EcoSend, the first ever provider of environmentally conscious email marketing solutions, has launched a partnership with Treeapp, a B Corp organisation dedicated to restoring forests and ecosystems.

Bristol based, global small business software development company BaseKit has announced today its certification as a B Corporation (or B Corp), joining thousands of companies reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. 

The emergence of exponential technologies, with Generative Artificial Intelligence being a major reference, has brought with it endless opportunities for business competitiveness, but it has also opened the door to new threats. Cyber-attacks are registering an increase in cases globally, with a total of 1,248 attacks per week, an increase of 7% compared to the first quarter of 2022. In this regard, and according to Google's 'Current Cybersecurity Landscape in Spain' report, the consequences of these cyberattacks can be very negative. For example, European SMEs, 60% of which disappear within six months of receiving the attack because they cannot afford the losses.

The impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the business ecosystem, the disruptions that will affect the future of organisations, such as the use of data, or the opportunities that sustainability brings to the business are some of the challenges that are marking the agenda of international leaders. In fact, market reports reveal that half of the companies in Europe are already incorporating AI, and that more than 40% of managers understand that there is a real commitment to move towards compliance with ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria as an added value. 

Brite Payments has announced that it has expanded its product coverage to bring Brite Instant Payments to Belgium, extending the company’s presence in the Benelux region and complementing its existing coverage in the Netherlands.

Startups across the UK are facing an uphill struggle in the current economic climate. Global VC inflows were down 44%-54% in Q1 2023 year on year. On top of this, the pressure (and inclination) for SMEs is no longer simply to survive, but also to operate within the realms of environmental responsibility, with research suggesting that 50% of SMEs intend to invest in sustainability in 2023.

Online fraud and financial crime prevention platform, SEON has released its latest ‘Global Banking Fraud Index’, which analyses the cost of fraud to banks and other financial institutions around the world in 2023.

Tracxn, a global SaaS-based market intelligence platform, has released its Tracxn Feed Report - Environment Tech.

Startups Magazine and The Hustle Awards are delighted to announce Maisie Adam as the host of the Hustle Awards taking place on 20th July at Steelyard, London.

Brand new inclusive dating app Bonkers has launched, putting the fun back into dating and the safety of its users - both on and off the app - at the heart of its mission.

Identity Digital helps pave the way for LGBTQ+ businesses to succeed with new web addresses. As the LGBTQ+ community celebrates Pride Month, it is an opportune time to showcase how these web addresses can enhance branding, visibility, and connectivity in the digital landscape.

Solar Monkey is launching its award-winning software in the UK, with a mission to boost productivity for solar installers while accelerating the energy transition.

The nationwide search for the UK’s 100 most inspirational small businesses has kicked off as part of exciting plans to celebrate this year’s Small Business Saturday UK.

Online fraud and financial crime prevention platform, SEON has released its latest ‘Global Banking Fraud Index’, which analyses the cost of fraud to banks and other financial institutions around the world in 2023.

IQ Capital, a London-based deep tech venture capital firm, announces the final close of its fourth Venture Fund at $200 million (Fund IV), taking its assets under management to more than $1 billion. 

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, the power of artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the way businesses approach marketing. Loop Digital, a UK-based digital marketing agency, explores the profound impacts of AI on the industry and how businesses can leverage this technology to drive unprecedented success.

British fintech payments company PayFuture is announcing it has been granted an agent Electronic Money Institution (EMI) licence by UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). With this licence, PayFuture is poised to deliver a comprehensive suite of localised payment products and methods, designed to offer convenience and efficiency in an increasingly digital world. The company's advanced technology platform, combined with its deep understanding of online merchant’s needs, will enable businesses to access untapped markets effortlessly.

MMITA (Meet Me In The Astral) launches its mobile app as a new augmented reality (AR) platform that allows users to experience and share AR content wherever they are. MMITA offers a creative and immersive opportunity for users to discover the virtual world around them, interact with it, and add their own elements to it.

The volume of bolt-on acquisitions made by tech businesses across the UK in Q1 2023 was at its lowest levels since lockdown shook the M&A market in Q2 2020, according to Rickitt Mitchell’s Buy & Build Barometer.

