In today's digitally interconnected world, startups have emerged as promising ventures with innovative ideas and potential for rapid growth. However, they also face significant challenges, and one of the most threatening issues is cyberattacks.

At Santander we’re committed to investing in the innovators of the future, connecting them with the right people to grow their business ideas. For the last 13 years we’ve run an annual entrepreneurship awards programme which is now recognised as one of the UK’s largest early-stage business pitching competitions.

Once they find a consistent and successful revenue stream, many small businesses ‘settle’ and become reluctant to look for new avenues to growth. While consistency is good, relying on one income stream comes with many risks –the Covid-19 pandemic is a prime example of how a business can become compromised overnight.

A survey conducted by Open Energy Market of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) at small businesses in the UK has shed light on a significant shift in the business landscape. CFOs are increasingly recognising the importance of sustainability projects and the positive impact they can have on both financial performance and long-term success.

Two entrepreneurs are excited to announce the launch of a new business and website, Warmable.co.uk.

Working in a startup is an exhilarating and challenging experience, filled with opportunities for growth and innovation. However, the dynamic and fast-paced nature of startup life can also have significant implications for one's personal life, including their marriage. 

While it may seem wise to cut back on spending during a business cycle contraction, counterintuitive moves can prove to be the most profitable. During economically uncertain times, as a demand shock occurs and spending drops to a minimum, businesses tend to cut their budgets, especially their marketing expenditures.

John Russell, the former Managing Director of Harley-Davidson Europe, was once asked by a journalist, “How’s the motorcycle business going?”

Welcome, fellow e-commerce enthusiasts! In this guide we aim to assist in crafting an optimal customer journey online - so your shoppers feel as though they're shopping in paradise online.

Machine learning helped Waseem Alshikh plough through textbooks in college. Now he’s putting generative AI to work, creating content for hundreds of companies.

Welcome, fellow e-commerce enthusiasts! In this guide we aim to assist in crafting an optimal customer journey online - so your shoppers feel as though they're shopping in paradise online.

I believe the culture of innovation in the UK is something quite unique. Other than its thriving financial and business service sectors, the country has nurtured over 70 unicorns over the past 20 years.

Embracing sustainability as a startup is not only a responsible decision for the environment but can also contribute to your business's long-term success and reputation. The concept of sustainability has transcended its status as a buzzword, and has transformed into a fundamental ethos that drives businesses towards responsible practices, long-term viability, and positive societal influence.

AI has emerged as a prominent focal point in the minds of startup businesses in 2023. The remarkable advancements in AI are impossible to overlook, capturing global attention and dominating headlines worldwide. Around 15% of all businesses have adopted at least one AI technology, which translates to 432,000 companies.

Launching a startup is difficult to say the least. Common thought is that the average time it takes for a company to begin turning a profit is three years – and some of the largest companies today have been through the so called “valley of death” – when a startup is still generating negative cash flow.

When an idea begins to take shape, it often exists as a vision within an entrepreneur's mind, a business plan breathes life into this vision by converting thoughts into goals and objectives. It compels entrepreneurs to dive into market research analyse industries meticulously and gain insights about customers. Through this process clarity emerges, transforming what once seemed elusive into a defined path.

Studies have shown that micromanagement has a detrimental effect on employees – the Journal of Experimental Psychology reported that employees who feel they are being micromanaged perform at a much lower level.

In the dynamic world of startups, many embark on their entrepreneurial journey driven by a compelling idea and unwavering passion. Teams invest their valuable resources—time, money, and talented individuals—wholeheartedly into bringing that idea to life. However, the unproven road they tread carries inherent risks and uncertainties. Is it truly worth sacrificing one's life savings and devoting endless hours to an idea that may not yield the desired outcomes?

One of the things you need to set in motion as an early part of your journey is set up the indicators you will use to measure progress and ensure that lessons are continuously captured as new iterations of your product or service emerge.

It seems strange to me that a parent, teacher or family friend will ask a young child, often just four or five, a grown-up question: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ Perhaps one in 100 kids will go on to become a firefighter, a doctor or an astronaut, but do we really expect someone so young to have the clarity required to answer that question?

There’s a lot of advice out there on how to be a great public speaker, from articles, to podcasts, to conference talks about how to deliver a conference talk, but there are many challenges to navigate before you even get on stage.

It was 1961 when computer scientist John McCarthy stood in front of MIT's audience and famously foretold the future of computing — one where it would be sold like a utility, similar to electricity or water.

Once upon a time a cricketing legend called Kumar Sangakkara co-founded a tech company and creative entertainment studio, called Behaviol. Along the way he met a visionary called Chris Ebeling, and together, they are recreating the genre of sports entertainment.

