Launching a startup is one of the most challenging steps you’re going to take in your professional life. But it will be worth it if you play your cards right. Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the way SMBs operate, but as a startup you need to consider many other challenges that lie between you and long-term success.

We are entering a new phase of climate-aligned investing. At COP26 last month, green investment was a cornerstone of conversation and debate, with innovation and technology highlighted as crucial mechanisms for tackling climate change. Now - more than ever - investment communities of all shapes and sizes are expected to back startups that are not only committed to sustainability and a zero-carbon economy, but are also using innovation to actively solve the climate crisis.

As our world becomes more interconnected, so too does the need for banking systems to follow suit. In the past, businesses and individuals were often restricted to banking in a single country, but the rise of borderless banking is enabling both to benefit from greater financial freedoms. In this article, we will examine why this trend is so important and explain how Fintech companies are helping to make it possible. 

According to research, 38% of startups fail in the UK each year because they run out of cash or fail to raise new capital.

The launch of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) in 2012 was a game changer for startups across the UK. Launching a company from the ground up is a difficult endeavour but the new tax benefits, which encouraged investment in small and potentially riskier enterprises, were a boon for investors and business owners alike.

I always say that numbers speak for themselves. So it’s doubtful that these numbers will surprise female founders anywhere. Pitchbook data from earlier this year showed that, despite record levels of capital invested in Europe, female founders received just 0.7% of the total funding - €400m (about $473m). The picture isn’t much more encouraging in the US; last year, female-only founded companies garnered 2.2% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups.

AQRU, an incubator specialising in decentralised finance (DeFi), announced that it has acquired Bison Exchange UAB (Bison), a blockchain technology company registered in Lithuania, for a cash consideration of €30,000.

International Women’s Day shines a light on the amazing work of women across multiple industries. However, it also serves as an important reminder that a lack of diversity remains an ongoing issue, especially within the venture capital industry.

Wednesday 9th March sees the launch of the latest iteration of the UK Government G-Cloud.

Chargebacks are a thorn in the side of merchants across all verticals. Here we take a look into the root causes of chargebacks, and how you can best defend your business against potential losses.

Research and development (R&D) tax relief was introduced by the government in the year 2000 to encourage UK company investment into innovative projects. Serving as a lucrative tax incentive, the scheme is open to any UK company that’s registered for Corporation Tax, regardless of size or sector. However, there’s still a widely held and outdated assumption that R&D only happens in science labs or ‘techie companies’ which simply isn’t the case.

Of all the areas of starting and scaling a business that most founders are unsure of it is raising finance. For some, the questions are more basic, whilst for others the questions can be more detailed. Perhaps two of the reasons why there are always so many questions about raising finance is that it is so important for the future growth of the business and indeed that it is such a complex area.

International Women’s Day may have taken place a few weeks ago on the 8th of March, but that doesn’t mean the conversation has to stop there. It is so important that although we highlight this day and all it stands for, we take this further and action all these thoughts and ideas.

R&D is a valuable relief the UK government offers in order to incentivise businesses to innovate and enhance productivity. The scheme is widely underutilised and over the course of several budgets the Chancellor of the Exchequer has sought to widen the scope for claiming this relief.  The most recent changes he made will be implemented from April 2023.

Economies around the world are in the throes of sky-high inflation. Interest rates are creeping up. There is a historic crisis in Europe, energy prices are rocketing, and supply chains are clogged. It’s a scary time to start a business. 

– Amcor, who develop and produce responsible packaging solutions, announced the launch of Amcor Lift-Off, an open-call initiative aimed at supporting seed stage startups that are focused on innovative packaging solutions and related technologies. Amcor Lift-Off offers these startups a chance to secure an investment of $250,000, as well as operational guidance, to take their ideas to the next level.

Fumopay, known as ‘fumo’ is on a mission to demonstrate that technology innovation within the banking and financial services sector can have a direct impact on the lives of our young generation to help them become financially savvy, in a somewhat desperate attempt to help people avoid unnecessary personal debt.

European deeptech is enjoying a bit of a moment. Startups working in deeptech - translating new knowledge into tangible technology to address significant business and societal needs - account for close to a quarter of the continent’s startup ecosystem. And in 2021, that ecosystem invested a record $100B of capital.

It has often been said that cash is king. This does not of course mean cash itself, but the phrase refers to a company’s cash flow and how it manages the flows of payments into and out of the business. Ultimately, turnover, and even profitability, are secondary in importance to cash flow.

The £12.09 million Digital Growth Grant will help tech start-ups and scale-ups tackle the challenges facing small firms and open up access to skills training and advice.