And the Whatsapp ordeal is a cautionary tale for those who fail to recognise it. Since pretty much the beginning of human commerce, entrepreneurs have based their strategy around competing on two verticals, price and quality. Generally speaking, if your price is low, you’d expect the quality to also be low and vice versa.

With the unprecedented changes the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted on the world, the fintech industry has had to deal with navigating the challenging climate as well as providing many opportunities for businesses and consumers to review their financial options.

People across the country are being encouraged to show some love for small businesses as they face another challenging month in lockdown. With a government review of current restrictions not due until 22nd February, Small Business Britain issued the call ahead of this weekend’s Valentine’s Day.

Winners of the 3rd Global Finale of the Global Startup Awards, the world’s largest independent startup ecosystem competition, have been just announced on 27th January 2021. Global Startup Awards was founded in 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. 

Private capital raising platform, HUBX, today announced the completion of a £4.2m funding round with the closure of the second tranche of financing. European B2B technology venture fund Basinghall Partners, together with Barclays, ELITE and individual investors, participated in the fintech startup’s latest funding round.

Small firms are being urged not to miss the deadline for this year’s Small Awards, a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain, the annual awards have eleven unique categories across everything from longstanding family businesses and innovation-led startups, to social enterprise champions.

European Health-Tech Innovation Week, sponsored by GIANT Health, is taking place from 17-21 May 2021 and is five one day hybrid conferences and exhibitions across Europe’s leading healthcare innovation regions; successfully driving improved healthcare outcomes and business collaboration by showcasing and championing Europe’s best healthtech innovations.

OVHcloud today announced Sweden’s managed services provider Elastisys as an Advance Partner. This partnership will enable customers of both companies to access enterprise grade security-focused container services that are fully EU compliant.

Michelle Cowan and Bren Adams, the Founders behind Yorkshire-based tech start up, Justo Software and socialsendr, have launched a crowdfunding campaign via Go Fund Me to raise £25,000 to drive forward development of their second social media platform aimed at soletraders, freelancers and small businesses.

WeWork has launched Growth Campus, a new initiative aimed at giving a boost to the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The pandemic has presented a huge challenge for growth-companies: from startups to scaleups, to corporate incubation projects, the crisis has stifled momentum.

Wolves Summit has confirmed its return from 24th to 26th March 2021 in Warsaw with two days dedicated to startups, investors, and executives from the tech ecosystem. The hybrid format that made the two previous editions a success will be enriched with new digital experiences including multi-stage and matchmaking functionalities, an Investor Podium, dedicated Scaleup, Accelerator, and Community Partner Stages.

New research from Uswitch has revealed that crowdfunding sites have helped fund 6 million projects in the past year and are now central to many business plans. It is becoming more popular than ever around the world to use crowdfunding as an investment source for businesses. Not only does it have its financial benefits, using crowdfunding is a great way to gain visibility and build a customer base for startups.

Xero has launched a new matchmaking tool to match small business owners with the right accountant or bookkeeper based on their industry, maturity and growth expertise.

Low-cost wealth manager, InvestEngine is urging small businesses to consider stockmarket investing, as interest rates on banks' business accounts hit record lows. The average interest rate on instant-access business savings accounts is now just 0.06%, according to Bank of England data published this week.

OneTech, an organisation connecting London’s underrepresented communities with opportunities in tech startups, have today launched TryTech. The new online platform will help young people, aged 18-24, facing multiple disadvantages in the UK, to find motivation, develop their knowledge and skills towards a career in the technology and social enterprise sectors. The platform will be available in London first, before rolling out across the UK. 

Israel’s booming cannabis industry has recorded a significant achievement with the signing of the first of a kind genetics breeding deal. Israeli Agtech startup, RCK, which specialises in science-based cannabis genetics, signed an agreement with SeedTech, a Dutch seed company, for developing unique cannabis strains in the form of elite hybrid seeds.

Former joint venture and technical delivery partners of Delete have set up a new digital transformation business based out of Leeds and Romania following the acquisition of Delete’s shareholding. 

Ahead of the UK’s 2021 Budget and Economic Recovery Plan, new research from Sage has revealed the tough conditions that will be facing Small and Medium sized Businesses (SMEs) well into the second half of 2021. The research highlights how the latest lockdown has further divided the outlook of UK SMEs, with one-third worse off than November, one-third in a similar position and one-third better off.

With the shipping and logistics sector rapidly growing due to the growth of the e-commerce industry, the need for optimal packaging solutions is becoming more important than ever. The primary single use material used to secure pallets across Europe is stretch wrap but most businesses are moving towards more environmentally friendly and reusable packaging solutions.

Creative industries are under huge pressure caused by the pandemic. For the SMB sector, there’s never been a greater need to cut costs and futureproof themselves against further economic uncertainty in the coming months.