EIT Community RIS Hub in Ukraine and Sigma Software Labs, backed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, have launched the Ukrainian leg of the Startup World Cup competition. The regional winner will advance to the global Grand Finale in San Francisco in October 2024, vying for a $1,000,000 investment prize.

Global gaming and esports brand GIANTX (GX) has announced the acquisition of UK startup iTero Gaming, known for its AI coaching solutions for competitive gamers. This acquisition marks a significant milestone for the gaming and technology industries, emphasising the integration of AI in esports.

Wiz, a cybersecurity startup, has turned down a $23 billion (£18 billion) takeover offer from Google’s parent company, Alphabet, opting instead for a stock market flotation. This deal would have marked Alphabet's largest acquisition to date.

According to a recent market report, 68% of tourists value sustainability positively and want tools to make decisions about the environmental impact of their trips. This is just one sign that the travel industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation with a focus on sustainability. This is reflected in hotels, which are integrating “green” technology in their rooms; the commitment to promoting the circular economy in travel; and an increase in travelers' awareness of the care and respect for the places they visit.

A recent SME insights report by Dojo, a specialist in card payments for independent and enterprise businesses, has highlighted a concerning trend: approximately 110,940 SMEs are at risk of insolvency due to depleted cash reserves.

Starting today, UK businesses can take advantage of Lightyear's new business accounts, enabling them to earn interest and invest their cash through the platform.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the owner and producer of CES, the world’s most powerful tech event, is announcing a new partnership with the European Commission’s European Innovation Council (EIC) for this year’s CES Unveiled in Amsterdam. This partnership will help identify breakout technologies from across Europe to be showcased at the event taking place in the Beurs van Berlage on October 15, 2024. The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy has also renewed its long-standing partnership with CES Unveiled in Amsterdam to demonstrate the groundbreaking innovations from the Netherlands.
 

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the owner and producer of CES, the world’s most powerful tech event, is paving the way to CES 2025 with its robust fall event schedule, new exhibitors, updated CTA and CES branding—including a new CES website—and acclaimed programming.

David Yeudall, a former principal mechanical engineer at a UK prosthetics company, has made notable advancements in developing upper limb prosthetics that are more comfortable, functional, and affordable. His work has been supported by Heriot-Watt University's DeepTech LaunchPad programme.

The Feria del Campo 4.0 – Expo Agritech 2024 will debut in Malaga, Spain, from 26th to 28th November, introducing the inaugural AgriTech Startup Forum, a competition for entrepreneurs.

Weavr has announced the acquisition of a European e-money licence, marking a significant milestone for both the company and the embedded finance industry. This licence, granted by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) after an extensive review of Weavr’s unique operating model, is set to boost the adoption of embedded finance by B2B SaaS businesses.

Nine trailblazing British startups are set to collaborate with Digital Catapult, the BBC, and Amazon Web Services (AWS) to drive innovation in the UK's creative industries. Each startup will receive £50,000 to develop AI-powered prototypes aimed at revolutionising creative production and addressing key industry challenges, ultimately boosting the UK's creative economy.

The Hustle Awards 2024 brought the startup industry together to celebrate some of the brightest talent within the ecosystem.

The Sustainability Group, creators of the FuturePlus sustainability management and ESG reporting platform, has surpassed its funding targets in its latest 7-figure upround. This success comes through follow-on and new investments from Two Magnolias, high net worth individuals, and family offices.

Storyblok, the content management system (CMS) designed for all team types, recently revealed that Octopus Energy has adopted its platform to streamline content management and reduce reliance on developers.

A recent survey conducted by workspace provider infinitSpace revealed significant trends among 250 UK office landlords.

Fireblocks, an easy-to-use platform for building blockchain applications and managing digital asset operations, announces the launch of Fireblocks for Startups, a suite of self-service tools designed specifically for startups to easily build blockchain-based products.

NEC X, the Silicon Valley innovation accelerator backed by NEC’s advanced technologies, has announced the graduation of Chekable from its prestigious Elev X! Ignite venture studio programme, in addition to a new investment from NEC X to help scale Chekable’s transformative AI solution for inventors and patent professionals.

Vanta, the pioneering trust management platform, announces that it has raised a $150 million Series C funding round at a valuation of $2.45 billion.

New Native Inc’s platform, lablab.ai, dedicated to promoting AI innovation, has announced its support for AI71, an AI company launched by Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) and VentureOne. Together, they are organising a hackathon featuring the Falcon Large Language Models.