Without a doubt, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential to the European economy.

Last year, just a few weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, I took a trip to Krakow, Poland (against my mother’s wishes).

With more than a decade of experience in early-stage investing Lian Michelson, Investment Director at Vala Capital, finds that, unlike men, women underplay what their business is worth when they pitch to VC investors. Here she gives her top tips for that successful pitch.

Academy’s Head of Performance, Natalya Sverjensky, sat down with Academy grad Tavija (who recently joined the railtech division within Tracsis plc) and her mentor Magda, Director of Digital Delivery at Virgin Media O2.

We know that email prospecting works.

Launching a startup is an exciting time, but typically it can also be a little frantic as you struggle to juggle competing necessities before your launch date.

That whole Monday to Friday, nine to five institution most of us know as reality is apparently coming to an end…or so they say.

Sadly, with only 10% of startups making it through their first year, there’s no doubt they face a challenge ahead of them. Reasons for this can include poor budgeting, misplaced marketing, lack of research, and/or choosing the wrong partners.

My background is in R&D, marketing, and business strategy, so lends itself well to where I find myself today.

Before I was a banker, I was a founder. 

We’ve got a femtech problem.

It feels like artificial intelligence has developed more in the past week than it has in the last 10 years.

As manufacturing startups rely more on digital technologies, they become more vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

As more startups expand internationally, and look abroad for expansion opportunities earlier in their life cycle, the tax function has shot up the boardroom priority list to mitigate against hefty revenue losses and risk of non-compliance with local tax guidelines.

Women, tech, sustainability – all buzzwords at the moment. But Noleen Mariappen, Impact Entrepreneur and Advisor, can tell you that the journey for a woman in the tech space is far from all buzz!

The share of funding secured by female founders is unfairly and disproportionately low, a state of affairs that has remained unchanged for many years despite advances made in other areas of gender equality in business.

Keeping employees happy to commit and grow within a business should be a core aim of HR teams. However, it has been reported that nearly half of employees leave their role because they do not feel appreciated - particularly during the first quarter of the year when people naturally look for change.

You woke up with a brilliant idea that you know is going to be the next best thing, but now what?

I was fortunate enough to attend the London PropTech show last month, which featured a wide range of innovative exhibitors showcasing the technologies that will shape the future of the property industry.

Despite the economic backdrop, there were over 3.8 million new business applications filed in the first three quarters of 2022, making us Brits keen for entrepreneurial action.