Wales Tech Week took off with a bang as industry leaders, innovators, investors, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts gathered at the ICC in Newport to explore the latest in technology and what it means for business and society.

Human by Design will be the motto of South Summit 2024, the annual meeting of the innovative ecosystem co-organised by IE University, which will take place from June 5 to 7, 2024 at La Nave in Madrid, and which has the institutional support of Spain Up Nation, the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council.

South Summit's Entrepreneurship Map 2023, developed in collaboration with IE University, highlights that the Spanish entrepreneurial ecosystem has consolidated the path to maturity thanks to the growing number of startups that accumulate more years of traction in the market, among other factors. In 2023, Spanish startups are on average 3.12 years old, when this statistic in 2019 reached 2.2 years. In addition, 17% of startups in Spain are already scaleups and 4% have a consolidated business.

From 18 to 20 October, more than 7,000 professionals will attend TIS2023 to discover the technological innovations that are transforming tourism into a more digital, sustainable and intelligent model.

Seraphim Space, known as Generation Space in the US, which runs the dedicated accelerator for startups in the global SpaceTech industry, has announced the companies participating in Mission 12.

New research from Twilio, the customer engagement platform that drives real-time, personalised experiences for today’s leading brands, shows that AI automation has emerged as the primary means by which businesses are looking to grow revenues and operate efficiently.

While the use of AI tools in the workplace is rapidly increasing, many organisations are lagging in providing guidance and training in the use of these technologies, according to new research by Ricoh Europe. This governance gap comes amidst growing interest within companies to implement automation solutions.   

Pharmaceutical manufacturing is the lynchpin to getting drug innovation to people. While compliance protocols are key to ensuring the smooth operation of the industry, they are beset by processes that are not fit for purpose and are hindering their ability to deliver life-saving drugs faster.

Swedish market intelligence and search startup MyTelescope has released a new AI platform that uses search data to predict opportunities, market trends, future sales and market share with an accuracy of 83%. The platform is designed for forecasting and steering business decisions with market intelligence.

The new UK government-funded Property Advice Service has launched to support SMEs with commercial property-related issues, across all London boroughs until March 2025.

UK technology pioneers are collaborating to launch a solution to help accelerate digital adoption amongst small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to help boost the nation’s productivity, it has been announced.

Catalyst has launched its Co-Founders programme, inviting people with passion, drive and ambition to come together to create startups that could change the world.

UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) signalled a decline in business activity and new work during September, according to the latest NatWest survey of businesses employing less than 250 employees.

Tech Nation will officially relaunch, with plans to work with the government as an “independent voice for founders” to provide tech entrepreneurs access to the knowledge and communities they need to be successful in the rapidly growing industry, set to take place on Monday 16th October.

Techstars and The Ohio State University are partnering to bring a new accelerator programme to drive growth in Columbus and the greater region by investing in the most promising software startups and innovators.

Stackt, a technology startup developing innovative moving and storage systems, raises a seven-figure sum from a group of investors in a new round. Thanks to its innovative technology, it provides services that are more accessible and cost-effective.

A growing number of social ventures are emerging from universities, aiming to make a real difference to communities across London and further afield. These companies need capital if they’re to grow, and a new project launching this autumn will lay the foundations for a self-sustaining social venture fund. 

Artificial intelligence projects in areas as diverse as fashion, farming and fire-fighting are being backed with a further £37 million, as the Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan highlights how AI can be a force for good ahead of next month’s AI Safety Summit.

British startups solving complex global issues through the design of semiconductor chips have been named as members of a new government-backed incubator that will provide support as they grow into future global chip leaders.

British smart home energy technology manufacturer, myenergi, has secured an investment of £30 million to support significant future growth and internationalisation from Energy Impact Partners (EIP). This follows on from the £30 million debt finance myenergi secured from HSBC earlier this year to further fuel its expansion.

Ahead of the Government review of the UK spinout landscape, Oxford University Innovation (OUI) has published its inaugural Impact Report.

