Zip, the AI-driven procurement orchestration platform, has secured $190 million in Series D funding, with BOND leading the round. This substantial investment ranks among the largest in the enterprise SaaS space this year, boosting Zip's valuation to $2.2 billion, up from $1.5 billion in 2023. New investors DST Global, Adams Street, and Alkeon joined the round, alongside returning backers Y Combinator and CRV.

Authologic, a global digital identity verification platform, has raised $8.2 million in its Series A funding round, led by European VC firm OpenOcean. YCombinator, Peak Capital, and SMOK VC also contributed, backing Authologic's mission to modernise KYC and AML processes with secure e-ID solutions. Traditional KYC systems that rely on document images are becoming outdated, as AI-generated fake documents make these methods increasingly vulnerable to fraud, identity theft, and compliance issues. Authologic’s platform offers a more secure approach, addressing the flaws in legacy verification systems.

Drax Group has partnered with Smart Green Shipping to advance the use of wind-assisted technology in decarbonising the shipping sector. The project centres on Smart Green Shipping's 'FastRig' wingsail, which aims to cut fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30% annually.

Student Minds, the UK charity dedicated to student mental health, has unveiled a new partnership with Mind Data, a digital platform providing real-time mental health insights.

Munich energy startup, PIONIERKRAFT, has secured a significant investment in its Series A funding round, amounting to a high seven-figure sum. The round was led by First Imagine!, a European venture capital firm committed to sustainable innovation.

“The model of the lone entrepreneur – the poor boy with a brilliant business idea who rises single-handedly from poverty; the isolated scholar scribbling brilliant ideas in a garret or country village – is largely mythological.” That was what John Kay and Sir Mervyn King, the former governor of the Bank of England, wrote in their book Radical Uncertainty.

Anna Brailsford, CEO and Co-Founder of Code First Girls, is dedicated to educating and building a community of female coders to bridge the gender divide in the tech industry and connecting them with economic opportunities.  

All good marketing campaigns should create an impact, however, creating a campaign that will be talked about long after the billboard is taken down, or the content stops being shown on our feeds is no easy feat.  

ScaleWise, a specialist in helping venture-backed tech companies achieve capital-efficient growth, has announced its acquisition of Pug & Bear, a marketing and strategy consultancy led by SaaS expert Munya Hoto. This acquisition directly addresses a pressing issue in the startup ecosystem: the significant drop in early-stage companies advancing from Seed to Series B funding.

FIS, a global fintech, has partnered with Fulham Football Club to launch a new initiative at the newly developed Fulham Pier. This collaboration introduces “Markers, presented by FIS,” a sophisticated innovation and technology hub designed to enhance business and community engagement.

Startups Magazine is excited to announce that we will once again be exhibiting at The Business Show on the 13th and 14th November! Come by stand B1600 to pick up a copy of the never been seen before November/December issue of the magazine, and have a chat with the team!

New research from Unmind reveals that almost half (45%) of UK women over the age of 55 don’t feel supported by their workplace. This is compared to a third (34%) of women of all other age groups.

Are you a startup looking to revolutionise your production process? CNC machining might be the game-changer you've been waiting for. Discover how this technology can boost efficiency, cut costs and help you compete with the big players. From rapid prototyping to small-batch production, CNC machining is transforming the startup landscape.

Has your marketing fallen flat lately? Are you bored of using the same messages over and over? Do you need to inject something new and fresh into the way you talk about yourself?

Activity among SME manufacturing businesses saw a decline in September, although confidence in future growth remained high, according to the latest NatWest SME Growth Tracker.