The majority (59%) of senior marketers think Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) are overlooked by the industry. That’s according to research by SALESmanago, the Customer Engagement Platform, which surveyed 250 marketers across the UK, Poland, Germany and Spain to determine the disconnect between marketers and CDP adoption.

Although video content remains one of the top choices for marketers to boost sales and increase traffic and brand awareness, consumers spent less time watching online videos this year than in 2022.

Tracxn, an SaaS-based market intelligence platform, has released its Tracxn Feed Report - Environment Tech ahead of World Environment Day. The report, based on Tracxn’s extensive database, provides insights into the Environment Tech space across the globe.

Vizibl has launched its first edition of Vizibl Quick Insights, culminating in a new report: Procurement’s Decarbonisation Readiness Report. This report polls the procurement industry, asking vital questions about how prepared enterprises are to work with suppliers in reducing scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.  

vidby, a Swiss startup for AI-powered translation and dubbing, urges colleagues to direct their efforts on creating a code of ethical use of advanced artificial intelligence technologies in translations. 

The Dublin Tech Summit 2023, held on 31st May - 1st June, brought together tech enthusiasts, industry experts, startups, scaleups, and visionary leaders to explore the latest innovations and trends shaping the future of technology.

Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, is collaborating with NVIDIA to fast-track the development of cutting-edge tools and technology to enable next-generation content and experiences

Join Startups Magazine at MOVE 2023 from 21-22nd June to see the latest tech and assess the direction of the mobility industry. Network with some of the biggest players, form partnerships with access to 500 startups and be inspired by the great minds of tomorrow. Stop by stand 96 to say hello and grab the latest issue.

Fintech Week London, the must-attend event for the fintech industry, has announced an impressive line-up of speakers for its flagship conference on 19 to 20 June, with Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business, and Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Andrew Griffith MP, among the influential voices taking to the stage.

HR, payroll, and employee engagement platform Employment Hero is on a mission to reinvent the entire employment relationship with its new, world-first employment superapp, Swag. 

The Santander X Global Award, IS Santander’s International university entrepreneurship competition, where 36 winners from their respective Local Awards will have the chance to represent their countries (Spain, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, and the UK) and compete to win cash prizes and additional benefits to take their solutions to the next level.

Circus Street, a specialist provider of online training in digital skills for global enterprises, has released data that shows how skills training priorities for businesses have changed before, during and after the pandemic. 

Constant digitalisation and changing business models are revolutionising the culture of talent. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence on a global scale, the consolidation of teleworking, or the widespread development of EdTech, or educational technologies, are just some examples of the evolution of human resources. Without going any further, the World Economic Forum has recently pointed out that almost 80% of the most in-demand jobs in 2030 have not yet been created, so the market needs constant training to respond to this development. Added to this is the challenge of a shortage of teams with digital skills and competences.

BHive is a global entrepreneur incubation programme providing hands-on guidance and support to empower startups from around the world to scale their business in North America.

McCann Worldgroup and South Summit have just signed a strategic partnership agreement to collaborate and combine synergies in the world of entrepreneurship and innovation.

The application of Artificial Intelligence has become a lever for transforming business models, as well as driving new business opportunities. According to industry research figures, 98% of company leaders believe that Artificial Intelligence will play a transformative role in their organisation's strategies in the next three years. This vision becomes even more relevant after the irruption of Generative Artificial Intelligence, where the popular ChatGPT is framed. This technology has led to the democratisation of AI and is having an unprecedented impact on all segments of the industry, from the generation of content, such as videos, images, texts, presentations or audios, to the hyper-personalisation and automation of services, or the agility of processes.

UK organisations and consumers are ready to embrace a new era of digital identity according to a new report from Curity, an API-focussed identity and access management company. 

Employees who earn less than £30,000 are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, with their employers far less likely to offer meaningful financial wellbeing support, according to new research from Mintago.

VistaPrint, the design and marketing partner for small businesses, has revealed that despite the long hours, small business owners (SBOs) have a better work-life harmony working for themselves. The research found over half of small business owners (52%) started their own business to improve their work-life balance, this jumping to 58% for those aged 45-54. 