Startups Magazine is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Karren Brady’s Women in Business & Tech Expo on the 18-19th October! Come by stand A30 to pick up a copy of the latest magazine and have a chat with the team.

London has climbed into the top 10 for venture capital investment globally, charging ahead of European rivals as it cements itself as a technology investment hub among US and Chinese competitors, according to a new report.

x+why, a flexible workspace specialist has partnered with Barclays to launch two new Eagle Labs, with a combined mission to support local entrepreneurs and ambitious startups to connect, innovate and grow. The new locations include the first Barclays Eagle Labs in London, based in Chiswick, as well as a new business incubator space in Birmingham.

According to recent study by Research Nester, the global digital signage software market size is expected to surpass more than USD 42 billion by 2036 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of over 13.2% from 2024 to 2036.

Attracting and retaining travellers has become a critical task, and traditional marketing strategies are no longer sufficient. Increasing digitalisation and personalisation of services are setting the tone for the future of a fast-evolving industry. Data collected by Northstar suggests that by 2023, 40% of travellers who use technology to plan their trips will use automated suggestions based on their data to choose their destinations.

AI technologies are revolutionising the travel industry across all segments, from improving the customer experience and planning events to attracting and retaining tourists.

Pleo, one of Europe’s spend management platforms, has launched a slate of major new updates for its customers, which aims to provide businesses with a more comprehensive set of tools to help them effectively manage and optimise their spending and catalyse mid-market growth.

Startups Magazine is excited to announce that we will be attending the Tourism Innovation Summit (TIS) at the Fibes in Seville on the 18th-20th October! We will be conducting interviews, attending the different conference sessions, and learning all about new innovations within the tourism sector.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced that Walmart CEO Doug McMillon will keynote at CES 2024. This opening-day keynote at the world's most powerful tech event will explore the digital transformation spearheaded by Walmart, the world's leading retailer.

Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, announced the winners of the second edition of its Launchpad Accelerator Programme in collaboration with AstroLabs, DIFC Launchpad, and Microsoft. Supporting the UAE’s vision to become the most entrepreneurial nation by 2031, Majid Al Futtaim welcomed seven startups to its ecosystem from the climate tech, homegrown brands, and retail tech sectors.

In a development poised to redefine hull maintenance and maritime sustainability, Lomar has announced its collaboration with Alicia Bots Inc.

raicoon, a climate-tech company in autonomous solar operations, proudly announces a €4 Million seed funding round to tap into new markets, enhance its product offering and expand the team.

Terrafame, a responsible battery chemicals producer for electric vehicles, has selected Finnish airship development company Kelluu to provide accurate and geo-referenced terrain data for continuous monitoring of its 60 km² industrial site in Finland.

Huckletree’s Oxford Circus location is set to become London’s new AI hub. Beginning in October, Merantix AI Campus is teaming up with Huckletree to offer a series of events on the burgeoning topic of AI, bringing leaders in the field together for conversation and friendly debate at the “Huckletree x Merantix AI Campus Pop-Up.”

As new figures reveal UK businesses are holding onto almost 12 million unused mobile phones and tablets, Virgin Media O2 is boosting its O2 Recycle initiative, making it easier for companies to sustainably dispose of their unwanted devices.

The Burning Heroes Founders Association is excited to announce the 2023 Burning Heroes Product Managers Contest: Africa Edition, following the success of the inaugural global PM contest held in Winter 2023.

The Burning Heroes Founders Association is launching its inaugural series of offline pitch sessions worldwide, designed to establish direct connections between the most promising startups and top global VCs. The first competition will be held in Tbilisi renowned for its thriving startup ecosystem.

As our world becomes increasingly digitised. humans will always bring their own unique, unreplicated experiences - according to keynote speakers at Europe’s biggest digital transformation show. 

WOLF Qanawat, the British audio entertainment communities app, has launched its first customised AI Virtual Assistant, named Yasmine. The development marks a significant milestone for the UK-based startup, which has rapidly grown into one of the largest online communities for the Arabic-speaking market.

