Productivity growth in Europe is uneven and slowing – a trend that shows no signs of improving. As hybrid work becomes the norm and economic pressures intensify, many organisations are asking a fundamental question: why isn’t productivity keeping pace with expectation?

As a founder in a business built on human connection, the rapid rise of AI can feel overwhelming. Without AI, could our businesses become obsolete? Does my human-centric approach still have value in an increasingly tech-driven world?

Across Sub-Saharan Africa, Micro, Small, and Medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) are responsible for nearly 50% of the region’s GDP. Yet, despite their economic importance, access to capital remains a persistent challenge. For many of these companies, the financial tools needed to scale and innovate remain unjustly out of reach.

In the latest episode of The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast, Startups Magazine Editor, Anna Wood, speaks with Shirley Baumer, Co-Founder and CPO of DreamTeam.

Discover how eco-conscious startups are reducing costs and emissions with smarter packaging, tech-led warehousing, and efficient delivery strategies.

Global healthcare systems are at a breaking point. A global pandemic, economic volatility, and global political shake-up have created an environment where healthcare cannot thrive. Adding to this, we are facing a large aging population that is being cared for by a shrinking workforce, creating huge fiscal tension.

American author and cultural critic, Neil Postman, once observed that even if the available technology of an age means you can do something, it doesn't necessarily mean you should do something. Fundamentally, his argument asks whether progress for progresses’ sake is actually always beneficial to society.    

In the evolving landscape of digital entrepreneurship, few stories resonate as powerfully as that of Amman Ahmed, Leeds-born founder of Music For Pets. Launched in Manchester, UK, Ahmed’s journey began with a simple mission: to transform pet wellness through audio.

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.

Most founders know feedback matters. Few know how to make it a habit.

We’re well into 2025, and there is already plenty to be excited about in the world of product management. As a Product Manager at GlobalLogic, I’ve had a front-row seat to the ways product roadmaps are evolving this year, helping teams navigate rapid change and new challenges.

Being young in an industry doesn’t mean you should focus on being disruptive.

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

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.

These days, gifting really matters. Whether it’s for employees, clients, customer service wins, or branded merch, it plays a big role in how your business is seen. But the costs can add up quickly, especially if you’re a startup trying to make a big impression on a small budget. The good news is that with the right approach, you don’t need to spend a lot to create meaningful impact.

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education,” – Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Data is driving everything in businesses from everyday operations to long-term strategy, making the quality of that data increasingly important. While organisations across industries are investing in analytics platforms, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation initiatives, many are still overlooking a foundational question: can we trust the data we're using?