Startups Magazine caught up with Wybo  Wijnbergen Co-founder and CEO, infinitSpace. infinitSpace enables office landlords to easily create and run a flexible office space under their brand and conditions. 

As investment into tech booms across the country, many of us are familiar with web designers, IT managers, and sales engineers, but as the industry grows and adapts, so do the roles in demand. 

Blockchain technology is amazing. Sadly, it is most known for bitcoins and other virtual currencies, where the added value of the technology has little to no meaning  to humankind. At the end of the day, Bitcoins  just create a lot of CO2 for nothing.

One of the key things that everyone struggles with is Time Management, whether they are C-Suite (I actually hate that phrase) or a junior executive. It’s also even more prevalent if you are the owner of a Start-up where you can end up being responsible for everything from toilet rolls to long-term business strategy. Even if you are the owner of a thriving SME with a team, you’ll still end up with a long, long ‘To Do’ list that never seems to get shorter, but only seems to grow longer. So what is the answer for effective Time Management?

As many UK health tech and fitness brands are moving through to the new financial year, you can hear the buzz of excitement from marketing communication professionals as finally, we are going back to face-to-face events. Nevertheless, content marketing remains a significant part of the PR and digital marketing strategy, and by the looks of it, its importance is only increasing.

74% of American companies have already adopted or plan to adopt a permanent hybrid work model. There are many benefits to using a hybrid work model for your startup. Your employees will have a better work-life balance, you can downsize your office space, and your employees will be more content.

We talk a lot about how leaders need to make sure everyone in their team is happy and comfortable. It’s important to create a culture that promotes well-being and performance, but while leaders take care of the people they lead, who is taking care of them?

So far in this ‘Back to Basics’ series we have looked at nine fundamental areas that entrepreneurs and would-be founders either consider or should be considering, both before and during their startup journey. These have covered: Should I Find a Co-founder?; Working with Advisors; To Scale or Not to Scale?; Pitch Decks and Business Plans; Think Green!; Raising Finance; Basic Truths; Cash Flow is Everything; and Second Thoughts.

Learning and development are crucial in creating a high performing team. Everyone processes information differently and it’s no different when we learn. With no two people the same, it’s important to acknowledge the different employee learning styles of employees in your team.

Uniforms and workwear may not seem the most exciting subject - until you talk to James Bolingbroke.  James set up his company in October 2019 - just in time for the pandemic, but that didn’t dilute his passion and he’s taken his fledgling business from a part-time enterprise to his full-time passion. Let’s find out what inspired him - and his plans for the future.

Few numbers matter more to a founder than their company’s valuation. This is a fairly universal truth. But if you asked a focus group of founders which employees they valued the most, you’d probably get a few different answers.

Embracing the power of digital has been crucial for small businesses in weathering the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. This is according to new research, which found over half of firms have grown their income by at least five percent through using tech since 2020, and one in ten have raised their revenues by 50% this way.

To mark Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, for which the theme is loneliness, SME accountancy firm, The Accountancy Partnership, is encouraging entrepreneurs to build founder support networks to reduce feelings of isolation.

With The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations fast approaching, brands all over Britain are racing to get a slice of the royal pie.

Even as the pandemic stabilises, there’s no doubt that the remote working trend isn’t going anywhere.

When it comes to university, there is a lot to think about; often the onboarding and arrival processes for international students can be a nightmare. Enroly, founded by Jeff Williams and his Co-Founder Maynard Inkster, was created back in 2017 to address exactly this problem, as Enroly automates the CAS, visa and arrival process for universities, their international students, and agents.

Today is World Password Day, and what better way to celebrate than to hear from top-level executives about the top passwords. High-ranking business executives have equally unhealthy password habits as many other internet users do, according to new research by NordPass.

The method used by employers to conduct the necessary ‘right to work’ checks will be altered once more, as was outlined within the latest guidelines recently unveiled by the Government. With the interim process that was introduced during the pandemic slated for imminent withdrawal, news regarding further revisions perhaps won’t come as much of a surprise for many employers. However, there remains an element of disquiet as to whether the new procedures could also have a costly impact on business owners at a time when soaring expenses are already hurting many industries.

Making group decisions can be inefficient at the best of times, or an ordeal at worst. That time you couldn’t agree on lunch plans in the office with colleagues, and, no, being distracted by email overload was no excuse. Or when your team hit the wall while trying to decide on a research project.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the great resignation have caused us all to reconsider work, what we do and why, how we do it and where. It has put the onus on employers to deliver versatility on and offline, empowering employees with the technologies and working arrangements that will best produce efficiency, job retention, and satisfaction.

Future Planet Capital’s Guy Pengelley and Griff Williams comment on why the farming sector is ready for disruption and tip some of the most promising startups in the agri-tech sector.

Building a brand is an intimidating prospect, and you might be tempted to plunge in without spending time on careful consideration and research beforehand. That's a mistake.

In the business world, there are two main types of messaging: A2P and P2P. But what do these terms mean? And which one is better for your company? In this blog post, we will explore the differences between A2P and P2P messaging, and explain when each type is most beneficial.

As a new startup business you have a number of things to consider in order to build and ensure success. One particularly crucial factor is selecting your tech stack. While on the surface it might seem like an easy decision, it can prove detrimental to a businesses’ success if not given careful consideration.

Retail technology startup, Slip provide insight on how its female co-founder had a 60% response rate when reaching out to female engineers about open jobs at the company while the male co-founder had no responses. 

A lot has happened in the past two years that have dramatically altered the way we define the concept of ‘work’. It is clear that hybrid working isn’t going anywhere and there has been a mixed bag of feelings about this working style. We’ve gone from feeling isolated during lockdowns, to loving avoiding the commute, to thinking about how we can use this model to its full potential.

Modern working can come with a certain amount of pressure. However, following the pandemic, increased working from home and the blurred boundaries between home life and work life, some employees are becoming increasingly overworked.

Entrepreneurs would all be delighted to find the magic solution to growing their business tenfold but what if the answer isn’t a magic solution but rather simply following a number of key drivers which lead inexorably towards that dream growth?

Have you ever been described as ‘too much?’ Too worried? Too… anything. What if our too much is actually our superpower? Does the below resonate with you?

Anyone that has started their own business, and even those that have thought about it but not made the jump as yet, or indeed decided not to do so in the end, all recognise that it is a big decision. A very big decision. And as such, it is a decision that is often deliberated over for a long time before it is acted upon. Certainly, a lot of research and clear thinking needs to be done before committing.

As COVID-19 has entered its third year, entrepreneurism and gig work is on the rise. Over 10% of the UK workforce, and over 20% in London, now work in the gig economy.  People are demanding greater flexibility and autonomy in their professions, thus work culture objectives are shifting too.

Hybrid working is the new norm and brings advantages to both businesses and their employees. However, it also creates a new set of challenges and requires a shift in activities to support employee empowerment.

57% of employees say feeling recognised would reduce the likelihood that they would take a call from a headhunter, according to the latest State of Recognition Report from Achievers Workforce Institute, the research and insights arm of Achievers.

As the IPCC announced its final warning that the coming years are critical in saving the Earth’s depletion. However, the road to achieving Net-Zero seems unclear, as nearly one in three (30%) say their company is not doing enough to combat climate change.

The supply chain network faces another major crisis after shaking the global economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earth Day commences on the 22nd of April. Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. It celebrates the importance of recycling in preserving our natural resources and securing the future of our planet.

Treeapp, the mobile app which enables anyone to plant a tree for free everyday, has officially partnered with fellow B Corp the Big Mamma group. To celebrate Earth Day on the 22nd of April, Big Mamma will be planting one tree for every veggie and vegan pizza sold at Ave Mario, Circolo Popolare and Gloria Trattoria.

The spirit implies your psyche or soul. The act of nourishing your spirit is spiritual wellness. Our physical, mental, and behavioural health condition determines our spiritual health.

A group of Teens, passionate about Martial Arts, want to go for an adventure. One evening, they explore some Karate classes in their local neighborhoods. But as they walk from one training centre to the other, they’re scared. Because they feel, they don’t have 'flexible bones' for a 180° stance. They won’t join these classes even though they’re very much interested in Martial Arts.

IoT Insider, a sister publication sprung from the flagship, Electronic Specifier, is the perfect read for technological visionaries.

Businesses need to stay ahead of the game. Whether you market yourself as practical or technologically complex, it is vital that you keep up to data with the latest tech to further your sales.

A quick search online for terms like ‘customer experience’ and ‘business’ swiftly and overwhelming paint a picture of the need for artificial intelligence (AI), analytics and huge volumes of customer data to deliver a hyper-personalised customer experience.

Recent statistics indicate that over one in three UK workers see burnout as an evitable part of their career. This, combined with the challenges imposed by remote working, the rising cost of living, and a new world of “living with COVID”, have made it more important than ever before when it comes to the strategies employers have in place to support the wellbeing of their staff.

While the ability to connect and speak with others is important in just about any part of business, the power of networking is especially essential when it comes to meeting with venture capitalists and new networks when you are trying to get your product or idea off the ground. There is a lot of competition, and you never know when someone will have a similar idea, so you need to make a great impression with potential investors right off the bat so you can get your business moving.

The latest data from employee engagement specialist Sodexo Engage reveals that SMEs are at risk of losing a quarter of their female employees, with 28% of female staff planning to leave their role in the first half of 2022.