Silico, the leading Business Process Simulation platform, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with mindzie, a prominent North American-based leader in AI-Driven business process mining and automation.

Taking place 18-19 October 2023 at ExCeL London, the industry-leading hiring event is for those who aspire to thrive in their professional careers and grow their businesses and has never been more in demand.

AstroLabs and IMPACt46, in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology's Center of Digital Entrepreneurship (CODE), proudly presented the 'Future of Saudi: Gaming Levels Up' event at the CODE Headquarters in Riyadh, marking a significant step forward for Saudi Arabia's burgeoning gaming industry. The event attracted a diverse audience, uniting gamers, gaming founders, developers, and industry stakeholders.

CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, will launch ZEBOX UK in Manchester this month. As a founding partner of ZEBOX, CMA CGM has continued to innovate through the global startup accelerator focusing on operational efficiency, decarbonisation, future of work and artificial intelligence in supply chain, logistics, transport, energy and beyond.

Baroness Martha Lane Fox has launched a rallying cry for the tech world to invest in diversity as organisations have “no excuses” not to improve representation in the sector.

Workspace Design Show, a premier event dedicated to the future of workspaces, is taking place in less than a week from Wednesday 11 October to Thursday 12 October 2023, at the RAI Amsterdam. This two-day event promises to bring together industry leaders, experts, and innovators to explore the latest trends, insights, and strategies in workplace design and management. Here is a deep dive into the agenda that will be explored in detail at the conference stages next week. All of the panel discussions are free-to-attend; register here for a complimentary visitor pass.

South Summit, the leading meeting of the global ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation, has premiered today the podcast 'Deep Dive', a series of conversations with international leaders and speakers participating in the different editions of South Summit to listen, learn and reflect on the trends and opportunities that condition the entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem.  

A new report from Localyze has revealed significant positive impact that enabling employee mobility across borders is having on business growth and productivity.

The hotel sector is making steady progress, leaving behind a season of uncertainty marked by a turbulent economic situation. In 2023, the industry is committed to transformation and is supported by its good business prospects. According to a report by Statista and Booking, 65% of Spanish hoteliers foresee record revenues at the end of 2023.

Nuapay, EML Payments’ Open Banking and account-to-account (A2A) payments business, has announced further results of research into over 250 UK payment professionals’ views on the potential for Open Banking. Of the Payment Service Provider’s (PSPs) and Independent Software Vendor’s (ISVs) that were surveyed, more than 75% of PSPs and 80% of ISVs already enable their customers to accept Open Banking payments.

Online fraud prevention expert, SEON, has announced the launch of its full suite of fraud prevention solutions to customers on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace.

Despite warnings that AI could lead to widespread redundancies, young tech workers across Europe believe that the recent advances in AI will supercharge the industry they work in, according to a survey of Gen Z workers across the continent.

Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, in collaboration with Innovate UK BridgeAI programme partners, has announced a cohort of nine innovative startups and SMEs participating in the first of five BridgeAI Acceleration programmes.

Factorial, the all-in-one Human Resources (HR) platform for SMBs, announced today the successful acquisition of Fuell, an Expense Management startup. This transaction marks the unicorn's first major acquisition and product expansion in support of its mission to transform the HR industry and empower employees everywhere.

Applause, a player in testing and digital quality, has joined forces with Tech Barcelona, the independent and non-profit association –with more than 1,300 members– dedicated to establishing Barcelona as a leading technological and digital hub.

European variable pay management player Qobra has announced a new €10 million funding round. This follows an initial fundraising round of €5 million in March 2022 and the remarkable adoption of the solution by major companies.

Cambridge is the best place to start a new business in the UK outside of London, according to an index created by tech startup DeliveryApp.

PR specialist Sam Pepper, who has advised hundreds of startups and scaleups over the past 25 years has launched PR on a Tin. The new business offers fellow startups and growing businesses a more agile and smarter way approach to their PR budget and creating the right campaigns for their brand.

