London Tech Week 2025 is set to be the most impactful edition yet, bringing together world-leading AI innovators, corporate decision-makers, and policymakers to shape the future of artificial intelligence.

Growing up on a small Caribbean island, I developed a great appreciation for the ocean and our marine environment. In island and coastal communities, our history, cultures, and livelihoods are intrinsically linked with the great blue.

ESG reporting is no longer just about ticking boxes. As reporting expectations evolve, businesses that treat ESG as a core priority will be better positioned to attract capital, manage regulatory risks and drive sustainable value. And CFOs, perhaps unexpectedly, are now at the centre of this shift.

In recent years, many startup founders have witnessed a continued downturn in venture capital funding. What they may not have realised, however, is that in its place alternative funding and credit markets have begun to enter the mainstream.

Fintech alternative lending platform for digital founders, Juice, has announced that it has raised £25 million in funding to support its aim to democratise finance by providing SME founders with capital and confidence to achieve growth ambitions.

Quantum computing and related technologies like quantum AI are regarded as the next big wave after AI. A global survey of 500 business leaders across industries found that interest in quantum is very high, with more than 60% of respondents indicating they are actively investing or exploring opportunities in quantum AI.

Doubleword, the self-hosted inference platform for enterprises, has announced a $12 million Series A led by Dawn Capital.

Transreport has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise, in the category of Innovation. Transreport is one of 197 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise.

As economic uncertainty looms large in Western markets – from political instability in the US to rising regulatory headwinds – a new centre of gravity is emerging for forward-thinking businesses: the Middle East. At WOLF, a UK-founded tech company built around creating community-led online entertainment for Arabic speakers, we’ve experienced first-hand the region’s exceptional growth potential.

Tech Nation will announce the next wave of high-impact tech companies at a Number 10 event hosted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer this evening. The tech scaleups have been selected for the prestigious Future Fifty programme, which is designed to fuel growth for high-potential and high-growth scaleups across the UK.

Nia – the AI platform building the next generation of autonomous engineering agents – has raised an $850,000 pre-seed round led by LocalGlobe, with participation from No Label Ventures, Andrena Ventures, Ventures Together, Eurasian Hub Ventures, and Artificial Societies (YC W25).

Lightsonic, a software company using fibre optic sensing technology, has raised €3.3 million in a seed investment round to develop intelligent monitoring solutions that enhance sustainability, resilience, and security in water utilities and critical infrastructure. The investment was led by Maki.vc, with participation from RAISEVentures and Sondo.

Duna's platform for compliant business identity helps large enterprises like Plaid, Bol, Moss, Sequra, and Brand New Day Bank to grow their customer base while adhering to increasing regulation like AMLD5/6, PSD2/3, DAC7, and DORA.

Sales isn't a dirty word – it's a survival skill. In today's high-stakes, high-noise business environment, mastering the art of closing is the difference between having a great idea and building a great company. Whether you're a Gen Z founder fluent in digital storytelling or a seasoned entrepreneur adjusting to a new economy, one truth remains: meetings don't move markets – deals do.

At the AWS Summit in London, I sat down with Tricia Troth, Head of Startups UK and Ireland at Amazon Web Services (AWS), to explore how the company is supporting early-stage businesses through technical enablement, investment guidance, and a broad ecosystem of resources.