The pandemic has caused significant disruption to communities, businesses and the economy on a scale that has never been experienced before. The economy shrank 20.4% between April and June as ongoing lockdown measures led the country into recession.

Despite COVID-19, the Swiss Market Entry Bootcamp happened yesterday in Zurich. Representatives of 40 startup companies from 20 countries worldwide, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Turkey, and numerous European countries, attended the kick-off event online and physically at the Kraftwerk Zurich.

The Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA), supported by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM), has urged Government to take action to save the high street, in a move that could safeguard thousands of jobs and add £2bn into the high street economy.

Vimcar, the fleet management software for small and medium-sized companies, has released new research into how new driving behaviour, adopted as a result of COVID-19, has impacted on the potential for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in SME fleets.

Aledia, a French startup that is pioneering a disruptive technology for microLED displays, has closed an €80m first tranche of its €120m D round financing. The company will use the proceeds to complete its product development and create the first-of-its-kind, high-volume 3D microLED manufacturing facility in the Grenoble area for an estimated capex of €40m (excluding equipment).

The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has published new guidance, ‘DMA Talent: Dyslexia Employer Guide’, created using insights from neurodiversity consultants, brands/employers, and dyslexic employees working across the creative, data and marketing industries.

Fintech startup, Vauban, has announced impressive growth plans to revolutionise alternative investment. Founded in 2018, Vauban brings game-changing technology to a sector where the fax machine is still used for fund allocations.

Our awareness of mental health issues has grown and become increasingly broad over the years. This awareness led us to identify a variety of challenges, which were largely unknown – if not ignored – in the past. 

Three Scottish tech for good entrepreneurs have been selected for the Startup Summit Competition final. The entrants will pitch for a top prize worth over £60,000 in front of 1,000 attendees at this year's online Startup Summit.

Clim8 Invest (Clim8), the digital investment platform to help consumers invest in companies focused on tackling the climate crisis, has announced the launch of a Crowdcube funding campaign.

James Endersby, CEO at Opinium said: “The loosening of restrictions over the summer allowed many businesses to make a start on the road to recovery - this has halted in September. The reimposition of restrictions for millions of people across the country has had a marked impact on the UK’s economic recovery, as well as the levels of optimism with regards to businesses’ future outlook."

A cohort of 18 women who are incubating their startups through SETsquared Bristol’s Enterprising Women programme, supported by NatWest, will showcase their new products and services at a blended pitching event on 27th October 2020.

Small and medium-sized companies from the UK’s health, beauty and wellness sectors could gain a big business boost in 2021, thanks to a new mentoring and marketing initiative from Seenit, the user-generated video company.

Momentum keeps building for Birmingham Tech Week, running digitally 12-16 October, as big-name partners and speakers are formally announced today (6 October 2020) from across the tech, business and political spectrum.

According to research from flexible office specialists, Workthere, 25-34-years-old are most likely to expect more flexibility in their typical working week in a post COVID-19 world.

To mark the start of the new academic year, OVHcloud is launching its 2020 Startup Program with applications open now.  Created in 2015, the programme has already supported more than 1,800 young companies around the world (including Ant Media and Global Data Sentinel) through an investment of over £5.5 million in infrastructure credits and development support. The launch of the 2020 programme reaffirms OVHcloud’s commitment to supporting young companies that put the cloud at the heart of their business model.

The unprecedented impact of the coronavirus pandemic has caused major disruptions between businesses, and those waiting for invoice payments have been left in the lurch. 

Allica Bank, the business bank dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized businesses to succeed, has continued its recent growth with a trio of senior fintech hires, strengthening its commitment to deliver expert banking for business Britain.

Nu Quantum has raised £2.1m in Seed funding in a round led by Amadeus Capital Partners. Ahren Innovation Capital, IQ Capital, Cambridge Enterprise and Martlet Capital have also followed-on from the company’s pre-Seed investment round last September, with Seraphim Capital joining as a new investor.

Global aerospace and defence accelerator, Starbust has announced its expansion into India to engage directly with vibrant local aerospace and defence startups and facilitate communication between aerospace and defence corporates and innovative startups within domestic and global landscapes.