Startups Magazine is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Chatbot Summit at the ExCeL London on the 12th October! Come by stand B.400 to pick up a copy of the latest magazine and have a chat with the team.

Despite the ever-increasing data dependence for all critical business decisions and the never-ending need for data to feed machine learning, companies are prevented from collaborating on and valorising sensitive data because of cyber risks, fear of losing competitive edge and regulatory constraints.

HiBob, the company behind Bob, the HR platform transforming how organisations operate in the modern world of work is excited to announce a tremendous achievement in its journey of transformation and growth, with the recent addition of its 102nd tech partner.

CrowdStrike has announced the launch of an equity free Amazon Web Services (AWS) and CrowdStrike Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator for EMEA-based startups. Created to foster and fuel cybersecurity’s next market-defining disruptors, the new AWS & CrowdStrike Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator cohort, will offer customised mentorship, technical expertise and partnership opportunities, as part of AWS Startup Loft Accelerator (SLA) program.

Kyero, the UK-based international property portal, today announced the launch of a major new component to its business model as it unveiled a new affiliate programme.

Business confidence has dropped 5% in September, showing a score of 36% meaning confidence has taken a dip and businesses are feeling less optimistic than in August, according to the latest Lloyds Bank’s Business Barometer survey.

The employment charity, Generation UK, has released its first Social Impact report, which demonstrates how Skills Bootcamps can improve the job prospects and the lives of three million UK people who are out of work.

In Good Company, a tech-for-good startup committed to promoting ethical, sustainable, and socially-conscious businesses in London, has announced the official launch of its new web platform, now available to the public at ingood.app.

Sustainability and ESG management and reporting platform FuturePlus is working with AI-driven Climate Action Platform Expect AI, to solve the complexities of carbon accounting and data accuracy across all industries, and in businesses of all sizes. Expect’s mission is to reduce carbon by 500mt (megatonnes) this decade - the equivalent of 22 years’ worth of annual emissions from a company like Apple Inc.

Based on industry research it conducted during Sibos, payments and transaction data management company, Intix, has announced new findings that examines the biggest challenges facing financial institutions when it comes to compliance, regulations, and gaining actionable insights from transaction data.

INTEMA, a venture fund and consulting company based in Luxembourg, renowned for its AI and deeptech proficiency, is introducing The INTEMA Platform.

The electric vehicle charging company Rightcharge has appointed automotive industry veteran David Betteley and business growth experts Grethe Skundberg and Julia Stent to its board, to further accelerate its UK operations and set sights on international expansion.

Employees are behind a widening gap in the cybersecurity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) a new survey released today reveals, as over three-quarters of SMEs’ C-suite and senior managers admit they have no confidence their teams are operating their own devices securely.

Togggle, a KYC startup from the UK, has been crowned the winner of the Fifty Founders Battle at TechChill Milano, 2023. The Fifty Founders Battle received 316 applications from 39 countries, making it the most international pitch battle in TechChill history, with applicants from the USA and Canada to Indonesia and Ghana.

The world of Research and Development (R&D) tax relief has undergone significant changes as of April 1, 2023, and these transformations have particularly impacted businesses in the technology sector.

Sitehop, a Sheffield-based technology company has released its flagship product, the SAFE100, which is setting new standards for the cybersecurity industry. This follows an initial round of investment from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced the nine manufacturing startups chosen for its third Sixth Sense cohort. The selected companies were chosen from a highly competitive pool of hundreds of applicants, distinguishing themselves with groundbreaking solutions addressing critical manufacturing challenges, with a focus on sustainability and digital reality.

Thirteen life science startups have been accepted onto Discovery Park’s new business support programme and competition, Discovery Spark. The eight-week Discovery Spark programme will equip the early-stage companies with the necessary skills to catalyse their business growth plans and gives them the chance to win a business support package worth over £100,000.

