Location can play a huge part in the overall success of a business. From foot traffic and talent, to commute time and costs, there’s lots to consider when deciding where to set up shop. But, where in the UK is the happiest place to live as a business owner?

The majority of top Cloud startup founders are already seeing improved appetite from VCs to allocate capital in 2024, according to Notion Capital research, despite a sharp fall in overall European business software investment last year.

The first-ever Future of Capitalism Competition, founded by The Leo Lion Company, took place on the 8th February, and the Startups Magazine team were lucky enough to attend and celebrate with the winners.

Live chat chatbot systems have been evolving since the early days of the internet. However, their popularity and widespread availability started to increase significantly in the mid to late 2000s as businesses began to recognise the value of providing real-time customer support through online channels.

Managing payroll is often more complex than it seems. UK employers frequently encounter challenges with everything from manual data entry errors and delayed pension payments, to employee misclassifications and the incorrect use of tax codes. All of these issues can lead to HR team overload, fines, employee disengagement and reputational damage.

At Sixth Sense Summit 2024, Hexagon’s third cohort of eight scaling startups went head-to-head in the pitching competition. These startups are focused on two key challenge areas: “Building a sustainable manufacturing future” and “Smart digital reality for collaborative manufacturing.”

Most small businesses haven’t heard of the Social Value Act (SVA), but if they’ve ever been through the government procurement process, they’ll almost certainly have felt its force.

The Bristol-based tech startup Deazy has furthered its growth and expansion through the acquisition of Geektastic, a company known for its customisable, peer-reviewed technical assessments that offer profound technical insights. This allows organisations to swiftly pinpoint the finest developers.

CrowdStrike has unveiled the 22 startups chosen for the first Amazon Web Services (AWS) and CrowdStrike Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator, targeting firms from Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Brite Payments, a player in instant bank payments, has announced that it has joined The Payments Association EU as a Patron Member. The membership underlines Brite’s commitment to industry collaboration as it expands its product offering across Europe.

Despite the rapid uptake of AI across various sectors, Gallagher's 2023/24 State of the Sector report reveals that 71% of organisations lack clear guidelines for their internal communicators on the appropriate times, locations, or methods for utilising this technology.

SQCDP, a SaaS startup based in Newcastle, has secured £200,000 in funding to enhance manufacturing efficiencies and boost workforce engagement by eliminating problematic paper systems within factories. This investment forms part of a broader pre-seed funding initiative that continues to seek contributions.

At ISE 2024, Startups Magazine interviewed some of the startups on the show floor who presented groundbreaking solutions and innovations within the AV sector.

In the ever-evolving world of startups, the demands and expectations on leaders and their teams can be mind-bending. Quick decision making and being adaptable are vital whilst also maintaining focus on your goals.

Know-how may be the most nebulous of Intellectual Property. Although recordable in any form, it might only exist in someone’s memory. In that surprisingly common scenario, should they suddenly disappear, the know-how also disappears!