Artificial intelligence has already become a powerful democratiser for smaller companies and startup ventures, enabling them to achieve faster growth and enterprise-level efficiency. As the sophistication and simplicity of AI improves, there are also expanding opportunities for companies to enhance their competitive edge by taking direct charge of advanced technologies.

Across the UK, Europe, and the US, startup leaders are facing a growing shortage of young talent who are truly job ready. Particularly in remote settings, employers increasingly seek more mature profiles with strong soft skills and an understanding of company life capabilities that many graduates still lack.

Most early-stage founders spend more time dealing with money movement than they ever expected. Not fundraising, but the simple act of getting money in and out of the business. Traditional banking still slows teams down with long processing times, inconsistent cross-border transfers, and rigid rules that do not match how modern startups operate.

Speed and reliability have become the foundation of any good online experience. Now, shoppers expect sites to load without hesitation, checkouts to work flawlessly, and performance to hold steady regardless of device or demand. Data reflects this shift too, with a two second delay being enough to double bounce rates. When experience falters, customers rarely wait. Instead, they’ll move on to the next merchant offering the same product with a smoother journey. In a market where alternatives are just a click away, even brief moments of friction can mean a lost sale.

Alison Imbert shares with Startups Magazine what makes a winning team, how her team is shifting strategies in an unpredictable market, and why she thinks being considerate isn't incompatible with being a top VC.

Technology is constantly evolving, and some trends, like AI, have been dominant players over the last few years. While AI isn’t going anywhere, there are other themes and trends that will be taking the world by storm next year.

AI has undeniably been the headline of 2025. Every day has seemed to bring a new tool, startup or product launch, promising transformation and innovation at levels never seen before. With so many new developments, often accompanied by both excitement and caution, how can business leaders know how to navigate the evolving AI landscape and ensure they are investing their time, money and resources in a way that truly drives value?

In the high-stakes world of startups, a deeply ingrained myth persists: stay silent until you have something monumental to announce. This ‘stealth mode’ philosophy suggests that premature exposure risks tipping off competitors or revealing imperfections before a product is market-ready.

As the UK continues to position itself as a global hub for technology and innovation, two immigration routes stand out for founders, engineers, and digital specialists seeking to build their careers or businesses in the country: the UK Global Talent Visa and the Innovator Founder Visa.

2026 is shaping up to be a complex year for employment laws and regulations affecting small businesses. Founders are expected to be proactive and ready for changes across several legal areas, including corporate transparency, employment law reform, and evolving technology regulation.

For all the talk about the golden opportunity presented by AI, the government has just published a report that confirms what many of us have known for years. The country’s biggest obstacle to unlocking AI’s potential isn’t innovation or, dare I say it, ‘investment’, but a lack of talent.

It’s a common workplace story: December hits, and suddenly the office turns into a ghost town of checked-out employees chasing holiday cheer over deadlines. But let's challenge that myth head-on.

Contributing $ 5 billion from stock-option withholding for the top four companies alone, and employing circa 1.7 million people, the Silicon Valley represents 13.1% of California’s overall GDP. It’s hardly surprising then that so many government and policy makers are wrecking their brains on trying to emulate its success back home, in the UK, in Europe and anywhere else in the world.

Why am I invisible?

Most startups are convinced their product is unique. And we don’t doubt they are. They also believe everyone must know about it. So, they pitch them to top-tier journalists. And … nothing happens. Often a radio silence. Crickets. Many ask me, why?

Before you say ‘we’re not ready for PR’ – read this!

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, once said: “If I were down to my last two dollars, I’d spend one on PR.” That sentence reveals a truth many early-stage entrepreneurs need to realise. Communication doesn’t start when you become successful. It is a strategic instrument that helps you reach the pathway forward – not a reward for later.

Swimming has always been a huge part of my life. As a teenager, I competed in butterfly at a high level, representing the British youth squad and the South African national team. Butterfly is not just physically tough; it is also one of the most mentally demanding strokes.

It’s Saturday afternoon and you suddenly get a headache. Nothing dramatic, just enough to derail your plans. You rummage through the medicine cabinet, find expired paracetamol and realise the GP is closed. So, you do what most people do: you reach for your phone for a solution.

Small businesses have always been quick to adapt, and in 2025, that adaptability has been tested more than ever. Between rising costs, staffing shortages and customers who expect instant replies and 24-hour availability, many owners are stretched thin.

Most founders will tell you they are bringing AI into their business. Some talk about it with genuine excitement, others with a quiet sense of panic, and a few with the hope that automation might finally fix the chaos they’ve been ignoring for years. The truth is far less glossy. AI rarely fails because the tools are weak. It fails because the organisation behind them isn’t prepared for what the shift actually involves.

Jason Bennett is the Global VP of Startups and Venture Capital at AWS. He has been at AWS for 15 years, he has previously served as VP, US Enterprise and private equity, and GM, US-Enterprise Leader. At AWS re:Invent in Vegas, Bennett discussed all things AI, startup trends, and AWS’s commitment to supporting startups.