Ankar, the AI platform transforming how companies and law firms capture and protect their patents, has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Atomico, with Index Ventures doubling down and Norrsken VC and Daphni participating. The company will use the funding to grow its team and expand further into the US.

With UK businesses facing sluggish growth and tighter budgets, companies are increasingly turning to AI to improve efficiency and sharpen their competitiveness. This shift has driven a 66% surge in demand for freelancers skilled in AI video creation over the past six months, according to new data from Fiverr International.

Mirelo, an audio company that lets anyone generate perfectly synchronised sound effects for videos, has raised a $41 million seed round, co-led by Index Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Atlantic.vc and TriplePoint Capital. The company was founded by two senior AI researchers who are also accomplished musicians, and who left big tech to build breakthrough foundation models in audio – one of the most emotionally resonant but technically underdeveloped areas of AI. The funding is a sign of a broader shift in creative expression, as AI tools empower more and more artists and designers to bring their ideas to life.

Here we go again – “the most wonderful time of the year,” except if you’re a startup founder or entrepreneur, it can often feel more like “the most complicated time of the year.” The end-of-year push is in full swing, you’re tired, the to-do list is multiplying, and the sense that you ‘should’ be able to switch off soon is getting louder… but right now, may feel even more unrealistic.

The ongoing war in Ukraine and strong international interest in innovative solutions in the defence industry are driving the growth of startups operating in the Estonian defence industry. According to investors, the defence industry may become the flagship of the Estonian startup sector in 2026.

Forest has announced Octopus Energy as its official energy partner, helping pedal London towards cleaner, cheaper travel. 

NatWest Group has opened applications for the second year of its Fintech Programme, targeting fintechs across the UK that are using AI to help redefine the future of customer experience in financial services.

UK entrepreneurs and SME leaders are staying loyal but looking abroad. New data from e-Residency shows 90% would still start their business in Britain, yet 57% say post-Brexit barriers make the EU more attractive for expansion.

2026 is almost here. SME owners felt the squeeze during 2025, with increases to the rate of National Insurance Contribution for employers and increases to the minimum wage resulting in higher per-employee costs.

The startup playbook says: hustle harder, stay responsive, show up consistently, outwork everyone. For AuDHD founders, that playbook is a recipe for burnout. I know because I've watched it happen. I burnt out spectacularly as a teacher and now I coach women who are discovering their neurodivergence while trying to build businesses. The pattern repeats: brilliant, driven founders forcing themselves into productivity systems designed for brains that work nothing like theirs, then wondering why they're falling apart.

Yonda Tax, the global tax automation platform helping businesses stay compliant across borders, has announced its first institutional funding round, bringing total investment to $15 million. The round was led by Kennet Partners, with participation from NYO Capital and Portfolio Ventures. The funding will be used to enhance platform features and functionality, and to support its expansion into new industries and tax jurisdictions.

Small businesses across the UK will benefit from new Government funding and support to help them invest in sustainability, to cut their operating costs, and boost their business.

monday.com has released the UK findings from its latest World of Work report. Surveying 500 UK and US directors on what will shape AI adoption in 2026, the data reveals that 78% of UK directors do not expect AI to reduce headcount within their teams next year – and almost a third (32%) actually expect to hire more because of it.

Ignite Next has announced its launch as Europe’s new scale-up programme for deeptech innovation, designed to bridge the gap between early-stage founders and industrial-scale success.

Harley Street Health District and AlbionVC announce a strategic partnership designed to expand access to transformative healthcare technologies and accelerate the adoption of new models of care in the UK.