Data released today by insurance claims automation provider Sprout.ai has found that 59% of insurers with over 100 employees are already using generative AI in their organisation. The findings refute the widespread assumption that insurers are slow to adopt new technologies. AI within the insurance industry alone is forecast to be worth $35.77 billion by 2030. 

Startups Magazine will be attending London Tech Week from 12th – 15th June. You can find the team at pod 66 on the second floor.

New research has revealed that OpenAI is currently the fastest growing website among the top 50 most visited sites on the planet. Only months after launching the AI-powered conversational robot ChatGPT, openai.com is rapidly nearing one billion unique visitors per month. 

Canva has a simple yet ambitious two-step plan: Step One is to build one of the world’s most valuable companies, and Step Two is to do the most good we can. As part of “doing the most good we can do,” it feels horrible to be living on a planet where hundreds of millions of people live in extreme poverty and are deprived of their fundamental human rights, like food, shelter, safety, clean water, education, and health care.

White Oak, a non-bank lender, has announced a new partnership with the Law Society of Scotland (LSOS).

With lifestyle having a huge impact on the prevention of cancer, and early detection being key to better outcomes, medical assessments can be a crucial piece of the puzzle. However, research revealed today by Towergate Health & Protection shows that only a quarter (26%) of employers offer their employees a medical assessment of their risk of serious illness.

New research reveals the extent of negative delivery experiences on customer loyalty, with 78% of UK consumers stating they are not likely to shop with a brand again following a below par experience. 

ESG has for too long been a buzzword and a communication gap around the subject has emerged, a climate and sustainability expert has said. Chris Bennett, who founded Evora Global in 2011 to help make real estate more sustainable, said ESG is about helping companies to understand their future risks and taking steps to lower them.

Over a third (37%) of workers have admitted to taking steps to ‘prepare to look for another job’.

The results of a multi-site clinical study analysing the performance of PDMonitor, a pioneering Parkinson’s Disease monitoring device from PD Neurotechnology that uses wearables and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to track and assess symptoms, have been published in Frontiers in Neurology, a leading peer-reviewed clinical neurology journal.

Workers in the United Kingdom (UK) spend less time in the office than any other country, however they want to further reduce their days as unhappiness with the office grows.

OVHcloud, the European leader in Cloud computing, is committed to supporting worldwide startups since 2015 through the OVHcloud Startup Program. This programme has identified, supported and assisted the development of more than 3,300 startups and scaleups with up to €100,000 in free cloud credits and technical consultation to build their solution on OVHcloud, which offers full reversibility, data sovereignty and great price performance.

Kinly, the global provider of AV integration and collaboration services, has today announced a new partnership with Women In Tech, the community for women in IT, engineering, and those looking to kick start a career in the technology sector.

New research has revealed England and Wales’ most tech-savvy areas, with Cleveland coming out on top.

Huckletree, a network of curated coworking hubs for innovative businesses, is set to open its eighth workspace in Broadgate, Liverpool Street this September in a deal signed with British Land, one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies. 

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak met the CEOs of AI innovators OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic to roadmap the development of safe and responsible artificial intelligence, outlining the future of regulation and governance.

BBC Studios has partnered with Web3 specialist Reality+ to create a metaverse experience in The Sandbox where fans will be able to interact with immersive content from their favourite brands, including Top Gear and Doctor Who, and enjoy a BBC events space.

51% of UK recruiters claim that finding candidates with the necessary skills is the most significant challenge they will face in the next three years, according to a new survey by Monster, one of the world's largest recruitment firms. The research report, titled "Recruitment Survival Guide 2023," highlights that the UK's battle for talent is intensifying, while the skills gap widens.

The Hustle Awards are just around the corner, on 20th July back at The Steel Yard. We are thrilled to let you know that this year the awards will be bigger, better, and most definitely entertaining.

82% of business owners are concerned about the price of energy and the impact it will have on their companies. Energy bills could potentially rise 133% as Government support for non-household energy bills ends and fixed market deals come to an end.

The seventh edition of DES – Digital Enterprise Show is preparing to turn Malaga into the capital of technological innovation and boost its leadership as a digital hub of reference in southern Europe. From 13 to 15 June, the city will be the meeting point for all professionals from SMEs, companies, large corporations, startups and administrations that are looking for a technological partner with the aim of transforming themselves and becoming more competitive.

