoned scaleup CFO at The CFO Centre with deep expertise across technology, life sciences, green tech and AI. Drawing on over 30 years of experience, he shares the most common financial missteps made by early-stage tech startups – and how to steer clear of them.

Dr. Krishna Dubba is the Co-Founder and CTO of CoVent, an AI-powered marketplace designed to transform the way sponsorships are discovered and evaluated. He is a serial entrepreneur and deeptech innovator with over a decade of experience at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and product development.

Starting a business is always a leap of faith. But for refugees from Artsakh – an ethnically Armenian region forcibly depopulated in 2023 – it's often a matter of survival. If you're starting over after a career setback, bootstrapping a business during inflation, or trying to harness the power of AI, you may have more in common with these refugee founders than you think.

You know how it goes in the early days: two or three smart people, loads of coffee, big ideas, and no one’s really thinking about titles. Everyone’s just doing what needs to be done. You probably don’t have a full C-suite yet, and chances are, there’s no CTO.

Robert F. Kennedy captured the essence of breakthrough thinking: "Some men see things as they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?'"

The legal and business landscapes are becoming increasingly intricate and dynamic, particularly within the startup sector, where rapid evolution and growth are the norms.

When we think of a founder, the image that often comes to mind is someone who had a lightbulb moment, got up one day and built a company from scratch, eventually taking it to a glorious, lucrative exit with a full set of growth stories and anecdotes to match. 

Understanding and catering to diverse customer payment preferences is crucial for businesses. While data from the trade association UK Finance, shows card payments dominate, making up 61% of all transactions in 2023, and cash usage made up just 12% of all payments, there is a growing preference for multiple payment methods amongst UK consumers.

It’s easier than ever for businesses to go global, no matter their size. With the rise of employment models such as Employer of Record (EOR), startups and SMEs can set their sights on overseas opportunities from the get-go. This growing number of smaller organisations expanding internationally has been dubbed ‘micro-multinationals.’ 

Achieving SOC 2 compliance can be a challenging and resource-intensive process for organisations. However, with the right compliance software, companies can streamline the process, reduce complexity, and ensure they meet the strict requirements set by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).

As values-driven Gen Z and Millennial consumers come to dominate the market, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance have become make-or-break issues for brands – especially in fintech.

As the UK searches for sustainable and inclusive paths to economic growth, one powerful answer lies in plain sight, small and mid-sized businesses. Often hailed as the backbone of the economy, small and mid-sized businesses are uniquely positioned to drive the economy.  But only if we give them the support they need to shift into high gear.

The old saying ‘patience is a virtue’ seems almost laughable now as the world speeds up. In wellness, many turn to drugs to sharpen their thinking and injections to lose weight faster, overlooking the risks of addiction and even potential mental disorders.

When I hear people talking about using AI at work, I can almost predict how the conversation will go. Most people have explored ChatGPT and had varying successes with other tools. Some use AI every day, others are considering learning more, and there’s always at least one person that avoids it as if even attempting to participate in this new era will set off a chain reaction to ruin us all. Of course, there is no question that AI is here to stay, and early adopters will be more efficient and quick to advance than their competition.

Navigating the journey from concept to mass production can be overwhelming for startups, university spinouts, and technology investors. Anglia Unicorn steps in to make this path smoother and more achievable, providing support and resources to turn innovative ideas into market-ready products, all free of charge.

It was no surprise to me that people with ADHD are far more likely to start a business; we are natural entrepreneurs. Our internal desire to create stuff combined with an attitude to risk that many others might try to subdue (‘don’t do that, it’s too dangerous’ comes to mind) makes us the perfect candidates to start companies. We’re great at spotting trends, we’re calm in a crisis and our out-of-the-box thinking enables us to see opportunities that others miss.