Angela Prentner-Smith, a dynamic entrepreneur from Glasgow, is set to reshape the e-learning sector with her new venture, Neve Learning. This cloud-based edtech platform aims to foster a more inclusive and forward-thinking educational landscape.

According to iwoca’s latest Q2 2024 SME Expert Index, nearly three-quarters (73%) of SME finance brokers are optimistic about the future of small businesses. The survey reflects a positive shift in outlook among brokers for the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs, with optimism up 3 percentage points from Q1 2024 and 6 points from Q4 2023. Only 8% of brokers express pessimism about the business environment.

Opportunity North East (ONE) has teamed up with Barclays Eagle Labs and CodeBase to launch the EnergyTech Bridge Programme, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting businesses in expanding into new markets, scaling internationally, and driving innovation in the transition to cleaner, greener energy through digital technology.

iDenfy, a Lithuania-based RegTech solutions provider best known for its variety of KYC tools, has launched a new Face Authentication service. The new technology is designed to detect fraudulent biometrics and add extra protection without unnecessary friction to the end user.

Wayve, a startup specialising in Embodied AI for autonomous driving, has announced a strategic partnership with Uber, the global mobility and delivery platform.

Cue, a provider of customer service software, has launched its highly anticipated AI Agents. Following its $2 million raise earlier this year, this innovation by Cue empowers businesses to automate routine inquiries, personalise customer interactions, and deliver exceptional service at scale. 

GoDaddy has introduced GoDaddy Airo, a generative AI tool tailored to assist small businesses in the UK with quickly establishing and enhancing their online presence.

According to recent forecasts from Gartner, global cybersecurity spending is expected to surge by over 15% in 2025, reaching an unprecedented $212 billion. This substantial increase is primarily fueled by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and a growing demand for cloud and consultancy services.

British FinTech, Lemon, which specialises in SaaS finance for SMB’s has announced a strategic partnership with WiserFunding, a pioneer in alternative data for credit risk assessment.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that OpenAI is in talks to raise a new funding round that would value the AI startup at more than $100 billion.

Latitude59, the premier startup and technology event in the Baltic States, is expanding its global footprint by hosting a satellite event in Nairobi, Kenya. This move comes after a record-breaking event in May that drew over 4,000 participants from more than 60 countries to Tallinn, Estonia.

House My Pet, a platform that has long been a trusted resource for pet owners seeking reputable pet care services, has announced its transformation into a non-profit organisation. This significant shift aligns with its deep-rooted commitment to animal welfare and reflects its mission to create a more compassionate, safe, and supportive environment for pets everywhere.

A recent study has highlighted a significant gap between the enthusiasm for AI innovation and the infrastructure needed to support it. Despite 91% of tech leaders recognising AI as a crucial opportunity to transform their organisations, many are unprepared for the demands it will place on their systems.

Capgemini has announced an agreement to acquire Syniti, a provider of enterprise data management software and services, including platform and migration solutions with a global presence. This acquisition will strengthen Capgemini’s data-driven offerings, particularly in large-scale SAP transformations, such as migrations to SAP S/4HANA.

GScan, an infrastructure deeptech startup, has launched its first international office in Cambridge, UK. The company specialises in advanced technology that utilises muons – subatomic particles akin to electrons – to detect and analyse defects within the built environment with remarkable precision, achieving accuracy down to 1 millimetre at depths of up to 10 metres.

Singtel and Nscale, an end-to-end AI Cloud platform, have unveiled a strategic partnership aimed at expanding GPU capacity across Europe and Southeast Asia. This collaboration seeks to address the surging global demand from enterprises for generative AI, high-performance computing, and data-intensive workloads.

Nine technology startups have been chosen to collaborate with four major train operators to drive innovation within the rail sector. Southeastern, Northern, LNER, and TransPennine Express have united under the Future Labs initiative to fast-track solutions to both longstanding and emerging challenges in the industry.

Buy now pay later fintech Klarna has announced that it is planning on axing almost half of its employees in the coming years, attributing these cuts to efficiencies gained through its investment in AI.

The EMERGE International Tech Conference is now accepting applications for the annual EMERGE STARTUP CHALLENGE, designed to help emerging markets’ startup founders gain visibility with global investors and fundraise. Over the past six years, EMERGE startups have raised over €30 million, with notable participants such as Vochi (now part of Pinterest) and AI Factory (now part of Snapchat). The winners will be announced and awarded by Founder Institute GCC, the world’s largest pre-seed startup accelerator on the EMERGE Founders’ Stage during the conference, which will take place in Yerevan on September 25-26.

The business sector has the fifth lowest tenure in the UK, according to a new study into employee retention. The ‘Employee Retention Report’, compiled by equity management platform, Vestd, analysed a total dataset of 398,006 employees from 1,400 UK companies on LinkedIn to determine the average median employee tenure across 14 industries.