Creative technology agency Rehab today highlights research of over 2,000 Brits, conducted with YouGov, showcasing concerns of businesses respecting their personal data, and the general ineffectiveness of current advertising. Both have magnified importance as brands juggle the need to accelerate personalised offerings whilst also preparing for cookies ending in 2023.

Have you ever considered running a recruitment business? We caught up with Alex Dick, Managing Director of Alexander Lyons Solutions, who had some thoughtful advice regarding what you need to know if you do. 

Between their 10 to 14 years of medical education and then a lifetime of work in their chosen specialties, doctors develop a powerful set of skills that help them to be effective healers. Sometimes these unique abilities are innate, but in most cases, they’re learned and honed over a doctor’s career.

It has often been said that cash is king. This does not of course mean cash itself, but the phrase refers to a company’s cash flow and how it manages the flows of payments into and out of the business. Ultimately, turnover, and even profitability, are secondary in importance to cash flow.

There’s no doubt about it: today’s economy and sociopolitical outlook are impacting the ability of start-ups to fundraise. Early data during the pandemic showed a 50% drop in funding compared to the same weeks in 2019, and while there was significant uptick in venture capital in 2020, early stage companies still suffered.

As the economy springs back into action following two turbulent years, businesses are considering how to recover after the pandemic and maximise their commercial success. The role that events can play in this post-pandemic recovery should not be overlooked.

While individual multinational corporations may have a disproportionately negative impact on the environment, the cumulative effect of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) also presents both a huge problem and an excellent opportunity for climate action. According to a recent study by the British Business Bank, SMEs are responsible for nearly 50% of all business-driven greenhouse gas emissions in the UK largely, in part, due to the use of inefficient internal and supply chain processes. Despite this, 76% of SMEs are yet to implement a decarbonisation strategy and according to another recent study by O2 and the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), only one in ten are even measuring their carbon emissions.

There can be little doubt that the last few years have been among the liveliest in online retail on record. While the sector has seen years of relentless incremental growth, several factors converged in 2020 to instigate a boom in eCommerce, and a quickening of its growth in share of all sales.

Young consumers around the world adore the serendipitous nature of online shopping today. They can discover exciting new brands, great prices and wide choices when they’re browsing beyond familiar, domestic websites for fashion, health and beauty, and homewares.

Nothing is set in stone. With signs that many industries are starting to bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic, it can still be tricky to predict what lies ahead and what can be done to future-proof businesses for a successful 2022 and beyond.

Increased digitalisation and the changes to the labour market brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic mean that working from anywhere has not only become possible but also acceptable to an increasing number of people. This is therefore changing the way we work, as well as how we buy, sell and share goods and services.

What do you do if your business is rapidly growing, and work is unrelenting? It’s easy, right? You focus more, you burn the candle at both ends, you work harder and longer.

Ineffective communication at work has the potential to be extremely damaging to productivity. It opens opportunities for misunderstandings, misinformation and conflict and can turn small problems into big issues.

When it comes to running a successful, customer-focused business, a strong marketing strategy is key.

CarbonPay, a sustainable fintech platform that offers the planet's most impactful payment cards and makes everyday climate action simpler, announced the launch of its corporate prepaid offering, CarbonPay Business Ctrl.

With the constant stream of stories relating to the rise of living costs, from heating homes to commuting to work, it is evident that everyone is being affected. As companies face increasing transportation costs, higher employer national insurance contributions, and rapidly growing operating costs due to increased energy prices, there are also emotional and physical consequences for their workers.

Fumopay, known as ‘fumo’ is on a mission to demonstrate that technology innovation within the banking and financial services sector can have a direct impact on the lives of our young generation to help them become financially savvy, in a somewhat desperate attempt to help people avoid unnecessary personal debt.

As a business owner, you are the captain of your ship. But ensuring your company is consistently moving in the right direction, especially as you start to scale, means you simply cannot do it alone. Sustained success in business needs a talented team of people with the right skills and perspectives to maintain company value.

THE pandemic has undone a lot of the success businesses achieved on gender pay equality, a leading employment expert has warned. Samantha Owen from law firm Harper James said the last two years had led to many women having to experience lesser pay. 

Vistage has released its quarterly UK SME CEO Confidence Index for Q1 2022. The report sees the business confidence index hit 99.3 points, a 18% decrease since the last quarter. 

– Amcor, who develop and produce responsible packaging solutions, announced the launch of Amcor Lift-Off, an open-call initiative aimed at supporting seed stage startups that are focused on innovative packaging solutions and related technologies. Amcor Lift-Off offers these startups a chance to secure an investment of $250,000, as well as operational guidance, to take their ideas to the next level.

With widespread COVID-19-related restrictions being lifted from countries all around the world, many workforces have had to accept that working in a hybrid environment is something that can’t be overlooked.

Startup owners need to juggle multiple responsibilities when launching and scaling a venture. They manage everything from product development and finance to HR and marketing. However, as you work on your firm’s growth trajectory, it’s only by having a solid team of trusted, specialised professionals that you can achieve your goals.

Research released by all-in-one HR, benefits and payroll platform Employment Hero has found that British small businesses are facing a rocky road ahead as only 40% of employees feel fairly paid for their work and over half of the workforce have a work-life balance that is average or poor.

Sometimes in business, and indeed in life itself, it is very easy to miss the obvious or, put another way, not to realise that some very basic truths or something that should be expected is not always immediately realised. These points are easy to see with more experience or with the benefit of hindsight, but for those starting out in business that is not always easy.

iKVA, the Cambridge-based AI-enabled knowledge management software solutions company, has been shortlisted for this year’s National Technology Awards ‘Startup Tech Company of the Year’, in recognition of its pioneering data discovery technology which helps businesses to operate more efficiently.

In the words of Zig Ziglar: “The only worse thing than training employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay.”

A surprisingly large number of people live convinced that their desktop is secure. They have an antivirus program, they don't visit sketchy websites, and they keep their software up to date- so what could go wrong? As it turns out, a lot. In this blog post, we will discuss the basics of software penetration testing and show you how easy it is for a hacker to gain access to your computer. We'll also give you advice on ways to defend yourself from such attacks. So please read on and learn how to keep your desktop safe.

I've been in more pitching sessions - raising money myself but more often as a potential investor - than I can remember. And the question that so often goes unanswered is this: Why on Earth is it that most of the entrepreneurs who are pitching just don't have their heads around finance?

Acronis, the global leader in cyber protection, has released its annual Cyber Protection Week Global Report 2022 timed to this year’s World Backup Day.

The last two years have seen the face of global mobility change forever. Growing acceptance of remote working has seen more and more businesses integrate relocation and/or flexible working plans into their growth strategies. However, doing so requires a holistic solution, particularly when demand for such flexible working opportunities skyrockets like it has across many knowledge-based industries. The only way to cope with increasing need and interest in global mobility from current and prospective employees is to create solutions with seamless integrations that enable effective remote workforce hiring and management.

One of the most common pieces of advice you get when you start a business is to find a niche. The narrower the better. And while that works for some, it’s not the only way forward. Over the course of my career, both as an independent designer and the co-founder of a design studio, I’ve learned that my expertise has nothing to do with sticking to a narrow kind of work. That’s how I’ve ended up designing for clients ranging from Pfizer to the Bronx Museum of the Arts to Tribeca-based rooftop bar Happy Be.

Germany has proven to be a fertile ground for the foundation and development of startups, but women are still getting a small piece of the pie.

Conflicts are inevitable, even in the most engaged workplaces. Regardless of the source of the conflict, if they are left unresolved, conflicts can quickly impact employee morale and productivity.

When creating a digital experience centred on health and fitness, it’s vital to provide the best user experience possible – one that fits into our day-to-day lives. Work, families and social lives must all be factored in, along with the ways people choose to exercise, whether that be in the gym, at home, or outdoors on a run.

LinkedIn now has almost 740 million members and over 55 million registered companies. 40% of these users access LinkedIn on a daily basis, which helps the site achieve 1 billion interactions each month. However, most users only spend 17 minutes a month on the platform.

British smart MedTech company NeedleSmart is at the forefront of helping the NHS radically reduce CO2 emissions in its clinical waste disposal by a staggering 95% as part of its Carbon Reduction Strategy, saving £10s of millions in clinical waste destruction.   

The vast majority of London tech companies still have hardly any female or BIPOC representation at board level, according to new research released today by Tech London Advocates.

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is hot on the agenda right now. Savvy startups are putting socially conscious activities at the centre of their work as more and more investors have ESG as a priority.

Entrepreneurs across five of the world’s biggest investment hubs have said they are ready to turn down funding from investors without adequate sustainability practices, new research shows.

Of all the areas of starting and scaling a business that most founders are unsure of it is raising finance. For some, the questions are more basic, whilst for others the questions can be more detailed. Perhaps two of the reasons why there are always so many questions about raising finance is that it is so important for the future growth of the business and indeed that it is such a complex area.

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. One in every 100 people are on the autism spectrum and according to the National Autistic Society, there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.

At OggaDoon we love technology, streamlining processes to be more efficient. However, as times change, one of our main worries is seeing how some long-standing jobs are becoming redundant.  

