When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, engineers, farmers, and tech entrepreneurs turned their tools to defence, scrambling to convert drones, develop electronic warfare (EW) systems, and build agile technologies fit for the battlefield. But whilst the urgency of war can fast-track innovation, it rarely makes for a stable business model.

From the very first day my co-founder Jorge and I founded Abacum back in 2020, we knew unequivocally that the US market was our K2, which needed conquering. Today, more than half our revenue stems from here and it’s our fastest growing market.

More than half (52%) of Gen Z job seekers are prioritising ‘growth mindset’ roles that offer personal development opportunities, as competition with AI for entry-level work intensifies.

Through my role at our agency Nonsense, and outside of Nonsense in my capacity as an occasional mentor, and investor in numerous creative startups spanning industries from homeware to health & wellness to apparel brands and podcasting, I've watched countless businesses scale. More often than not, we see founders wearing many hats, taking on a multitude of responsibilities.

Largo.ai, a global provider of advanced AI-driven solutions for the film, TV, and advertising industries, has acquired London-based market research technology and consultancy firm, QuMind.

Resilience Media, the security-first media platform dedicated to NATO’s defence tech sector, has secured a significant seed investment from a group of leading mission-aligned investors as it reveals a line up of former TechCrunch journalists.  The investors are from the UK, the US, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, and Poland.

Hytro, the UK-based performance brand behind the world’s first wearable Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) product, has announced new backing from sports and human performance investors Joyned Capital and Skin In The Game. The investment accelerates Hytro’s expansion plans in elite sport and human performance, and strengthens its global leadership in recovery technology.

Whilst the industry debates whether blockchain will replace traditional financial infrastructure, smart companies are already building bridges between two worlds.

AND Digital, the international tech consultancy, has partnered with the team at Google Digital Garage to deliver a new suite of trainer-led courses for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) looking to grow their AI and digital skills to stay ahead in the digital market.

QuamCore, a deeptech startup tackling quantum computing’s hardest scalability challenges, announced a $26 million Series A, bringing total funding to $35 million. The round was led by Sentinel Global, with participation from Arkin Capital, as well as existing investors Viola Ventures, Earth & Beyond Ventures, Surround Ventures, Rhodium, and Quantum Leap. The Israel Innovation Authority contributed a $4 million non-dilutive grant.

We’ve glamorised burnout for far too long. In the entrepreneurial world, being ‘busy’ has become the gold standard. Stress is seen as a natural by-product of success, and exhaustion is practically a badge of honour.

At surface level, your average Taylor Swift fan listens to her new music, catches a tour date if lucky, and owns some merch.

Chris Smith, Co-Founder of Bloxx, a startup company built to reimagine how homeownership works – without mortgages, without interest, and without the assumption that renting must be forever, stepped away from a two-decade career in banking, armed with industry insight, knowledge that the industry as it stood could not serve the next generation, and an idea to change that.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has significantly increased its IT spending, investing nearly £5 million in laptops, phones, and tablets over the past two years. This investment is a key part of DSIT’s strategy to scale up internal digital capabilities and empower its workforce, supporting the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in technology and artificial intelligence.

Flipdish, the all-in-one digital ordering and management platform for hospitality, has announced its ongoing partnership with fellow Irish startup Manna Air Delivery, an advanced drone delivery company.