Feel like you might be missing something? Show you mean business with a professional website. You wouldn’t run a business without a plan for growth, so don’t run your business without a website and professional email address.

Mark Zuckerberg. Bill Gates. Jeff Bezos. What do they all have in common? Aside from being billionaires, they all had a background in tech before launching their startups. In fact, their technical expertise formed the bedrock of their future companies.

There are many things to consider when setting up a tech startup. From software to office use and design, plus having a sound business plan in place, the to-do list is likely to be long in the early stages.

In today's fast-paced and data-driven workplaces, striking the right balance between being fair and understanding towards employees is crucial for a thriving work environment. With the increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in various aspects of business, employee performance assessment and wellbeing initiatives are undergoing significant changes. In this article, we will explore how AI can enhance fair assessments while highlighting the importance of empathy in creating a supportive and happy workplace for employees.

There is little sign of relief on the horizon for the hard-hit UK consumer, with UK inflation coming in hotter than expected at 8.7% in May.

A Gov UK survey, published in April 2023, revealed that 32% of businesses have suffered a security breach or cyber attack in the last twelve months.

Since the days of silent movies, Los Angeles has been synonymous with Hollywood and creating great cinema. But red carpets and dazzling spotlights are no longer the only art form claiming authority over Tinseltown. Since the name Silicon Valley was penned in the 1970s, the tech world has also been making a name for itself in this sun-soaked city.

The brain is the most complex part of the human body. It has 86 billion neurons that allow people to feel, taste, smell, and see. It controls thoughts and memories, interprets emotions, and makes sense of the world around us. And, in cases of extreme emotions or pain, it can even disassociate from a situation as a protective mechanism.

The UK economy suffers a loss of £1.5 billion every year due to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) skills shortages, and the future of engineering has never been more important. With a shortage of 173,000 workers, 49% of engineering businesses are struggling to recruit skilled workers.

Looking for a place where your tech obsessed brain can flourish? Enter: Techspace.

Startups and small businesses usually thrive on innovation. But what if they could apply novelty to their marketing efforts? The Metaverse is a growing marketing tool for companies worldwide. While it may seem like a domain reserved for large corporations, startups can also capitalise on it to enhance their marketing strategies, offer immersive audience engagement, and extend their brand in virtual reality (VR).

Infused with the power of Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Nigel Lombard, CEO and Founder of Peppercorn – the world’s first conversational AI insurance assistant – is shaking up the future of motor insurance in a way that is benefitting everyone.

Olly McGinn, Co-founder of HomeViews, an independent platform showcasing London's best residential developments, allowing prospective buyers and tenants to read, and users to post, verified reviews, to ensure trust and transparency.

Regina Lau, Chief Financial Officer at Weavr.io, a plug-and-play finance solutions enabling businesses to integrate any financial service anywhere their customers need it.

Isn’t it funny how two opposing things can be true at the same time … ?

So, when it’s said ‘there’s never been a better time’ to start a business as a woman, that’s absolutely true, and the stats show us that more women than ever are taking that bold leap into entrepreneurship to start something of their very own …

Europe needs to lead not just on purpose but both in tech and capital if we want to seize the opportunity of the next decade to bring a huge positive social and economic impact to the continent.

Microsoft UK supports startup scaleups, software companies, digital native businesses – you name it! – across each stage of their life cycle and makes sure that startups, in particular, have the right pathways to learn and leverage the best that the company has to offer.

Meet Sarah Malter, the entrepreneur behind Kapitalise and Creative Adversity. Hailing from New York, Sarah's upbringing around technology and her passion for performance paved the way for her diverse educational journey, which led her to the world of fintech, female founders, and entrepreneurship.

Within four hours of travel from London lies a burgeoning ecosystem of climate talent, technology and investment that spans the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

When the UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said that teachers are more important than screens, she brought up an old debate about digital versus human educators. Good education isn't about choosing between technology and teachers - teachers all over the world use technology to enhance their teaching.

A culture that scales is driven by a great vision, inclusivity and finding and retaining great people, but, most importantly (and first), it is about a growth mindset. That is where a culture that scales begins.

As the University of Southampton’s on-campus start-up accelerator, our goal at Future Worlds is to help researchers and students transform their ideas into globally scalable and impactful tech startups providing them with the tools, skills, and enabling environment they need to become successful founders.

Networking: a dreaded activity for some, an enjoyable afterwork outing for others. But networking, when used effectively, can be the secret ingredient to helping you and your startup. We have complied five tips to help you succeed at networking.

At first, they might seem like uncomfortable bedfellows, but strategy and creativity combined are a potent force for business growth. In fact, innovative strategies are usually born of creative thinking, says Stephen Izatt, MD of brand consultancy Thinkfarm.