Warehousing is an essential activity that promotes the orderly storage and distribution of finished products inside factories or even in places intended for this purpose and is crucial in the supply chain process. Successfully managing them is vital if you want your business to thrive.

Successful companies are built on happy customers. A satisfied customer not only provides the best marketing opportunity for your company, but your biggest informants can also guide you on ways to improve and evolve.

Volta, the novel music tech and XR (extended reality) company, has closed its initial round of funding, bringing in support from major players in the music and tech industries. 

Future Planet Capital, the international venture capital and impact investor, is pleased to announce the close of a new €20m Blue Ocean mandate aimed at tackling key issues affecting the world’s oceans.

Building a brand is an essential step to building a startup. Here are the essentials of startup branding you should know in 2022.

Research and development (R&D) tax relief was introduced by the government in the year 2000 to encourage UK company investment into innovative projects. Serving as a lucrative tax incentive, the scheme is open to any UK company that’s registered for Corporation Tax, regardless of size or sector. However, there’s still a widely held and outdated assumption that R&D only happens in science labs or ‘techie companies’ which simply isn’t the case.

This week marks two years since Boris Johnson instructed us to work from home on 23rd March 2020.

The Government’s Spring Statement has fallen short for UK professionals as the latest survey from the UK’s leading independent job board, CV-Library, reveals.

In an ever-expanding e-commerce world, it can be a challenge to get your products in front of the right customers at the right time, according to Dr Pat Violaris, Managing Director at OneTimePIM.

Due to the changing nature of the way we work, advances in technology and the restrictions imposed during the pandemic, hybrid and remote working are on the rise. A recent survey by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that over 80% of managers said their firms have now adopted hybrid working models, including a mix of in-office and remote working. 

Starting a business is a rewarding experience when done the right way. Financial, strategic, and legal planning is crucial if you want to run a successful business. There are a plethora of ways you can do business, but before you adopt one, it is essential to consider how much time, money, and effort you are willing to put in. In this article, we discuss the steps you can follow to launch and manage a successful business.

The 18th of March marks this year's World Sleep Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of healthy sleeping patterns. It’s a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, such as how sleep affects job performance and safety.

There is a good reason why sporting metaphors are so prominent in business. Many of the key elements found in both disciplines overlap. But there are many more practical lessons that business leaders can take on than just platitudes and metaphors.

Technologists in every industry worldwide recognise the critical need to deliver exceptional digital experiences to meet ever-rising customer expectations and the consequences for organisations that fall short.

Viva Technology in partnership with GP Bullhound today released its 2022 'Top 100 Next Unicorns', its annual list of the 100 most promising scale-ups in Europe (including UK and Israel) - having the attributes to reach a potential valuation of USD 1 billion or more, in the near future.

We’ve worked from home, we’ve worked hybrid — but could we work less? A four-day working week is the “next, logical and overdue step” in the transformation of the workplace, according to director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, Joe Ryle. The standard working week has not changed in almost a century - are business ready to make the leap? Here, Douglas Mulvihill, marketing manager, UK and Ireland of call centre software provider Ringover, explores the feasibility of the four-day week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week begins next week from 21 – 27 March is in the UK, a time dedicated to challenging the biases and misconceptions that surround neurodiversity.

As a nation, it’s important for us to raise awareness about the biases that exist, and to take action towards equality. 

Andrew Barnes, CEO and Co-Founder of Go1, a learning ecosystem helping workforces thrive, spoke to Startups Magazine.

Pitch decks and business plans. Every early-stage business with any thought of expansion, even if only modest expansion, should have them. And every founder of a start-up should prepare them. A very common mistake made by many entrepreneurs is that these two documents are seen as only being necessary if you are intending to raise finance; but that is simply not true.

Academic research can be critical to provide Tech entrepreneurs with deep skill and data, which can sometimes yield significant IP rights. 

Shipment tracking is more than just a bullet point on your business to-do list. In an increasingly vibrant market, keeping your customers informed about the whereabouts of their products is what will make a difference in their customer experience and provide your company with a competitive advantage.

The more conversations I have with other marketers, the clearer it becomes. It’s hard to do your expert work for yourself. Here’s how to fix it. 

What are the signs of HR burnout? Burnout can look different for everyone. For many, it will present in ways that make you feel exhausted and overworked. This could be increased irritability, anxiety, mood swings, a decrease in the quality of work produced, retracting from social events and encounters, fatigue, sensitivity and overall disengagement in work.

Global technology company IBM and Plexal, the innovation company founded by Delancey, have developed new technology with SMEs in response to the UK government’s innovation and technology priorities.

Lifesaver Power, the cleantech startup on a mission to provide fairer and cleaner products to individuals and businesses, has relaunched its Lifeline to the Frontline campaign to supply power banks to Ukrainian refugees. This comes as the situation in Ukraine continues to worsen, with two million people now reported to have fled the country and no end to their plight in sight. 

Foresight Williams are pleased to announce an investment into Zero Point Motion Limited; an early-stage semiconductor company which is developing a chip-scale inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) for ultra-precise motion-tracking and indoor navigation.

Admitting we have biases is not easy. It makes you question how much control we have over our minds and behaviours. This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) theme encourages us to ‘Break the Bias’ to achieve gender equality, but it is difficult to know which biases are the most important ones to ‘break’ first.

In our post-#MeToo era, 60% of male managers claim they no longer feel comfortable mentoring young women. And it's not just senior men in the workplace. In another study of younger males, Gen-Zs felt that feminism has 'gone too far.'

This female-founded startup is on a mission to revolutionise venues across the globe using data and AI. As co-founder, Tanuvi Ethunandan, described it: “Our aim is to be the ‘Waze’ for people management in venues and cities.”

In any aspect of life, each of us will have different dreams and aspirations, and what we wish to achieve. This is no different for entrepreneurs and business founders. And why should it be? It can often be wrongly assumed that all founders are looking to scale their business as quickly as possible and to grow it to be as large as possible.

Ahead of International Women’s Day (Tuesday 8th March), we look at some of the best inspirational books written by and for women looking to jump-start or further develop their career in the tech world.

Tomorrow (Tuesday 8th March) is International Women’s Day. While more employers do now offer health and wellbeing support that is specific to women, this is often limited to a particular life stage, such as maternity. Towergate Health and Protection is encouraging businesses to provide for women across the entire lifecycle, from early adulthood to menopause, and beyond.

International Women’s Day shines a light on the amazing work of women across multiple industries. However, it also serves as an important reminder that a lack of diversity remains an ongoing issue, especially within the venture capital industry.

A sustainability skills programme to help small firms realise their growing climate action ambitions is being launched following the COP26 summit.

One of the hardest challenges all leaders face is knowing when to move on from their existing strategy.  This is not only because of the attachment we feel towards a plan we have created, or because of the humility required to accept that what we are doing is not working, but also because the clear thinking required to create a winning strategy is hard work.

The spotlight is being shone on the sustainability behaviours of individuals, companies and countries all over the world. The agendas and policies of our towns and cities are not immune to such scrutiny, especially capital cities whose presence on the international stage draws particular attention.

History has taught us that marketing efforts don’t always go to plan. Desired results are not always achieved - largely due to generic campaigns directed at unsuited audiences. In the past this has been accepted as a part of the process, and rightly so -  we have not had the appropriate resources to facilitate the best outcome possible. However, times have changed, and there is now little excuse for marketing campaigns to miss their mark.

You might be under the impression that the type of management style you choose to run your business with isn’t important. After all, it doesn’t matter how things get done as long as they get done, right? Wrong! Completely wrong.

Gone are the days of simple case studies presented with before and after stats, and just a quote from a client. Digital marketing has improved in leaps and bounds, and so have the ways case studies are created and presented to prospects in order to convert them into customers. 

According to research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk protection sector, employers feel a greater responsibility for supporting staff across the four key areas of mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing as a result of COVID-19.

Companies need to allocate greater resources to managing risks from Artificial Intelligence (AI) ahead of the introduction of the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, a new report from research and advisory firm, Verdantix, says.

Having decided whether to start your entrepreneurial journey as a sole founder or as a co-founder you will then be able to properly develop your idea and your business.  Whatever your business plans and structure, and whatever your ultimate aims are with regard to scaling your business, there will always be many different tasks to be attended to and the smaller the business and the fewer the resources the harder this can be.

The BBC recently reported that, as of the end of November 2021, more than six million people were waiting for routine operations in the UK.  This was the first time this figure had been hit in the history of the NHS and demonstrated the scale of the backlog in routine operations caused by the COVID-19 health crisis and its knock-on effect on the wellbeing of the nation.

A constant challenge for IT leaders is ensuring they see an appropriate return on investment from their Software Asset Management (SAM) programme. So, what can businesses do to ensure their SAM spend is providing adequate value as a result of improved decision making, cost savings and software licence compliance? Furthermore, when is it best to outsource SAM and licensing tasks, and what tasks should be maintained by automated SAM technology or an in-house team?

Businesses across the world have been and continue to face extreme financial difficulties as a result of COVID-19. Amongst those struggling the most are charities; the very organisations built to help those in need.

GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland will be represented by a host of innovative mobile companies at Mobile World Congress (MWC) and Four Years From Now (4YFN) 2022 next week in Barcelona. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Connectivity Unleashed’ and centres on advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT), as well as the implementation of 5G.

