With the Autumn budget just days away, investors and entrepreneurs are waiting nervously for news on the “painful choices” that are being made to plug a £22 billion gap in public finances.

A common question that founders ask themselves is when their new company will start to make money. The answer is rarely straightforward, and every startup faces unique challenges based on its industry, market conditions and growth strategy. However, understanding the key stages of its life cycle can provide valuable insights and set realistic expectations for business success.

As AI reshapes all industries, the ability to effectively deploy it may become a critical focus for organisations striving to remain competitive. While AI offers the expectation of streamlined processes and enhanced efficiency, it is essential that we continue to recognise the skills that remain crucial in harnessing such tools.

Big companies are intimidating. They have seemingly unlimited capital, a small army of employees, and usually a global reach. In the early days of my SaaS startup, I often remember friends and family saying something to the effect of “how are you possibly going to beat them”? From the outside looking in, established market players are business elephants crushing startup ants.

The investment and wealth space is entering an exciting period of change driven by the significant transfer of wealth from one generation to the next. Boomers to millennials. This has been labelled as the Great Wealth Transfer, and will be the largest generational transfer of wealth in history.

My name is Olga. For the past two years, as a co-founder of Ready Visa, an immigration boutique and platform, I've helped tech talent relocate under the UK Global Talent Visa programme.

There is no question; in an increasingly saturated market, the startup journey has never been more precarious. Recent data shows that startup failures in the US are up to 60% year-over-year, with European markets facing similar risks. At Unfound Studio, we believe that the difference between success and failure for startups lies in one fundamental asset: a robust and thoughtful brand strategy.

Earlier this year, my co-founders and I officially launched the startup we recently built. It’s hard to believe it. I only graduated from college in 2019. 

Becca Brighty, a Business Psychologist, ADHD coach, and founder of ADHD Impact, dedicates her work to helping fellow ADHD entrepreneurs understand how their brains are wired and how to thrive both personally and professionally.

Due diligence is the investigation of a person or business. In the context of M&A transactions, it involves the prospective buyer of a company or business gathering information about the target before making a commitment.

When discussing startup success, the conversation often focuses on key ingredients like product strength, market timing, and securing the right investors. While these factors are crucial, there's another often-overlooked element: the power of the team behind the business.

The adoption of AI has skyrocketed in recent years as advancements in the industry have opened the door to new applications across industries and use cases. In fact, a report from McKinsey found that AI adoption rates hit their highest numbers in early 2024 with 72% of organisations reporting they have adopted the technology.

We have reached the end of summer, and some people’s annual holidays are coming to an end. This is an important time for businesses to consider their employees’ wellbeing and wider team morale, as people may start to feel the end of the summer slump – a shared feeling amongst employees as they return to work as normal after summer holidays, and in some cases, preparation for the festive season, which is likely to be a busier trading period for most businesses. 

2024 has seen our adtech startup scale at +80%, from expanding our team, gaining market share and launching new products. Because your company culture should always be who you are as a business – rather than what you aspire to be, scaling at this speed means that your core culture becomes more essential than ever.

In the competitive landscape of startups, the ability to build and manage a strong team is crucial for success. 23% of startups fail due to issues related to team dynamics, making it one of the top three reasons for startup failure.

When I founded Game Insight in 2009, I often felt like a newcomer in a room full of seasoned professionals. Despite growing up in a post-Soviet environment where women worked alongside men and gender inequality wasn't as pronounced, I still felt I had to work twice as hard as my male counterparts to achieve the same level of success.

What a few weeks it has been for the new Government – a Labour Party conference that fell flat, weaker GDP figures, and Keir Starmer’s “clothes gate”.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is perhaps one of the fastest evolving technologies in business today. For SMEs, it can be hard to keep up with these developments and sift through what’s simply noise, and what will deliver tangible business benefits. 

As the clock ticks down to Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget announcement on 30th October, the entrepreneurial community across the UK is holding its breath. The tax changes unveiled on that day have the power to either ignite a new wave of innovation and growth or extinguish the entrepreneurial spirit that has long been a hallmark of the British economy.

Thinking about who will inherit your personal wealth and assets is one thing. Thinking about who will inherit your business interests is another. But both are of equal importance.