Barclays has today launched a toolkit to help small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK get back on their feet as they navigate the uncertainty created by coronavirus.

WeWALK, the startup that has developed a smart cane for the visually impaired, has completed its first fundraising of £600,000 from a group of investors across Europe who responded to the “WeWALK Together” social impact message and story. 

The on-demand laundry app, Laundrapp, recently acquired by group collective Inc & Co, has launched a targeted online campaign. The creative, produced by Manchester based digital agency Neon, will be featured on the UK’s most popular website for parents, Mumsnet.

Web archiving and monitoring solutions provider, MirrorWeb, has been selected to join the Microsoft ScaleUp programme, an exclusive initiative which grants a small number of high growth companies access to Microsoft’s sales, marketing and technical support.

A HOSPITALITY tech start-up is offering bar, restaurant and casual dining owners a way of introducing safe, contactless customer interaction to comply with social distancing guidelines. ePOS Hybrid has been working on developing new software to help the beleaguered hospitality industry rebuild from the Coronavirus pandemic since lockdown began.

The global workplace stress management market size is expected to reach $11.3bn by 2025, rising at a market growth of 8.5% CAGR between now and then, while the global workplace wellness market, which was valued at $46.08bn in 2018, is growing just as rapidly and is expected to reach $74bn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 6.1%. However, BioSelf Technology, a UK startup headquartered in London, on Harley Street, has developed a pioneering, clinically validated, wearable device to combat the growing stress pandemic.

Startups faced with an entirely new trading environment are being encouraged to use the next 100 days to carefully align their shifting commercial goals with an effective approach to IP or risk being left behind by innovative competitors.

Mayku's desktop factory is turbocharging Britain's creative businesses by enabling rapid design, prototyping and high-quality production. Co-Founder and CEO of Mayku, Alex Smilansky, discusses the efforts to support businesses amidst the pandemic, and comments on Mayku's 100% month on month growth in lockdown.

Earlier this month, the UN warned of global mental health crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic. As the world is returning to 'new normal', serial entrepreneurs and key figures from the real estate and venture capital industries opened up in a conversation around surviving a crisis and channelling trauma into strength.

One World Express has commissioned an independent survey among over 900 decision-makers within UK businesses to explore how they are responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

The number of businesses with a positive outlook for the next 12 months exceeds the number with a negative outlook for the first time, in the clearest sign yet that parts of the economy are slowly springing to life, according to the latest wave of the Opinium-Cebr Business Distress Tracker.

OurCrowd, a crowdfunded-venture investment platform, has announced the launch of its Pandemic Innovation Fund. The Fund plans to raise $100m for investment in urgent technological solutions for the medical, business, educational and social needs triggered by global pandemics and other health emergencies.

Startup Zhiyun, the world’s most popular gimbal brand for cameras and smartphones, has announced the launch of the SMOOTH-X smartphone gimbal. SMOOTH-X is a stylish palm-sized foldable gimbal that weighs only 246g and easily fits into your bag – or even your pocket. With the new dedicated ZY Cami app, SMOOTH-X provides new ways to capture and create stories. Unfold your world with foldable SMOOTH-X – it is a whole new spin on the gimbal. 

Leadoo Marketing Technologies (Leadoo MT) has launched its new platform to help UK SMEs update their marketing strategy, fight back in the current business climate and set themselves up for future proofing their business.

Eleven startup companies from Bristol’s world-leading tech scene have been announced to pitch and demo their innovative products at SETsquared Bristol’s Tech-Xpo 2020.

Sage has published its SMB Tracker highlighting the latest sentiment from the UK’s small and medium sized businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Almond Impact is overfunding, having surpassed their funding goal of £500,000 in a pre-launch crowdfund which has so far attracted over 400 investors. 

An entrepreneurial mum of three, from Preston, who’s a domestic abuse survivor, is on a mission to have ‘done her bit’ during COVID-19 to raise funds for Women's Aid & galop, by streaming a charity event 'The Big Festoon' from her bedroom on 5th June.

As employees return to work, UK businesses are likely to face a backlog of annual leave requests that could cost thousands of pounds. By collecting data and analysing the average monthly salary at a baseline at £2,214 and at least 50% of employee annual leave owed, Coworking Specialists Instant Offices have calculated how much it would cost for companies of different sizes to pay staff for a minimum of two weeks of annual leave.

Are you looking for the latest on the 2022, Hustle Awards? We have a website with all the details right here. 

Every issue, every event, practically every day we come across so many amazing startups, founders, teams and general amazing people. And although we love to champion and expose them as much as we possibly can through our magazine, we decided we wanted to do more to celebrate these people.