Talent is a vital resource for the success of any business. Today, in any successful growth strategy, technology must be at the forefront. However, the reality is, attracting, developing and retaining talent that can support this growth is one the biggest issues facing any business due to the simple fact that technology is always evolving and there will always be a gap between demand for the latest technology and the skills to fulfill it.

All across Britain, the self-starter movement is gathering momentum with people starting side hustles, their own small business or turning their passion project into an income. Research done by OnePoll in collaboration with Mettle last year found that passion (35%), ambition (34%) and hobbies (33%) are the most popular reasons for starting a side hustle. In fact, almost two thirds (64%) say they regret not starting their side hustle sooner.

Welcome to a new series of articles aimed at helping entrepreneurs and founders to start and scale a business. In this series we will be going back to basics and examining some of the questions and areas of concern that many founders or would be founders have. Whilst ‘basic’, nevertheless these topics can be fundamental to setting an early-stage business on the right track for success.

The last couple of years have been tough for businesses. But those that have been able to demonstrate resilience have been best placed to survive, and in many cases even grow, despite the challenging circumstances. Here Alison Watson, Head of the School of Leadership and Management at Arden University, explores how SMEs can ensure resilience drives them towards success throughout 2022.

The environment and sustainability are hot topics; after last year’s COP26, these issues have been supercharged to the front of government and almost every business agenda. Employees, customers and the supply chain now expect companies they work for and with to consider their impact on the environment.  So, can the way we use IT and technology in general help businesses become more environmentally friendly? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’.

In the words of Bill Gates, 'Content is king' and this applies for startups. Quality content not only helps to boost awareness and improve SEO, but is also a marketing tool that will start conversations and showcase brand value. It is perhaps one of the most vital tools a business can have, but it’s amazing how many startups still don’t utilise it to its full potential.

The global pandemic in 2020 has caused a global shift to remote and hybrid work as well as a transition to online or cloud-based solutions, forcing companies to quickly pivot the way they operate without the luxury of careful preparation. Where most companies saw crises, cybercriminals saw opportunities and cybersecurity startups saw growth potentials.

Operating a competitive business in today’s world is seemingly more complicated than ever. New processes are constantly being developed and integrated, hourly insights and analytics are available for analysis, and even your current method of keeping track of stock is becoming obsolete. But how effective are all these new methods and processes?

When lockdown hit in early 2020, the world as we knew it changed overnight. Once bustling city streets were silent, shopping malls were empty of people, social gatherings were banned, and remote working was enforced. 

In 2021, we saw organisations across every sector throw themselves into recovery and growth, fearlessly adapting to the challenges facing them and investing in the tools and skills needed to futureproof their businesses.

Despite the growth and prominence of mobile messengers and office chat apps, email is still an essential part of daily, business life.

It’s Valentine’s season: a time when many are keen to put their best foot forward and are looking to impress.

Honest question… As a business owner or entrepreneur, how often do look at your to-do list and think 'there’s not enough hours in the day or days in the week'? How often do you say 'I wish I had more help around here?' or find yourself doing tasks that you know could be done by someone else?

Fluttr, an online dating app requiring the use of full biometric ID verification technology to improve user safety and security, has launched, offering a secure platform where people can safely find love and make new authentic connections.

The remote working lifestyle has become second nature for people worldwide in the last few years. Prior to the widespread working from home mandates in March 2020, only around 1.5% of jobs in the United States offered remote work as an option – by the end of 2021, this had risen to 17%. How we work has evolved dramatically, with more and more people opting to liberate themselves from the traditional nine to five routine.

The number of companies seeking metaverse experts is soaring, with hundreds of openings on offer across the UK and the number steeply climbing, according to new research from smarter job search engine Adzuna.

We all want to feel safe in the workplace, both physically and mentally. Whether you manage a site or own your own business, both the safety and welfare of your team is paramount. This article will explore some of the ways you can ensure that your workplace is an inviting space.

Sustainability hasn’t just remained a province for non-profit organisations. Many companies are coming forward to embrace the responsibility of creating an environmentally sustainable future. 

Following the turbulence and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no secret that businesses throughout the UK have been forced to adapt to the evolving demands of the new normal.

Recent reports have shown that women in business in the UK is on the rise. Almost a third of businesses are owned by women which highlights a remarkable shift from figures in 2016 when just 17% of founders were female. There is still some way to go before the playing field is even but undoubtedly female entrepreneurs have some of the most inspiring stories out there.

As Amazon’s CTO since 2005, Werner Vogels has observed macro trends around the technology industry, giving him a unique perspective to distinguish substantive progress from mere fads. He recently published his views on what he sees in store in 2022 for cloud technology and the technology world in general.

As the UK moves away from lockdown restrictions, businesses can start making solid plans for growth; diversification can be the most efficient route to take as businesses who spot an opportunity to capture a broader market and are the ones who flourish.  

Gone are the days when good marketing involved only a recognisable logo, a catchy slogan and a TV, radio or print campaign. There’s no doubt the digital world has created huge marketing opportunities - it has never been easier for brands to engage directly with their customer base, and target ads to the people who want to see them.

Brand identity is the core of a company. It englobes the business's values, image, and personality, similar to how people have values, beliefs, and individual traits.

Startups Magazine shares its top 10 healthtech startups from CES 2022. These are just 10 out of hundreds of innovative ideas shared at the exhibition.

Until a few years ago, it was quite common for us to treat ourselves to brand-new equipment and tick it off our wish list without thinking twice. However, times have changed, and we’ve all had to deal with some hardships along the way. Whether it is job instability or other personal difficulties, we’ve truly started to keep an eye on how purchases affect our finances.

Startups are uniquely adept at solving difficult challenges, and Google is committed to partnering with these organisations and delivering technology to help them do so as they start, build, and grow.

As Benjamin Franklin famously said, only two things are certain in life: death and taxes. And, as we approach the end of January, all attention turns to the latter. That’s right – it’s time for self-assessment tax returns to be compiled, reviewed and submitted. 

2022 is set to be a bit of a rollercoaster as we galvanise the promises made at COP26, navigate long term hybrid working and continue to deal with COVID-19. 

Scaling is everything. The majority of businesses have to try and do this without incurring extra costs, and it is how good they are at this process that can define the trajectory of most small to medium sized businesses.

One thing is certain as we head into 2022 - the war for great talent is going to become hotter than ever. There is, however, plenty that you can do to win over great candidates.

Zorka.Agency marketing team together with SOLYANKA conducted “Startup Marketing Research: challenges and opportunities in digital promotion”.

To attract and convert more customers, you need to provide them with information, and proof that you’re the best at what you do. Case studies are the perfect solution.

I always say that numbers speak for themselves. So it’s doubtful that these numbers will surprise female founders anywhere. Pitchbook data from earlier this year showed that, despite record levels of capital invested in Europe, female founders received just 0.7% of the total funding - €400m (about $473m). The picture isn’t much more encouraging in the US; last year, female-only founded companies garnered 2.2% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups.

In this age of globalisation and e-commerce, expanding your business internationally can be an exciting idea. With just a few clicks, small businesses now have access to a vast global market that can be brimming with new opportunities waiting to be discovered. 

When the opportunity for distraction is rife, startups must empower employees to focus deeply within their home environment.

Businesses look to constantly tweak their hiring strategies and recruitment processes to have prolific talents on board. Needless to say, an organisation is as good as the overall competence of its employees. Hence, businesses also go about spending exorbitant amounts of money to market their job vacancies among a larger talent pool. However, be it job seekers or potential customers, they always view businesses in terms of brand value.

With the Omicron variant appearing to have peaked in the UK according to the ONS, research from Infogrid, the smart building platform, has revealed that nearly a third of working Brits (32%) want to return to their offices in January because they feel it would improve their mental health, which has been impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Gender lens investing has seen impressive growth in recent years, with the Wharton Social Impact Initiative reporting a 58.6% increase in the number of female-led funds - clearing $4.8bn  in capital raised internationally.

With so much change in the workplace over the last couple of years, many employees may have found themselves falling into negative working patterns. These toxic traits - such as working too many hours or skipping a lunch break - could have a huge impact on wellbeing, job satisfaction and productivity.

When my co-founders and I decided to seek our next round of investment, we wanted to make sure the funding process brought our community closer to our business, or even, into our business.

From applications to engaging sports fans, to life-changing performance enhancing technology, sports-tech can offer something for everyone. 

The world of law has always seemed impenetrable to the uninitiated. In Charles Dickens’ Bleak House from 1852, characters are entangled in an inheritance dispute spanning several generations.

It’s been a tricky year for business management. From pandemic fatigue to workplace burnout, startups of various sizes are faced with a similar challenge – to rethink and reignite employee engagement. Some might approach this as a one-off event – like a holiday bonus. But leaders in their fields know that it demands a long-term approach. It’s an opportunity to start listening to the needs of your team members and committing to ongoing adjustments.

Nearly nine out of ten (89%) employers say that supporting the health and wellbeing of their staff has a positive impact on their business, according to research conducted by GRiD, the industry body for group risk.

Iwoca has found that small business owners have concerns about certain business conditions going into 2022.

Figures show that forward thinking UK tech businesses lead the way in Europe when it comes to securing funding. The data reveals that companies operating in this sector raised a record-breaking £29bn this year - nearly double that in Germany and more than triple the amount in France.

