Across global innovation hubs – from the UK and US to key markets in APAC – university spinouts are capturing investor attention like never before. These research-rooted ventures are now seen as high-potential engines of scalable growth, sparking an emerging hiring boom focused on transformative leadership.

As we begin the second quarter of 2025, the first companies with 12-month accounting periods are preparing their latest research and development (R&D) tax relief claims under the new merged R&D Expenditure Credit (RDEC) – and the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) scheme. But what are the key considerations early claimants need to be aware of?

The sales game has changed, and if you're still relying on outdated methods, you're already falling behind. Conversational AI isn't just another buzzword – it’s a powerhouse for sales teams looking to scale their outreach, close deals faster, and operate with efficiency.

I used to think progress looked like more women in leadership. More women at the table. More women at the top.

And for a while, that felt true. After all, in a world where men are still holding quite a substantial amount of leadership roles – 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs to be exact – any shift felt like something worth celebrating.

Rob O’Connor, EMEA CISO at Insight explores why businesses must overcome the fear of adopting new technologies to truly protect themselves from evolving cyber threats.

I spent years as a physio on the pitch at Birmingham FC, juggling sports injuries and million-pound hamstrings. The workflows were slick: an ache reported in the morning was scanned, triaged, and rehab could be planned by lunch. It struck me that the lower back pain that benched a striker for two weeks was akin to the pain keeping a warehouse worker off the job for months – yet outside elite sport, the pathway was anything but slick.

A growing number of PE firms are using advanced data analytics techniques to assess their potential investments. As a result, they require more complex data from their prospects to build a much more holistic picture of how a company is performing now, and, with predictive analytics, will potentially fare in the future.

Many startups assume securing a domain and launching a website are enough to establish a digital presence. This is a perilous misconception. A single negative online experience can have severe consequences; in fact 88% of visitors are less likely to return after just one bad interaction.

As digital customer experiences become central to everyday life, marketers need to remove barriers and create inclusive content. That’s where the European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes in. Taking effect on June 28 2025, the directive will shift how businesses approach digital communications.

When misinformation about a new innovation begins to circulate on social media – as happened to the dairy co-operative, Arla at the end of last year – it’s easy to pick campaigns apart and highlight communications missteps – but there’s a bigger issue at play.

In today’s technology landscape, the dominant narrative is one of relentless growth – an arms race of downloads, funding rounds, and user acquisition. Yet, as the world’s fastest-growing AI applications emerge from unexpected corners, a different story is unfolding: purpose-driven technology, shaped by spiritual and ethical wisdom, is proving more resilient and impactful than conventional, metrics-obsessed approaches.

AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot, Amazon CodeWhisperer, and Hostinger Horizons have transformed software development. They can handle routine code tasks, offer instant suggestions, and even provide ready-to-use software. However, they are not magic oracles of error-free code.

Growing up on a small Caribbean island, I developed a great appreciation for the ocean and our marine environment. In island and coastal communities, our history, cultures, and livelihoods are intrinsically linked with the great blue.

ESG reporting is no longer just about ticking boxes. As reporting expectations evolve, businesses that treat ESG as a core priority will be better positioned to attract capital, manage regulatory risks and drive sustainable value. And CFOs, perhaps unexpectedly, are now at the centre of this shift.

Gen Z are now the largest generation group globally, and as the youngest cohort in today’s workplace, they are already stepping into leadership roles that will drive the future of business for many years to come. With nearly a quarter of a million directors of UK companies already being Gen Z in 2024, their growing influence is clear.

In today’s digital-first world, platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube can push a product into the public eye within hours. We’ve all seen it: a quirky gadget, an innovative beauty tool, or a clever design catches on, and suddenly it’s everywhere. Sales spike, followers grow, and demand explodes.

Early-stage startups face hundreds of decisions in a short time. Most are focused on product development, market fit, and funding. But as the digital infrastructure of a business takes shape, hosting becomes a factor that can influence speed, security, and long-term scalability.

As economic uncertainty looms large in Western markets – from political instability in the US to rising regulatory headwinds – a new centre of gravity is emerging for forward-thinking businesses: the Middle East. At WOLF, a UK-founded tech company built around creating community-led online entertainment for Arabic speakers, we’ve experienced first-hand the region’s exceptional growth potential.

In a digital economy, no business is too small to be a target. Yet when we talk about cybersecurity policy and resilience, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) still don’t get the attention – or support – they need. That has to change.

Being a founder is lonely. You’re pulled in a hundred directions, expected to have all the answers, and often left without a safe space to voice doubts or test ideas.