When Birmingham-based healthtech startup quietnote first set out to explore the intersection of mindfulness and music, it was a vision driven by passion as much as possibility. Today, that vision is backed by science, thanks to a groundbreaking clinical trial completed in collaboration with the University of Birmingham and funded by Innovate UK.

Being a leader is not just about status or influence. It's about responsibility, strategic thinking, supporting others, and the ability to guide a team toward a common goal. However, even the strongest leaders sometimes reach a point where leading stops bringing satisfaction and starts to drain them.

The UK is set to receive over £31 billion in AI and cloud infrastructure investment from global tech giants including Google, Amazon, and NVIDIA. From new data centres to startup funds, this wave of capital marks a pivotal moment for the UK’s digital economy and sends a clear signal that the race to scale applied AI is accelerating.

Australia’s innovation ecosystem is consolidating its position among the most dynamic globally, with almost 1,600 tech scaleups identified and over $36billion in capital raised, according to the Tech Scaleup Australia 2025 Report presented today by Mind the Bridge and ACCIONA at the MTB Scaleup Summit Sydney 2025.

MyCelsius, the UK-based innovator in personal cooling technology, has launched its highly anticipated MyCelsius Cooling Bracelet – a discreet, stylish, and science-driven wearable designed to offer cooling comfort during hot flushes; whether that be due to menopause and hormonal changes or stress and anxiety.

Every startup owner ultimately wants the same things: More money. More growth. More loyal customers or clients. 

365 Finance has reported that during the last 12 months, 32% of applicants for its revenue-based funding have been women – which is a significant increase on previous years.

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, has announced that the programme has delivered more than 9,500 loans worth more than £100 million to founders from across the East of England.

Chatfuel has announced an evolution in workflow intelligence with a comprehensive AI-native operating system for SMBs. Trained on over 150 billion customer conversations, the solution empowers over 100 million SMB owners to shift from manual engagement to revenue growth by reimagining the sales cycle – from first lead to loyal customer – in a 30-second setup.

Digital startups throughout the West Midlands are set to benefit from a wealth of increased investment opportunities, expert support services, and methods to introduce AI integration, all designed to help reinforce the West Midlands as a global tech powerhouse.

Humanoid has announced a strategic partnership with QSS AI & Robotics, Saudi Arabia’s robotics and AI company pioneering the localisation of advanced technologies under Vision 2030.

As a founder or product lead, you may have noticed how crowded the obvious markets are, leaving you with massive market opportunities that large corporations often overlook. Changing demographics, cultural shifts, and greater public awareness have created unmet needs that agile startups can service in various ways.

The Female Advisory Board (FAB), the UK’s first all-female peer advisory group, has announced a new charitable partnership with New Beginnings Peer Support, a peer-led after-crisis domestic abuse service supporting women and children in North Yorkshire who have experienced domestic abuse.

Raising the topic of artificial intelligence (AI) often sparks debates about job losses and automation replacing humans, and this can be the case in hospitality, but in my view, in an industry built on personal connection, a different story is unfolding. In hospitality, AI isn’t replacing people – it’s empowering them. The next frontier of automation is human-centred, using technology to amplify empathy, not erase it. I believe everyone in hospitality needs AI.

There’s a dangerous myth that continues to linger in startup culture – if you build a great product, they will come. Though it’s the mantra widely attributed to Facebook’s rise in 2004, it simply no longer holds true in today’s world.