As our world becomes more interconnected, so too does the need for banking systems to follow suit. In the past, businesses and individuals were often restricted to banking in a single country, but the rise of borderless banking is enabling both to benefit from greater financial freedoms. In this article, we will examine why this trend is so important and explain how Fintech companies are helping to make it possible. 

Startups Magazine caught up with Chieu Cao, CEO of Mintago. Mintago is dedicated to changing the world of pensions and personal finance for both employers and employees.

Startups looks at a cyber security concern that faces ecommerce startups and major online shops alike: Magecart attacks.

In 2021 the sum of funds collected in equity crowdfunding campaigns by the Polish startups cooperating with the Crowdway platform has exceeded the value of €9m, 57% more than in the entire 2020.

Raising funds for your startup can be challenging at the best of times. Throw a pandemic into the mix and you’re faced with an even bigger mountain to climb.

Startups begin with a great idea, but it’s the people behind that idea that make sure a business gets off the ground in the first place.

A lot goes into running a successful ecommerce business. And with the rapid adoption of online shopping, the ecommerce market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16% during 2021-2026.

Automotive technology at CES has grown so much over the years that for 2022, the show devoted the entirety of its new Las Vegas Convention Centre West Hall to what is now widely recognised – if it were a stand-alone event – as one of the largest auto shows in the world. At the recently concluded celebration of technological innovation, show attendees witnessed the launch – or the visionary introductions – of such features as the color-changing BMW iX Flow, Cadillac’s InnerSpace automotive theatre (for when self-driving cars become a reality), LG’s Omnipod 'office in a car' and more.

Nothing could have prepared businesses for the global pandemic and my business, Grind - like many others - was hit hard as a result of multiple UK lockdowns. The pandemic shuttered or restricted trade in our central London cafes and restaurants for most of 2020 and 2021, forcing us initially to furlough the vast majority of our 300 strong team, and axe plans for future openings.

CES 2022 came to a close at the end of last week, following three days filled with thousands of product debuts unveiling innovation that will better the world and solve global challenges. More than 2300 exhibiting companies from around the world, including more than 800 startups, launched products featuring innovation across artificial intelligence, automotive technology, digital health, smart home and more.

Around the world small business avoid investment in online security believing that bigger brands are the main targets.

The dawn of the contract marketplace spelled a period of relative simplicity for startups. It meant the easy accessibility of a whole range of talent.

LifeTidy’s co-founders discuss the emotional journey that led them to create the digital life organisation tool. 

Workplace health and wellbeing support will become increasingly comprehensive and sophisticated in 2022, according to RedArc, the nurse-led wellbeing service.

Starting a business makes you happier. At least, according to participants in the recent study by IONOS SE. 500 Brits were asked about their dream jobs, and 59.3% stated that it would make them happy to start their very own business.

With more customers shopping online than ever before, retailers are being forced to either debut online or significantly increase their online presence. There are obvious and significant costs involved in moving online for retailers of all sizes. The opportunity to make up for lost sales by expanding or launching online has been a lifeline during COVID, but have retailers done enough to identify and tackle the hidden costs of eCommerce?

Excel TM Group specialise in construction-specific Telemarketing and Lead Generation, but not only that they are a business that puts their employee's first. We recently spoke to Mike Dunn, Managing Director and Founder of Excel TM Group, and from the go that was apparently clear. 

Amelia Sordell has a passion to brand people, not businesses. You may have recently heard her talk openly about her journey and her life on our podcast The Cereal Entrepreneur, we decided to catch up further with Amelia about her drive to brand people, the importance of this, and how she came to found Klowt, The Personal Branding Agency.

Love my Businesses is the Premiere Business listing site for proven business models that will generate you income for years to come. We caught up with Jey Jeyanathan, founder of Love My Businesses to learn more about his journey and how he got to be where he is today. 

For the past eighteen months, economic uncertainty has frozen a vast proportion of the world’s workforce to the spot. It didn’t matter whether employees were content with their jobs at the onset of the crisis: the prospect of losing rights to redundancy pay, falling foul of the ‘last in, first out’ method, or joining a new company that could have a less certain outlook was enough to delay any major career decisions.  

A marketing strategy is key to a successful company. Whether it’s an established multinational, or a fledgling start up, an effective marketing plan is an essential road map for the business. A strategic plan helps to define marketing aims, keeps an eye on the final objective and defines each step that needs to be taken to reach the desired outcome.

When investors make the decision to give funding to a startup they are effectively saying ‘I believe that the vision of this business will manifest itself in tangible value in the future.’ Data sometimes back up this belief, but often it isn’t. This means that an investor's decision to invest in a startup is more emotional than rational in the early stages. For this reason, investors must believe in the value that the startups create not just for themselves as ROI, but for everyone that is and will be using the product.

Hiring the best talent for your startup is an essential step towards building a sustainable organisation. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hiring. Just imagine the skills and competencies required across the industries, the business models, and the various functions within your company.

We are entering a new phase of climate-aligned investing. At COP26 last month, green investment was a cornerstone of conversation and debate, with innovation and technology highlighted as crucial mechanisms for tackling climate change. Now - more than ever - investment communities of all shapes and sizes are expected to back startups that are not only committed to sustainability and a zero-carbon economy, but are also using innovation to actively solve the climate crisis.

Suffice it to say, 2021 was a challenging year for UK businesses. Brexit and COVID-19 have continued to dominate the news agenda throughout the previous twelve months, presenting challenges for organisations of all sizes. That said, new challenges began to emerge throughout the year; supply chain problems, for example, caused major disruption and product shortages for businesses and customers alike.

Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, has chosen six technology startups as the ‘ones to watch’ for 2022 at this year’s Digital Catapult Awards. These innovative small businesses are leading the way in the development and application of advanced and emerging digital technologies across the UK economy, and were selected as trailblazing examples of the strength and innovation of the vibrant UK tech startup ecosystem. 

The new Omicron variant has sent governments scrambling. Despite ministers' protestations to the contrary, Christmas restrictions in the UK would not come as a surprise.

As the world of fashion is growing at a rapid rate, but so is the footprint the industry is leaving on the planet, we spoke to Stefan Hauswiesner, CEO and co-founder of Reactive Reality, the augmented reality leader enhancing e-commerce for retailers, who explained more about the vital role that AR will play in reducing the carbon footprint of the fashion industry and some of the key consumer fashion trends of that we will see in 2022.

As a business owner, your wellbeing and ability to deal with the demands of your company is inextricably linked to the wellbeing and longevity of your business.

With COVID-19 rapidly altering the nature of the workplace to one that's more digital and flexible, the debate about the future -  and the purpose - of the office continues. As society adapts to post-pandemic life, businesses need to figure out how to accommodate their employees’ desire for flexibility while navigating all the difficulties that come with the lack of regular in-person contact with their team. Hybrid working appears to be the solution, but comes with its own challenges.

It is true that many people do not like change and shy away from it. But it is equally true that periods of change bring much more opportunity for innovation and for businesses to adapt and pivot and supply products and services to fulfil needs that have opened up or changed in some way. In times of rapid change as we have seen over the last few years then the opportunities are both bigger and more abundant.

Startups and corporates are often depicted as advisories. The challenger and the incumbent; the plucky upstart and the behemoth. But, in truth, there are an increasing number of partnerships forming between these two groups, particularly when it comes to the development of new technologies.

Ask any established business leader for the secrets of their company’s success, and it is almost certain that having inspirational role models – be they other entrepreneurs or businesses - would have played a key role in their growth.

Deadlock (a lack of unanimity between co-directors/co-shareholders) is a situation to be avoided by all SMEs. Unfortunately, it is all too common, particularly in private, owner-controlled businesses and during times of economic crisis such as has been precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proportion of new-build homes in the UK that are developed by small housebuilders has been shrinking for over three decades. In 1988, SME developers were responsible for 40% of newly built homes, but by 2019 that number had shrunk to just 12%.

With extraordinary women from across different parts of the country, a variety of backgrounds and industries, the 19th annual NatWest everywoman Awards brought these entrepreneurs together having one thing in common - being some of the UK’s most inspiring females, recognising their outstanding achievements during one of the most challenging periods for businesses in living memory.

Customer data decays at an alarming rate (approximately 37.5% every year), with thousands of people moving home or passing away daily.

Starting a business is not always easy. But scaling a business, any business, often brings many more challenges than actually starting one. A typical small business is quite simple, bat as that business grows it becomes more complex and has more moving parts which become ever more complicated to coordinate.

We’ve all heard about the ‘Great Resignation’: a mass exodus of employees worldwide, caused by a rapidly changing working landscape and general pandemic fatigue. In the UK, almost a quarter of workers say that they are actively planning on quitting their jobs in the next few months, while job vacancies are at the highest level since records began.

Brits are being urged to support this weekend’s Small Business Saturday bonanza as a whole host of local events boost and celebrate small firms nationwide. 

After a long-winded eighteen months of distancing and lockdowns, Britain rejoiced as restrictions were lifted. Many of us were hoping to throw the ultimate festive bash to mark the end of another difficult year, especially as last year’s office celebrations were entirely online.

Nowadays consumers are gradually becoming less receptive to advertisements. Different sources indicate that 75% of consumers don’t believe advertisements at all.

