Siemens has completed the acquisition of Inspekto, a startup specialising in high-performance visual inspection, which was part of the portfolio of venture capitalist D11Z. Ventures (previously known as Zukunftsfonds Heilbronn). This transaction represented a notable milestone in the evolution of Inspekto.

London-based startup Koalaa, renowned for its innovative soft prosthetic arms that enhance independence for individuals with limb differences worldwide, has successfully completed a $1.2 million (£925,000) funding round.

Starting a business is a thrilling endeavour filled with ambition, innovation, and potential. However, amidst the excitement, entrepreneurs often overlook a critical aspect of their journey: growth management.

A report focused on advancing gender equality through impact investing and sustainable finance was released.

The gender health gap is hindering women’s access to healthcare and treatment outcomes, resulting in misdiagnoses, lengthy diagnosis times and preventable deaths.

As we traverse the AI landscape in 2024, business leaders find themselves at a pivotal juncture, transitioning from the soaring expectations of artificial intelligence to the pragmatic realities. With breakthroughs in gen AI technology, particularly in the realm of chatbots, the business community is awash with high expectations regarding AI's potential to revolutionise organisational productivity.

Revolut has announced the launch of an advanced scam detection feature to help protect customers from card scams.

Gong, a company in Revenue Intelligence, has unveiled new findings indicating that revenue teams significantly benefit from incorporating artificial intelligence into their processes.

KYND, a company in cyber risk management solutions, has announced a significant investment to fuel its expansion and continued growth.

On National Innovation Day, Tzahi (Zack) Weisfeld, VP & GM of Intel Ignite, notes that startup founders are really at the heart of the innovation in the technology industry.

UK-based FinTech, Akoni Hub, embedded sustainability provider ekko, and Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME) have announced the launch of their Planet Saver savings product. Savers will be able to apply for the product using Akoni Hub (part of the Stubben Edge Group).

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a multi-Academy Award-winning director, journalist, and political activist, and is due to be the first female director of a Star Wars film. At ISE 2024, Obaid-Chinoy presented the opening keynote, "Seeing through the Eyes of Others: Redefining the Art of Storytelling."

Pathways, an AI-driven sustainability platform which enables manufacturers to measure and reduce building material emissions, has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Pi Labs and Zacua Ventures. Other investors included Blue Lion Global, Positive Ventures, Jetstream, Refashiond, Great Wave Ventures and Anglet. The round was oversubscribed by $1.5 million. 

Over half (53%) of UK professionals would consider seeking new employment if their employer mandated increased office presence.

Since my time as a VC some twenty years ago, our understanding of how to build businesses has grown dramatically—particularly when it comes to topics such as raising capital, achieving product-market fit, and developing go-to-market strategies.