It’s no secret that cryptocurrency and other digital assets are becoming more popular, providing an opportunity for organisations worldwide to use this innovative technology to their advantage.

Businesses across various industries are benefitting from digitisation in multiple forms and are taking advantage of ever-developing technologies. And with the Government’s digital strategy paving the way for more businesses to transform and become resilient in competitive markets, an increasing number of companies are getting involved.

One of my biggest achievements in life has been climbing to the top of Kilimanjaro. On reflecting on this experience recently when chatting to a client about overcoming challenges, I realised there were many lessons I’d learnt on this experience that I can relate to business.

Sprive is an app that can save you £000s by helping you pay off your mortgage faster and making sure you’re always on the best deal. And it’s completely free!

Calling all Mancunians! If you’re looking for a co-working space "up North", then look no further than Colony. With five locations situated around the city and a sixth opening in May 2023, Colony was founded in August 2017 to provide an optimal work environment for self-employed individuals, startups and small businesses.

Summertime can be a challenging time for small businesses in the children’s ed-tech trade. As fewer people are out and about and families go on holiday, footfall tends to decrease, website visits are less frequent and acquiring new leads becomes more difficult.

“How is it lunchtime already?” A familiar phrase echoing around the office around the midday hours. It often feels like by the time you can finally get through all the admin, emails and calls to make time for value-adding activities, the end of day is nearing. And for SMBs, time can feel even more precious, with thinking time crucial for planning, strategising and innovating in a hotly competitive market.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has quickly become a presence, in the business world fuelling innovation simplifying operations and enhancing efficiency. Its capacity to analyse data, make informed choices and acquire knowledge through experience has proven to be an invaluable resource for companies in diverse sectors.

Have you ever considered the potentially tricky world of FinTech compliance? Read on to learn about some common aspects that should be considered before entering the market.

Charac believe that a holistic approach and rapid digitisation will help independent pharmacies safeguard their businesses and create new revenue sources amid pressure from the NHS. The platform enables pharmacies to digitise current processes by providing repeat prescription and consultations via phone, video, desktop, or mobile.

RTP Global is an early-stage venture capital firm backing the founders who use technology to reimagine how the world works. Startups had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Pavlov, Partner, Europe, RTP Global.

Will Polston, author of North Star Thinking explains how understanding your own values and drivers can help leaders discover their ‘genius zone’, where inspiration trumps all other drivers.

At a time when we find ourselves in the middle of a climate emergency as well as the ever-looming net-zero targets on the not-too-distant horizon, it is no wonder that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations have skyrocketed to the top of the agenda for boards around the world.

Organisations are already investing significantly in digital technologies centred around data, with the goal of streamlining processes and transforming efficiency. The current trajectory indicates that up to 70% of companies will adopt some form of data science or AI by 2030.

ChatGPT is receiving an estimated 96 million visitors per month. According to Statista, in business applications the AI-powered chatbot is most commonly used by technical and educational organisations.

The first time I laid eyes on artificial intelligence, it was like looking at a shiny new toy with a gazillion instructions. Mighty promising, but not so easy to master. Now, with chatbots being more than just a tech buzzword, we've got ChatGPT shaking things up in the digital bazaar. If you're a CEO or a VP aiming to ride the digital wave, this is your surfboard.

Startups was lucky enough to interview Jay Dodds, co-founder of new dating app BONKERS about all things online dating, safety, and what the future holds. Bonkers is the first UK app to welcome people of all sexual orientations to search for both casual fun and long term dating whilst integrating personal safety technology into its user experience.

Tomislav Lang is the Founder and CEO of Flyv (Flyvbird GmbH), a tech aviation startup that is focused on making sustainable air mobility easy and accessible for everyone.

In today's fast-paced and changeable landscape, cutting through chaos is essential for a business to maintain its competitive edge. Disruption and uncertainty pose significant challenges, making it crucial for businesses to find the right ways to navigate the changing landscape.

Caro Syson, entrepreneur, business coach and founder of Pocket PA, shares her insights on how to kick-start a successful business with the St. James’s Place Financial Adviser Academy

We've all heard the headlines that Zuckerberg's new social media channel spells the end of Twitter. That the further monopolisation of Meta will provide even greater opportunities for micro-personalisation. That it also brings a new host of data privacy concerns with it too.

Businesses within nearly every industry are already reaping the benefits of strategic automation and, increasingly, we are seeing the public sector follow in the footsteps of their private sector counterparts.

On the back of a momentous start to 2023, embedded banking platform BankiFi has denounced three common myths around a new breed of digital only neobanks that continue to persist despite ample evidence to dispel them.