There’s something about plastic that makes us forget it’s real money, and spend without giving a hoot for the consequences — hence the age-old caution against putting it all on the credit card.

The life of an entrepreneur, especially in the initial stages of founding and growing a new company, is often marked by long, gruelling hours spent working alone. Though being your own boss is one of the main attractions to starting your own business, it is an inherently risky endeavour that can leave you making critical decisions alone, and ultimately shouldering a lot of responsibility.

This week, Startups Magazine spoke to Chris Sims, Managing Director, SoHo (Single/Small Office, Home Office) and Marketing at BT.

Global VC funding broke new ground in the first half of 2021, with a staggering $288bn invested worldwide.

There have been some big changes for many companies this year, but one company that just announced a big change is OVHcloud, as Michel Paulin, CEO of OVHcloud recently spoke at its annual international conference and explained the company will be going public and making promises to be more sustainable starting with the carbon capture programme.

One of the most effective ways of telling your story is by building your network. As any business scales it will inevitably deal with an ever-increasing number of customers and suppliers, as well as partners or enablers such as providers of all the myriad of services that will be required.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from COP26, it’s that we’ve a long way to go before we hit our CO2 emissions targets of which the transport industry is one of the biggest contributors. The sector accounts for 23% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions, and so, if businesses neglect to place sustainability at the crux of their strategies, they’re likely to fall behind, fast. 

This year, Black Friday is set to take place today November 26th, with Cyber Monday to follow soon afterwards on November 29th. If your company has been ignoring Black Friday up until this point, seeing it as just another American import or a passing e-commerce fad, then there’s a good chance that you’re missing out on the potentially lucrative sales opportunities the event has to offer

The festive season is just around the corner, and many retailers are gearing up for the most important date in their calendar - Black Friday.

In a startup, the CTO is involved in making important technical decisions and has a key role in the success of a project. CTO chooses the technologies needed to create a product and controls the entire development process.

The focus for many businesses throughout the pandemic has been on cashflow and liquidity - for some it has simply been a case of short-term survival. In some cases the the information distributed by directors will have a real bearing on their own remuneration or even employment. 

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for employees to return to the workplace, the United States Department of Labor is acting on an executive order from the Biden administration which requires all companies with more than 100 employees to issue vaccination passports or agree to frequent COVID testing, as a part of their day-to-day business activities.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, purpose in business matters more than ever. With increasing global pressures, businesses have: “An opportunity, and an obligation, to engage in the urgent needs of our planet” (Mckinsey 2020).

Being a startup owner has its challenges. From updating the books to implementing the perfect marketing strategy, it can feel like time is running against you. Nevertheless, there are several ways in which you can manage your time more effectively.

Starting and scaling a business requires founders to undertake many different roles; many of which they will do themselves initially but other tasks they will inevitably require some assistance with. But whatever the business, any founder looking to scale must ensure that they tell a good story, and they tell it well.  But what does this actually mean?

Trials have began in Bath of a revolutionary smartwatch app that monitors a wearer’s heart rate and body motion to sense distress, automatically sending an emergency alert.

In 2020, the UK attracted record levels of investment, maintaining its leading position in European digital health technology research. In terms of global growth, digital health is set to double in the next five years, reaching $350bn.

Prior to starting Hertility Health, my co-founders and I realised that even though our careers and personal lives were very different, we all had one thing in common: we wanted reassurance about our fertility health. We found ourselves asking the same questions you might also ask yourself: "Should our career come before a family?" or "Why do we have to make a choice between the two?" And when we searched for help with these big questions, we came up empty handed.

A diverse team can have a huge impact on a business’ success. Diverse management teams can increase revenue by 19%. Racially and ethnically diverse teams are 35 percent more likely to perform better, and they’re 87% better at making decisions. Inclusive companies are 1.7x more innovative when compared to companies that aren’t diverse or inclusive.

Black Friday 2021, which cities are searching for the best deals and what items are trending?

When it comes to considering how best to raise pre-seed or seed finance for your business, one of the most commonly asked questions is whether getting investment from business angels or crowdfunding would be better. It could be argued that business angels are just much wealthier versions of people that invest on crowdfunding platforms. As such, in reality it is more a case of a small number of angels can replace a much larger crowd.

Menopause seems to still languish in the outdated 'women’s problems' list of things to brush under the carpet when it comes to employee health - despite the fact that just over half the population will experience it.

With the launch of Build on AWS, AWS simplified the first steps of launching scalable, reliable, secure, and optimised infrastructure tailored to startups’ industry or use case. This enables startups to focus on building their core product knowing they’re using AWS best practices for their underlying cloud infrastructure. We spoke to Katie Drucker, Director and Global Leader, Business Development, on how AWS is continuing to help guide startups in their journeys to choose and implement the right infrastructure for their business needs.

You might be surprised at just how many introverts choose to set-up in business for themselves. If you were to believe all of the myths and misconceptions about introverts and introversion, you’d picture us hiding in a corner afraid to say boo to a goose!

Jayna Patel, a commercial litigation solicitor with Wilsons Solicitors LLP, discusses why startups need to be alive to the implications of restrictive covenants.

Having decided that you want to scale your business and that you need more money to do this properly, you will then need to carefully consider all the different options available and make sure that you get the best funding and from the best source.

The IP addresses assigned to the homeowners mean residential proxies. These IP addresses are flagged in your regional internet registries. So, why do organisations need a proxy?

Diversity and inclusion may not seem to be a priority for a rising startup when cash flow and driving sales are normally front of mind. However, building a foundation of diversity and inclusion (D&I) within the operation sooner rather than later is more important than you might think.

First global benchmark of gender diversity in fintech by findexable reveals systemic underrepresentation of women and investment.

The last few years have been really challenging, but adapting through necessity has shown us new ways of working that can be just as effective. Despite the stresses of lockdowns, we’ve seen some benefits to our working environments which have fuelled positive changes for employee wellbeing.

In many ways, we actually have to thank the pandemic for highlighting just how unprepared our economies were to tackle a crisis. It acted as a catalyst for change across industry sectors, including higher and further education, that had been slow to embrace digital transformation and stand up to disruption.

There are many reason for people to require storage for their items. Whether you’re moving house, needing somewhere to store your shop’s extra stock, or just want somewhere to put valuable and sentimental items when you don’t have room at home, storage lots can be incredibly helpful. Finding somewhere safe to put your things isn’t always the easiest thing to do though and choosing the right place can feel like a struggle. We’ve put together a short list of the questions you should be asking before committing to a decision on your storage, and why these questions are so important.

Kazakhstan is still a relatively young country, sometimes referred to as '30 years young' as it is about to celebrate 30 years of independence, but it has already established a successful innovation ecosystem with the support of various government Ministries and often as a result of its First President’s initiatives. 

The majority of businesses that are looking to scale in any meaningful way will look to raise funding at some point. As well as the other steps already discussed in this series and in my new book, there are two very specific actions that need to be undertaken; valuing your business and embarking on a fundraising campaign.

The UK is playing host to the COP26 summit, designed to bring together world leaders to urgently tackle climate change and set new targets to limit warming to 1.5C.

In the summer of 2020, I made the leap and set up my social listening agency. Realising there weren’t many agencies in this space, let alone agencies headed up by women of colour, I felt there was ample opportunity to bring my unique perspective and experience to the world of data and listening. (Disclaimer: setting up your own business is not for the faint of heart.) 

A shift towards hybrid working, increased use of digital channels and the rise of new technologies means that businesses rely on the internet now more than ever. A reliable, high-quality connection is a non-negotiable for efficient operations across all industries, but it’s important to determine the right way to connect for your business. While many businesses opt for broadband, could an Ethernet leased line be a better choice?

Large scale disaster events have increased during the last two decades, and this upsurge can be put down to climate change. As 70 per cent of the world population lives in cities, improving urban resilience against disasters is paramount, and to do this effectively you need to involve the communities most affected say Professor Jon Coaffee, Politics and International Studies and Academic lead for the Global Research Priority in Sustainable Cities, University of Warwick.

Richard Godmon, a tax partner at top 25 accountancy firm, Menzies LLP gave some insight on the implications of the Chancellor’s announcements for UK businesses as they get on the road to recovery, after pandemic-related disruption.

Welcoming today’s budget announcement, which commits additional funding to skills development, trade bodies and professional associations across the UK are calling on the government to support industry-led jobs and skills training programmes – to address the UK’s digital skills crisis and strengthen its economic recovery from coronavirus.

A recent Utility Bidder article reveals that hybrid working offices could save businesses up to a net of £1.6bn. 

In 2019, the Telegraph revealed that 20% of new ventures will fail within just 12 months of opening their doors, with that figure climbing to 60% within the first three years.

The COVID-19 pandemic has steered the banking industry worldwide towards digital transformation. Traditional financial services became redundant overnight leading to a historic rise in the adoption of fintech platforms across the world. Cashless payments became more popular due to the need to lead our daily lives in a contactless manner.

From the time of your initial idea, you will have been thinking of all the very many steps necessary of turning your vision into reality. One of the first steps when starting up is to consider how you will build your market, and as you scale this will remain at the forefront of all that you need to do. 

Here’s an interesting fact, companies founded by women bring higher returns from investment. According to a study by Boston Consulting Group, the return from each dollar invested in a 'woman-led business' is nearly twice as high, and the total revenue over a five-year period exceeds the earnings of male-run businesses by around 10%.

