Virtually every startup thinks of itself as innovative, but are they really? Every day I help companies claim cash for innovative activities through the R&D tax credit scheme. Most of these companies are somewhat innovative, however, to be truly innovative is really tough. In this column, I want to explore what innovation means and how you might apply it to your business.

Some questions in life are more fundamental than others and some are more specific or technical, and so it is in the world of early stage businesses. But for the person asking the question, each carries the same weight, and each is of the same importance because at the time of asking it is that point that is not understood. 

I have always believed in the power of accelerators and, as a founder of my own startup, I experienced how beneficial they can be.

For anyone starting a business there is that delicious and intoxicating mixture of excitement tinged with fear. That is partly the fear of the unknown but it is also very much the fear of failure. 

Whether it’s a member of your senior team getting poached, seeing your cash run out sooner than you were expecting, or facing a crisis situation, such as a data breach or privacy issue, startups will always face moments when the world seems to be conspiring against them.

The world constantly embraces new technologies - as does our education system. Since the changes in the UK curriculum in September 2014, kids as young as five have begun to embrace branches of education that seem completely alien to many adults.

When anyone is considering doing anything important and potentially life changing in their lives it always pays to think hard, do as much research and gather as much information as you can, and also to speak to as many people as possible. 

According to research by 123Reg.com, business savvy Britons are 10% more likely to start a new venture in January as part of their New Year’s resolutions, than any other time of year.

The majority (71%) of UK SMEs are either too busy or don't know how to attract new customers, according to research by business leadership organisation, Entrepreneurs Circle.

Nearly 70% of Millennials have advised they will make a purchase after seeing branded content online, according to new research by brand publishing specialists, Green Park Content.

If there was one word to summarise the last few years, it would be “uncertainty” – and studies suggested this was being felt by SMEs across the country.

Turkeys don’t have votes, and even if they did, they wouldn’t know what Christmas is. But it turns out PR people do have votes and we do know what Christmas is, so please, dear startup executive/founder/creator, don’t use our services.

Location, location, location. Sure, it matters if you’re picking where to buy a house with your partner, or where you want your children to go to school; but what if we told you it matters a lot for a startup business too?

Working a 9-5 may still be a norm for many, however, it’s been predicted that the number of digital nomads will reach one billion by the year 2035.  With this new tribe making waves in the world of work, Instant Offices looks into how they are changing the way Millennials and Generation Z think about their careers and travel.

The UK is fertile ground for the world’s fast-growth companies and our firm alone looks after three of the fastest-growing companies as listed in the Fast Track 100. 

It was recently announced that total venture capital (VC) funding for London’s tech companies rose by an unprecedented 87% last year to reach $9.7bn, over double that raised in Berlin and triple that raised in Paris. 

Of all the questions that I overhear or am asked, the one with the most variants is without doubt ‘how long will it take? The simple reason that it has the most variants is because ‘it’ can apply to almost anything and everything in a startup or a business at any other stage. 

Co-founder of the MIT Innovation Lab and global thought leader, Dr Dave Richards, shares his a startup guide to 'entrepreneurial spirit'.

You would be familiar with user experience design, if you work in the tech industry, or you have a product which has an interface. In case you are unfamiliar with UX design, here is a quick explanation: a user experience design creates a meaningful and relevant digital experience for users.

Global Gen Z research from Nintex reveals how organisations can make the most of the tech skills and experience of digital natives.