Don’t Buy Her Flowers is founded on thoughtfulness. The core idea is to create thoughtful gifts, and our customers are conveying empathy in sending one of our gift boxes.

The latest trend to haunt the hybrid world has been dubbed ‘productivity theatre’. This is basically when your people are faking it at work. The term covers a range of dodges to make it look like you’re busy when you’re not. It has its origins in work arounds to dupe technology which monitors activity in the digital world.

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a major turning point for AI. For years, virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Home, were widely scrutinised for their inability to process complex tasks and huge scope for inaccuracies.

In times of economic uncertainty, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may contemplate reducing their prices to attract cost-conscious consumers in search of a bargain. However, this short-term tactic may prove unsustainable in the present economic climate and prior to cutting prices, businesses should focus on customer acquisition and loyalty.

"Achieving large-scale impact in education has been much more difficult than in public health,” remarked Bill Gates during the 2023 ASU+GSV keynote conversation with Jessie Woolley-Wilson. In doing so, he revealed a public secret: the scale and effectiveness of EdTech have an inverse relationship.

Top tips from the newly crowned Toastmasters International UK Public Speaking champion to help you increase your confidence as a public speaker as you represent your startup.

E-commerce has developed at rapid pace in recent years. Rather than being a nice-to-have for startups, an online presence is now a vital revenue stream for many emerging businesses.

Fancy streaming ultra-HD video on multiple devices at once? Or downloading an entire music album in under a minute? Or, perhaps, your growing business needs instantaneous access to voice and video calls without any lag time.

For criminals, the size of your business does not matter, there is nothing small about small businesses.

Is your business operating as efficiently as it could be? For smaller businesses and startups, maximising efficiency can be the difference between surviving and thriving.

Sustainability has become a top priority for many consumers, and retailers are responding. Shopping centres, convenience stores, retailers, and supermarket chains are transitioning to greener and more sustainable operations.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to make strides in various industries, the potential for transforming healthcare seems more promising than ever.

FemTech Lab is a global ecosystem supporting early-stage startups in female health and wellness. Passionate about accelerating fair healthcare for all women around the world, and to ultimately help women reach their full potential through better understanding their bodies and cyclic nature.

In today's era of Digital Transformation, cyber security has become a fundamental aspect for businesses. As organisations embrace electronic processes to streamline operations, enhance communication, and improve customer experience, the need for robust cyber security measures is paramount.

Technical debt is common. In fact, the average organisation spends 23%–42% of its development time on clearing technical debt, which is effectively the re-working of solutions when quick fixes have failed. 

Terms like ‘environmentally sustainable’, ‘eco-friendly’, and ‘fair trade’ have become part of everyday conversations.

Startups are afraid of cyberattacks – here is why they should not let this fear paralyse them.  

In today's business landscape, small businesses need every advantage they may get to thrive and stay competitive. This is where the power of artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play. Practical applications of AI for small businesses and AI-powered tools may revolutionize efficiency, elevate customer experiences, and empower intelligent decision-making.

Startups Magazine Deputy Editor, Anna Wood, attended MOVE, the tech mobility and startups show. Alongside all the exciting products on display, and the many interesting startups the team had the pleasure of speaking to, was the highly anticipated conference agenda.

For more than 40 years, NI (formerly National Instruments) has developed automated test and measurement systems that help engineers solve some of the world’s toughest challenges.

Growing up in the United States with Swedish parents, I have been constantly plagued with one, violently irritable, question: “How’s Switzerland?!”

In the early stages of launching a new product or service, startups often face resource constraints that limit their ability to invest in dedicated UX research.

Tony Chocolonely, the ethical chocolate brand, recently hit the headlines for introducing a ‘golden share’ mechanism to their business to protect the company’s ethical strategy.

I will surely not throw a “news bomb” here by saying that venture capital fundraising marketing is going through a bad patch. Yet, some statistics never hurt.

In today's digital age, data privacy and security are of utmost importance for all businesses, including startups. According to research, cyber-attacks against small and medium businesses in the UK soared by 15% in 2022, with more than half (54%) of SMEs experiencing some form of cyber-attack last year, up from 39% in 2020. The findings also uncover that 18% of SMEs said their business was not protected with cybersecurity software.

Inflation and supply chain disruptions have had a cascading effect on bottom lines, particularly impacting small to medium businesses (SMBs).

Data is a crucial asset for companies, especially startups. And accurate analysis of this data is equally important as they drive relevant strategies.

Jargon, buzz words, and constant technical developments can leave businesses overwhelmed with choice when it comes to selecting a communications system. In a digital age, using a comprehensive phone system is crucial to remaining competitive. But how do businesses decide which one is right for them?