The digital transformation is bringing significant benefits for firms of all sizes. From new revenue opportunities to reduced transaction costs to better access to information, digital technologies are boosting performance and profitability.

While you should be proud that your kid can speak fluently in your native language, learning a second language at an early age can open doors to many more opportunities.

I would be lying if I said that raising capital as a female Founder is an easy process. Even those that make it look easy, have faced invisible barriers that aren’t present with their male counterparts. What I have learnt, however, is that having this knowledge - that I am a woman (and woman of colour) and that I am on the backfoot - simply doesn’t help me at all.

Successful companies understand that its workforce is its biggest asset. Their collective knowledge and skills set a company apart from its competitors, making them the backbone of the organisation. Therefore, arguably the greatest investment you can make is in your people.  

The startup phase is full of energy and excitement. That being said, taking the time to think about accounting and bookkeeping is a bit like asking which neighborhood wants to sit out the pickup ballgame to serve as scorekeeper.

Placing a 30-second advert in the Super Bowl costs about £4 million. A billboard in Times Square might run you between ​​£1-2 million for a month. Even placing a simple spread in a popular magazine will typically start in the tens of thousands.

Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) is the cost of acquiring a customer to purchase products. It works along with the Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). CAC is an important term for growth businesses.

Alongside inventing the first parachute and helicopter, Leonardo da Vinci is credited with creating the first CV. In 1482 he wrote to the Duke of Milan to try and secure some work. And it worked. The Duke become a fan, commissioned da Vinci for The Last Supper, and the rest is history.

Although revenue-based financing has many benefits and in-built flexibility, founders should be assessing its suitability once they considered all the aspects of the product and the lender.

This article could have been entitled ‘data and financials’ but so many of you would not have got even this far.  But the truth is that data and your financials are not just numbers, as without a clear understanding of both of these then nothing else stands much of a chance.  Data needs to be properly collected and analysed, and any assumptions and financial forecasts are then driven from this data.

Millions of Americans have left the workforce due to the ongoing public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women were particularly impacted since many of them had to sacrifice their job and become the primary caretakers of their children due to school and daycare closures. Many companies may be at risk of losing some of their best and brightest employees if they don’t figure out how to accommodate female workers with children.

It goes without saying that the past two years have been, for the most part, unpredictable. In both our professional and personal lives, we’ve all had to pivot and adapt to situations we never thought imaginable. In fact, according to the World Uncertainty Index (Ahir) we’re living in the most uncertain time in human history. 

Hybrid working is happening. At least, that’s what large organisations are telling everyone. We recently examined the publicly stated positions of 150 FTSE and Fortune companies and found that two-thirds were on record advocating some form of hybrid working for their employees, compared to just 6% that had publicly stated their opposition for non-office-based working.

I’m a marketing leader in the tech sector and passionate about diversifying our industry. I care about living my values and keeping women paid, well and thriving. Through Possible Ground I work with people looking to enter the tech industry whether that’s through a job or a business they are running.

We all know how important it is to get that right work and life balance, but as an entrepreneur it can be difficult. As this week is National Work Life Week, we wanted to highlight the many factors that can contribute to your high-stress levels, some such as lack of sleep and getting sick. But did you know that all three of these actually go hand-in-hand? 

The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere - and with good reason. AI plays a pivotal role in many aspects of our lives ranging from Google maps to facial recognition to voice assistants. AI is now ingrained into so many elements of our lives. But at what cost? 

Generational differences within a workplace are nothing new. For years we’ve listened to baby boomers and millennials clash over each other's attitudes towards work and how each generation has varying traits that impact their ability to work. 

Accounting for 99% of all companies and 77% of the workforce, according to McKinsey, small and medium-size enterprises are, by far, the largest commercial segment in the UK.

One of the biggest reasons for startup failure is ‘the wrong team’. I’ve been building startups with different co-founders for over three decades and have seen a lot of what goes wrong.

Work-life balance is my lover and spreading its joy with others is one of my reasons for living (we are in a very open relationship, please join). But we’ve not always been so close.

When people think about mentorship in business, it’s usually along the lines of the following: a seasoned professional offering advice and support to younger and less experienced colleagues or associates. But mentorship can be so much more than this. In this challenging post-pandemic era, it is an essential ingredient, not only in building a successful company financially but also one that has a positive social impact. To understand just how important it can be, here are some ways mentorship can be considered and implemented:

Having decided that the entrepreneurial life is for you, it is then necessary to think about how you will actually make that best happen. The specific legal structure that you choose is only the vehicle used to transform your ideas into reality, and your theory into sales and profit. 

There’s always been something rather bittersweet about the back-to-school season. On one hand, it marks when the mornings start to feel a little more crisp, the return to the grind after that last bank holiday until Christmas. On the other, there’s a sense of hopeful optimism – a chance for new beginnings and an opportunity to return to work feeling refreshed.

As the 2021 festive season fast approaches, many small businesses will be turning their heads towards planning, utilising and thriving during the Christmas period. 

Getting a new business off the ground is an intensive and time-consuming endeavour that will test even the most resilient of us, which is why so many new companies are established without working systems and processes in place.

In a nutshell, digital transformation is the process of leveraging digitisation to transform business outcomes. So, what is the difference?

Even with a stand-out business idea, securing the funds to set your plans into motion is one of the biggest hurdles an emerging enterprise will face. Luckily, there are a number of ways in which your startup or SME can gain capital.

For anyone starting a business there is that delicious and intoxicating mixture of excitement tinged with fear. Both these are driven by stepping into the unknown and doing something new. Doing anything new or different will always present new challenges, and the further outside of your personal experience or comfort zone any new enterprise is, then potentially the larger those challenges will be.

Autumn is already upon us and the nights are drawing in - Christmas is only just round the corner. However, this isn’t always a reason for small businesses to celebrate. The calendar year-end can often coincide with tricky cashflow gaps for smaller companies which can lead to some less than silent nights for business owners. Here are some tips on why it may be worth thinking ahead now and looking at company finances in advance, to avoid getting some unsightly lumps of coal in the company stocking instead of a winter celebration. 

London is the leading destination to grow a technology business outside of Silicon Valley, according to a comprehensive ranking of international startup hubs compiled by Startup Genome for its annual Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021.

Ensuring your business has a gender pay report in place has “never been more important”, a leading employment solicitor said. Companies with 250 or more members of staff now have just two weeks to report their gender pay gap information

Talent Works, the collaborative talent acquisition company, is working with Individual Placement & Support (IPS) specialist IPS Grow to hire 1,500 employment specialists by 2024.

Chronic disease is rising rapidly in America and throughout the developed world. Today, according to the CDC a shocking 71.6% of adults are either overweight or obese. Moreover, over the last few decades, rates of hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, Alzheimer’s, major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, insomnia, and multiple other chronic diseases are rising over time. Likewise, medical costs are rising over time year after year and today costs the US a staggering $3.8 trillion (or about 18% of GDP) per year.

The Business Travel Show starts tomorrow, and with that we wanted to highlight another of the Europe Innovation Faceoff finalists who represent the most cutting edge products, tech and services developed by startups to address big challenges facing the business travel industry.

Only two days to go now until the Business Travel Show, and no better time than to highlight some of the Europe Innovation Faceoff finalists who represent the most cutting edge products, tech and services developed by startups to address big challenges facing the business travel industry.

Have you ever thought of setting up your own business? Have you already done so? What made you want to do this? In truth, the answers are very different for each of us but, looking at government statistics and Companies House records, more and more people are choosing this route; especially since the turmoil in the last few years caused by the pandemic.

LinkedIn has announced their annual 2021 Top UK Startups, a list of the best emerging startups to work for. Using a four pillar methodology, they have measured and ranked employment growth, engagement, job interest and talent attraction. The top companies are fast-growing and have successfully embraced flexible working, thus pioneering a new vision for the future of work in the UK.

Xero has announced the formation of a prompt payment task force of leading experts, brought together to find new solutions to the late payment crisis which has had a stranglehold on small firms for decades.

The market for startups these days is red-hot. According to PitchBook Data Inc, in the US alone the venture industry raised $73.6bn in 2020, well above the previous high of $68.1bn set in 2018.

Welcoming an apprenticeship is a great move – both for the apprentice and your business. Research shows that 78% of employers find apprentices help to improve workforce productivity.

London is the leading destination to grow a technology business outside of Silicon Valley, according to a comprehensive ranking of international startup hubs compiled by Startup Genome for its annual Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2021. Despite Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, London maintained its second-place ranking tied with New York for the second year in a row.

A blog is a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group that is written in an informal or conversational style.

Perhaps the pandemic made you reassess your working life, or maybe you’ve always planned to start your own business and are ready and raring to go. Either way, if you’ve decided to go it alone, you’ll need to be prepared for the multiple challenges – and rewards – being a business owner will bring.

The backlash against the recent decision by OnlyFans to ban content depicting 'sexually explicit conduct' from its platform - and its subsequent U-turn in the face of that backlash - can serve as an important lesson for startups in how (and how not) to communicate news around big business decisions that might impact their customer base. 

Whether these businesses will opt for working from home full time or hybrid working - where employees split their time between home and the office - remains somewhat unclear at this point. For some, a return to pre-pandemic office life is on the cards, but for others, there's simply no going back to the way things were.