The Digital Poverty Alliance has set out a landmark strategy to end digital poverty by 2030, launching its National Delivery Plan at a community event in Leeds.

Deaf customers of Cuckoo Broadband can now contact the provider using British Sign Language (BSL) thanks to a new partnership with Sign Solutions. 

Canva, the world's only all-in-one visual communication platform, has unveiled its first European campus in London as the company shared plans to accelerate growth in the market.

South Summit Madrid 2023, the leading event for the entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem, co-organised by IE University, will celebrate its 11th edition between 7-9th June at La Nave in Madrid with its main new feature being content and conversations dedicated to analysing the latest trends in Spacetech, i.e., everything related to aerospace technology research

A new quarterly analysis of small business confidence conducted by small business support platform Enterprise Nation has found the number of small firms that say they must put up prices has gone up by 11% since the last survey in 2022. 

This week, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) announced a partnership with PepsiCo and AstroLabs as one its efforts to enhance Saudi Arabia position as a regional hub of digital businesses and a destination for entrepreneurship.

Huckletree, the UK and Ireland’s network of curated coworking hubs for innovative businesses, is set to open its eighth workspace in Broadgate, Liverpool Street this September in a deal signed with British Land, one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies.

In the world where digitalisation is becoming the new norm, the realm of mental health support isn't far behind. 'Head On' app, founded by Dr. Bammens, Counselling Psychologist, and Samuel Ade, marketing expert, is designed with the vision of democratizing access to mental health tools used by Psychologists. By offering a comprehensive array of tools and techniques for managing anxiety, stress, and panic, the Head On app stands as a virtual psychologist in your pocket.

New data show office attendance in London has recovered strongly since the end of Covid restrictions, confounding predictions of remote work becoming the ‘new normal’.

Following a successful launch in Europe, London-based medical device company Acurable is aiming to revolutionise sleep apnoea detection for Americans with the launch of its AcuPebble device for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) diagnosis in the US.

Zoomo, a key player in last-mile electric fleet solutions, has announced it has partnered with Urban Arrow, a cargo bike producer, to enhance its hardware offerings available on the Zoomo platform. 

On 19th May 2023, I was lucky enough to be invited to Antler’s UK HQ for their ‘Women of Antler brunch and fireside chat: Unlocking Success’ event. Antler is a Singapore-based business incubator and startup accelerator founded in 2017 with Pitchbook ranking it as the most active seed stage venture capital firm in 2022 globally, with 262 deals.

Encompass Corporation has been selected to join a major international trade mission, led by Austrade, which aims to showcase growing FinTech businesses and strengthen global relations.

Sustainability expert Tom Gosling is raising concerns about the potential negative consequences of relying solely on ESG targets. In a recent episode of the Conversations on Climate Podcast, Tom argues that ESG targets can lead to greenwashing and create a false sense of security.

TwinUp, a Frisco-based software company, announces a milestone in securing a lead investment of $3 million from private investors for its revolutionary software application tailored specifically for the architectural community.

Brite Payments, one of Sweden’s fastest growing fintechs and a leader in instant bank payments, has announced its Brite Instant Payments Network (IPN).

At a startup festival, you wouldn’t expect to hear discussions of art floating around the room, however, one of ViennaUP’s participating organisations, CultTech Association, is investing big money and big ideas into startups that combine the power of culture and technology.

His Highness Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, inaugurated the 2023 edition of the PrecisionMed Exhibition & Summit (PMES) 2023 being held today and tomorrow at the Dubai World Trade Centre. HH Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum toured the exhibition and summit accompanied by dignitaries.

Organisations must enable mid-life women to thrive in the workplace by taking inspiration from societies such as China and Japan to encourage positive conversations around the impact of menopause, a new study reveals.

Consumers’ desire to travel has caused travel bookings to spike with 80% of UK airlines and hotels saying direct bookings have increased over the last 12 months. That’s according to a new travel benchmark report series of airlines and hotels from Quantum Metric, the continuous product design platform for customer-driven digital experiences, that combined anonymised platform data and executive survey responses to uncover this year’s travel booking trends.  

Research from STX Next, a software development company specialising in the Python programming language, has found that 29% of developers have completed courses in AI and machine learning (ML), making it the third-most popular area for training behind web development (67%) and software development (65%).

