Against the backdrop of continued economic uncertainty, 106 new businesses were created every hour across Britain in the first half of 2024, according to research by iwoca – one of Europe’s largest SME lenders.

Sustainability is no longer a distant ideal for businesses – it’s a pressing priority and a transformative opportunity. In the face of environmental and economic challenges, a new report reveals how small businesses across the UK are embedding green practices into their operations. These businesses demonstrate how sustainability can drive innovation, strengthen communities, and ensure long-term success.

The TechWorks Annual Awards ceremony served as a platform to celebrate excellence in the dynamic technology sector, highlighting innovation and individual achievements across this globally significant industry.

As the festive season unwraps, new research from monday.com, the multi-product platform that runs all core aspects of work, reveals that UK employees are challenging the traditional year-end slowdown. A survey of 1,343 UK workers reveals that the majority (89%) remain productive during the holiday period, with over one in two (55%) reporting a surge in output driven by approaching year-end deadlines (25%) and a motivation to finish the year strong (30%).

Imagine finishing university, unsure if your degree aligns with your passions, struggling to navigate the job market, or simply wondering what you truly like or dislike. On top of that, making new friends or meaningful connections feels more daunting than ever.

A new poll has found that almost seven in 10 small and medium-sized businesses struggle to find new recruits with adequate skills. The Attitudes to Work study, conducted by an independent research firm, surveyed 525 business professionals at SME companies across various industries. It was commissioned by coworking company, The Brew.

New research from Xero, the global small business platform, has found leaders of the UK’s smallest businesses (1-9 employees) and sole traders spend less than half (46%) of the working week on their core jobs. These businesses effectively aren’t starting work on primary responsibilities until 2:36pm on Wednesday, because they’re juggling non-core roles like IT, legal, admin, finance and cleaning. 

Mambu, a cloud banking platform, has announced the acquisition of Numeral, a French payment technology provider for banks and fintechs.

Christmas may be the season of giving, but new research from Pleo, surveying 1,000 UK working adults who incur expenses, reveals employees are unintentionally footing the bill for their bosses.

Oxford Ionics, a startup in trapped-ion quantum computing, has announced it is working together with Quanscient, a provider of multiphysics simulation software, and aerospace manufacturer Airbus to develop quantum simulations for computational fluid dynamics.

UK firms broadly support the Government’s employee rights agenda but accept that it will lead to increased people management cost and complexity.

New research from Cloudways, a managed hosting platform provider, has revealed that UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) could lose up to £2.7 billion in festive sales due to website errors and slow loading times. 

The 4th December saw some of the most inspirational female founders come together at the everywoman Entrepreneur Awards for an afternoon of celebration. Over 300 business leaders, founders, and supporters of female entrepreneurs came together to celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary women and their businesses.

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), part of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), has partnered with global innovation scaleup Wazoku to launch a crowdsourcing challenge that seeks a comprehensive telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) data link solution between a suborbital sounding rocket and a ground station.

OX Delivers, the UK e-mobility startup, has secured a $163 million contract to create its first franchise partner in East Africa, as part of its strategic vision to supercharge trade across the Global South.

The public is being urged to show support for small businesses this weekend as Small Business Saturday returns with a mission to deliver a vital boost for firms heading into another challenging winter. 

Lineage, the largest global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, has announced the winner of its Food Chain Innovation Challenge. Ryp Labs, the winner of the San Francisco regional event, was selected for its innovative solution for tackling postharvest food waste, securing the global grand prize of $50,000 and an invitation into a six-month, Lineage executive-led incubator programme.

Newly released research* reveals a troubling reality: UK employees are struggling with confidence in using AI at work, feeling under-trained yet eager to learn. 

The majority (85%) of finance leaders need a six-day work week to complete their tasks, causing stress and a general feeling of loss of control. That’s according to a survey by AccountsIQ, a provider of fully cloud-based accounting software, which surveyed 260 CFOs and finance leaders across the UK and Ireland.

The rapid adoption of AI is unlocking significant opportunities for organisations across the UK, enabling them to innovate, streamline operations, and compete on a larger scale. Yet, as businesses integrate AI into their operations, many face serious security risks for which they are often unprepared.