The modern companies that are looking to get maximum returns on investment have to concentrate on developing human capital difference by using effective training and development programs for their staff to improve their productivity. The workforce of an organisation is a valuable asset for any company.

Working at Thrasio, one of the fastest-growing acquirers of Amazon third-party FBA brands, you learn how Amazon sellers can adapt their offering and remain competitive as consumers return to the high street.

The impact of COVID-19 has seen many organisations asking their employees to work part of their time at the workplace and part remotely, as hybrid working becomes the norm for many of us.

Imagine stepping into a health shop after a long day at work. You’re on the hunt for a multivitamin that will kick the fatigue that’s been following you for weeks. You want to be engaged and productive, but you wake up tired, and you have trouble focusing when you need to give it your all. Let me introduce you to Feel. We caught up with founder Boris Hodakel to find out more on the startup.

There are strong indications that many proprietors are seeking to diversify in the post-pandemic world, whilst others are looking to take advantage of the increased interest from overseas investors following the UK’s departure from the EU.

A new survey of 2,000 UK adults has revealed the fate of COVID-inspired business launches.

We don’t often address mental health in male-domintated sectors, despite well-being becoming a more accepted topic in mainstream media. There is a lingering macho stoicism surrounding the conversation about the toll that raising capital can take on business leaders, which is perhaps no wonder in a field where the pursuit of work-life balance is seen as a weakness.

COVID-19 introduced new changes and accelerated already existing ones in the ways we work and interact with one another within our organisations. As we adjust to the new ways of working and work at breakneck speed to return back to normality, Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, Chief Strategy Officer at FinTech company Blend Network, argues that it is more important than ever for businesses and their leaders to champion inclusive growth.   

When it comes to holistic living, doctors, psychologists, and life coaches have a lot to say. It’s not really the place of business founders to be handing out lessons, after all, they’re known for being work-obsessed and putting in long hours. But, they do know a thing or two about what it's like starting and growing a business, 

We’re currently in the midst of what many are calling a 'startup boom'. More than 4.4 million new businesses have been created in the US since last March, according to the Census Bureau - the highest amount ever seen since records began in 2004. 

Rocket Academy, a startup providing online coding courses, has announced it has raised $1.1m in pre-seed funding. The investment comes from a consortium of 50 marquee tech investors and venture capitalists including entrepreneurs Darius Cheung from 99.co, Marcus Tan from Carousell and Stanley Tang from DoorDash, former Singapore Ambassador to the UN Kishore Mahbubani, SEA tech leaders’ investment network XA Network, and VC firms Taurus Ventures and Hustle Fund.

Chances are, you have probably had some sort of engagement with a chatbot in the past. These technologies are used by an array of organisations, usually in an attempt to create a much more efficient customer experience, and in many circumstances, cut costs along the way. However, these solutions are not always up to the task.

With its recent launch across the Nordic and Baltic states, we caught up with Jonas Sellberg, Co-founder and COO of Staccs, a premium streaming on-demand service for concert video and music documentaries. The new home for concerts on demand, Staccs is set to offer music fans the opportunity to relive their favourite concert moments. Jonas explains to us what Staccs is all about, the journey so far and what lies ahead.

Brilliant female entrepreneurs across the UK are being encouraged to apply to take part in a campaign which showcases inspiring women running their own businesses, and offers support.

The impact of COVID-19 has brought many changes to the world of business and innovation. In this continually evolving process, the current paradigm is being challenged in almost all areas across the board, from hybrid work practices to a focus on up-skilling and bringing wellbeing centre stage.

New research released by Ricoh Europe revealed that just 35% of employers trust their staff fully while working remotely, with 39% suggesting their people don’t work as hard or effectively as in the office.

2020 saw an uptick of newly registered businesses, with almost half a million (468,371) being registered in the UK, with the most popular startup being in the retail sector. In 2020, there were six million private sector businesses in the UK, up by 112,700 compared to 2019.

With less than three months to go till COP26, the UK, in particular, has a unique opportunity to establish itself as a global hub for sustainability, a world leader in green technology and investment, and a place where all tech businesses join forces to tackle one of the greatest issues of our time.

The pandemic triggered a serious economic shock, giving rise to great uncertainty. CEOs, CFOs, investors and shareholders have had to restructure their financial plan to get to the next stage of growth and recover sales. Moreover, in every company there comes a time when a change is required. This is where we welcome the interim CFO, or in other terms, the prototype of a modern day CFO.

Whilst many say young people have been hugely affected by the pandemic, new polling reveals a new wave of optimism when it comes to the study and the career choices of today’s school leavers.

Pearson College London, part of Pearson, a FTSE 100 and global education company, is inviting early stage startups and entrepreneurs to apply for their annual incubator programme.

It’s fair to say investment banks don’t have the best reputation for offering employees the perfect work/life balance, but one such firm - Numis - is setting out to change things.

Launching a business can be one of the most exciting yet nerve-racking decisions we can make. Once we've taken the leap, nothing says ‘venturing out into the unknown’ more than that common question: “What are you doing about marketing?”

Educational institutions worldwide are leveraging technology provide to learners with better educational resources. Students are no longer dependent on a single teacher or instructor's knowledge to learn their subject. They have access to a world of information at their fingertips.

The mental health of employees should be a concern for all companies, regardless of size. Creating a culture that supports mental health is not only a moral - and often legal - imperative, but also business savvy. The consequences of a workforce with poor mental health are expensive. Proactive, innovative strategies in relation to employee mental health should therefore be part of all company toolkits.

Hannah Holland, Managing Director and founder of HLD Management, HLD Models, HLD Studios, Levelled Up: The Podcast, a leading female lead management company, is a strong powerful female entrepreneur. Since its inception in 2019, HLD has quickly grown to become a leader in the female Talent Management industry. We caught up with Hannah to find out more about her, her journey and HLD Management.

Over 80 budding entrepreneurs from across the UK are participating in the Santander X Entrepreneurship Awards 2021 and are in with a chance of receiving up to £75,000 of business development support at the competition final, due to take place at Wembley Stadium in London in October.

Trade shows, trade fairs or exhibitions – whatever your preferred term – the format is not to every business owners’ taste and in many cases get a bad rap. However, some of the biggest entrepreneurs including Phil ‘Shoe Dog’ Knight, founder of Nike, and Patagonia’s owner Yvon Chouinard, relate pivotal points in their businesses having taken place at B2B trade shows.  

There’s no denying that high-profile influencer marketing, when executed well, can drive a mass of traffic and word of mouth hype. But now thanks to ASA laws, influencers now have to be transparent when working with brands on these campaigns, which can leave customers feeling unsure as to whether an influencer is being authentic. As a result, a brand's reputation can take a massive hit. 

A pioneering scheme designed to support startup businesses and stimulate growth in Wales is showcasing the best of innovation and tech talent in August.

Sir Dave Brailsford led the Great British cycling team to unparalleled success during his era as Performance Director between 2003 and 2014. The team went from the periphery of world cycling to winning over 150 gold medals across the 10 years he was in the role.

Thinkific Labs, a platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses, today announced the launch of the third annual Think in Color Summit.

 

Four cutting-edge UK technology startups will now have the opportunity to develop minimum viable products (MVPs) to help industry titans digitise and improve their manufacturing processes, after being selected to go through to the final stage of Digital Catapult’s Made Smarter Technology Accelerator Programme.

Northern-based volunteer collective, Fund Her North, which brings together women in the investment industry to support Northern female founders, has launched the region’s only female angel syndicate, Women Angels of the North.

This topic is probably one of those that were lost on very few people from the industry. But if this piece could save another startup founder from making a move that would affect their relationship with investors and probably jeopardise the whole fundraising process, I'll try my chances.

Do you ever wonder how long you spend scrolling on social media platforms? Or, have you ever found yourself deep in a TikTok binge until the early hours of the morning? It’s a remarkably common occurrence, and it’s not your fault: social media apps are intentionally designed with addictive features. This comes at a big cost for both our physical and mental health.

I’m a big believer in reading. It’s always relaxed me and offered guidance in surprising ways. As a founder who set up a company in my 20s, I read every entrepreneur book I could get my hands on at the time, desperate to soak up some wisdom from those who had made a success of their businesses.

An effective SEO strategy doesn't always mean you have to work hard, but it always requires you to work smart. Whether you just launched a website or your website's SEO needs a different approach, there is always room to improve regardless of the business type, size, or industry. SEO expert at UENI, Matt Reevy, shares 7 handy online marketing tips to help you upgrade your website's SEO and help boost your business.

A major part in delivering a successful campaign is to ensure you have the right people behind your brand. By having the best individuals to represent your product or service, the better engagement you’ll have with consumers. When it comes to creating your ideal team, there are some important factors to consider. From personality, knowledge, skills, attitude to experience. If you can tick all of these, then the greater impact your campaign will have.

It’s easy to understand the alure of starting up and running your own business; the highly attractive personal, professional and financial rewards bring a great degree of job satisfaction. But there is no doubt that the pressures can sometimes be all-consuming.

Apple announced big updates for iCloud and iOS 15 at the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference this June, with a particular focus on privacy and data tracking. Newly unveiled features from the tech giant include the ability for users to load remote content privately without disclosing their IP, as well as using 'burner' email accounts to sign up for email offers.