While ambition and determination are key characteristics for becoming a business owner, tailoring your education to build skills, knowledge and potential networking opportunities is vital for prospective entrepreneurs. Each university has a unique reputation, whether that's based on prestige or academic success, but is there a university that produces more business owners than others?

Cloudways, the multi-cloud managed hosting platform and subsidiary of DigitalOcean, today launches its new Digital Agency Landscape Report exposing the obstacles preventing digital agencies from growing during times of uncertainty. Research conducted by Cloudways found that 40% of digital agencies prioritise growth above personal wellbeing, suggesting that digital agencies are neglecting the welfare of their employees in their pursuit of expansion. 

Gresham House Ventures, a growth equity investor specialising in software and digitally driven businesses in the technology, consumer, healthcare and services sectors, has completed a £3.5 million investment into product sustainability impact software business Dayrize.

As one of the biggest tech trends in the past decade, with millions of users in both the consumer and business sector, virtual reality (VR) has hit impressive shipment and revenue figures.

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) has announced a landmark strategy to end digital poverty in the United Kingdom by 2030, setting out six core missions and calling on government, industry, and local communities to work together to achieve this aim.

Manchester’s status as “the fastest growing digital and tech hub in Europe” can only be maintained through relentless, collaborative ambition - according to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and World Cup winner Matt Dawson. 

As the cost of living crisis continues, the UK-based Virtual Assistant firm SpareMyTime reveals that it is seeing increasing demand for its services and it has registered a 325% rise in growth since 2020. The company has also recorded a 74% increase in revenue since May 2022.

Climate technology startup Pledge has secured $10 million in Series A funding to drive its mission to help businesses reach net zero emissions, starting with the logistics and supply chain industry.

Elkstone, the Irish investment house, has announced that the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) has committed to anchor the final close of its €100 million Early-Stage Irish Venture Fund. With Enterprise Ireland also on board, the fund has already deployed over €10m to date and aims to complete its initial investments by 2026.

HiBob, the company behind Bob, the modern HR platform that powers productivity, engagement and retention, announces its Chief People Officer, Nirit Peled Muntz has been named to Mogul’s Top 100 list of People Leaders and CHROs. 

The latest Spotlight on Spinouts Report by the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub has revealed rapidly growing spinout clusters outside the ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London – with the local authorities of Manchester and City of Bristol demonstrating the highest growth by proportion of spinout population.

Chris Todhunter, Technical Director at Studio Republic explains the importance of online accessibility: “Web accessibility should be seen in the same way as a high street shop without wheelchair access, or a cinema without a hearing loop - excluding a website user because of their disability has long been classed as discrimination in the USA and we're quite a way behind in the UK in terms of legislation. In fact, 97.4% of 1 million website home pages tested in a WebAIM 2023 study were found to have accessibility errors. The most common failures are actually pretty easy to fix.” 

Irwin Mitchell has recently conducted a nationally representative study into workplace behaviour. 

The Middle East’s leading event dedicated to the advancement of precision medicine in the region is set to welcome a distinguished line-up of healthcare leaders and experts from around the world later this month.

A new research report, Education for a World of Opportunity, reveals that over a third (36%) of British Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) decision makers believe that technology and innovation have created fewer opportunities for unskilled workers to “learn on the job” and progress to higher paid roles.

On Wednesday morning at Manchester Central, the former Director General of MI5 delivered a warning to an audience of technologists at DTX + UCX Manchester. 

Small businesses need to conquer their fears of cloud technology if they are to thrive in the next decade, experts have warned. Experts from HostingSystems.co.uk claim many small companies still remain wary of using cloud technology and perceive it as something new and untested.

The UK creative industries will get a 1 million job boost adding £50 billion in value to the sector by 2030, according to the culture minister.

EarSwitch has been awarded the UKRI Healthy Ageing Challenge Grant. The grant will enable EarSwitch to develop its EarMetrics product, initially for the UK’s diverse and ageing population. EarMetrics aims to provide an in-ear sensor for standard hearing aids to measure temperature, heart rate, pulse, and blood oxygen levels and a medical first: continuous blood pressure monitoring.