Sigma Software Group launches the UNICORN Startup Competition for startups from Ukraine and the EU. The contest is structured to guide startups through different stages, offering an intensive two-week program to support dynamic interaction.

Vagaro, a comprehensive business management platform for the beauty, wellness, and fitness industries has officially launched a partnership with Liberis, a global embedded business finance platform, to offer revenue-based finance to more than 220,000 service providers.

Set against a year of erratic financial challenges, research from Novuna Business Finance reveals that small businesses remain steadfast and resolute in their commitment to being green.

Amazon has confirmed its plans to invest up to $4 billion into AI safety and research startup Anthropic. Anthropic is currently seen as OpenAI’s main rival, and was even founded by former OpenAI employees.

Mangopay, a platform-specific payment infrastructure provider and VTEX, the enterprise digital commerce platform for premier brands and retailers, have partnered to offer an integration that will enable marketplace operators to cover both pay-in and pay-out on a single solution.

Digma has launched the world’s first Continuous Feedback platform to enable developers to continuously analyse their code at runtime to identify issues and regressions, preventing bad code from making it to production, including GenAI-generated code.

Harper James, the commercial law firm purpose-built to enable entrepreneurial and ambitious businesses to succeed, has bolstered its intellectual property and trademark practice with the appointment of three new hires from top-50 law firm Blake Morgan LLP. The new appointments form part of the firm’s ambitious plan to double its number of lawyers by hiring 60 new solicitors by 2025.

The fifth annual International Innovation Barometer has been published revealing that a declining global economy has stalled innovation potential. 

Financing goods is an understandable practice – especially for high-value items that you or your business may struggle to pay off in one go.

Ubiquity, the global business process outsourcer for industry innovators, announces the publication of a first-of-its-kind whitepaper, aimed at helping European fintech scaleups to leverage outsourcing to adapt to fast-changing market conditions.

A business comparison site has launched to eliminate the confusion and stress experienced by small business owners when choosing services like broadband, insurance, and energy tariffs.

With sophisticated cyberattacks increasing worldwide, operators must account for generative AI and the cloud when adopting a holistic, strategic approach to their security needs. MSPs have a role and responsibility in providing support in their onboarding practices.

According to new customer data from embedded banking provider, BankiFi, businesses from a wide range of sectors continue to trust payment links such as SMS, email, and QR codes when requesting payment on invoices, particularly when the relationship between buyer and sellers is already known.

Tech-powered commercial insurance broker, Hubb, has now rebranded as Taveo.

Encompass, the provider of the dynamic Know Your Customer (KYC) process automation platform, has been recognised as a winner of the ‘Discover Perfect Pitch’ competition as part of Sibos 2023 – one of the leading financial services events.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging network startup, GoPlugable has been named the overall winner of the 2023 INVENT Awards, becoming the first Greentech winner of the competition in ten years.

The UK Government is set to launch a new £2 million funded AI and innovation business advisory to help organisations mitigate AI risks and bring innovations to market quicker.

OmniIndex, the secure web3 data platform, has announced a world-first deal with Future-X Education and Cross River State in Nigeria to secure the data of every student in the state with blockchain storage and fully encrypted analytics.

Tide, the business financial platform, has reached a significant growth milestone. The business now boasts a 10% market share of all UK small businesses with more than 550,000 customers (members).

Hoxton Farms, the London-based biotech developing cultivated animal fat, has opened its pilot facility to advance research, scaleup production and develop prototypes with customers. Signalling the next phase of growth, the new site in the heart of London’s Old Street is the UK’s first pilot production facility for cultivated animal fat.

FDM Group, a Global Workforce Development Partner to Microsoft, hosted a future of Artificial Intelligence event, shedding light on AI’s transformative powers, showcasing real-world examples and providing valuable insights for organisations planning their own AI adoption journeys.

Hoxton Farms, the London-based biotech developing cultivated animal fat, has opened its pilot facility to advance research, scaleup production, and develop prototypes with customers.