Monzo is near to closing in on a new funding round that could value the fintech at £4 billion, in a sign of investor confidence in its expanding business.

An innovative free smartphone app, Parkinson’s ON, developed by a man living with Parkinson’s and his partner, has received funding for its second phase from Parkinson’s UK.

Agritech startup WeedOUT has secured $8.1 million in series A. Fulcrum Global Capital, a prominent US agri-focused VC known for its extensive network of farmers across the US, led the round.

The sustainable mobility startup "Walk15" has secured a €1 million investment, marking its second investment in just three months. This health-focused startup, which connects over 640,000 users with 1,300 businesses and organisations globally, intends to use the new investment to spearhead its expansion into the German market. This month, "Walk15" inaugurated a new office in Berlin.

London-based startup Koalaa, renowned for its innovative soft prosthetic arms that enhance independence for individuals with limb differences worldwide, has successfully completed a $1.2 million (£925,000) funding round.

Most founding management teams get going through a blend of funding from friends and family and good old boot-strapping. But as a high-growth company begins to prove that it has reached first base (let’s call that product-market fit), it will begin to appear on the radar of a broader range of investors.

KYND, a company in cyber risk management solutions, has announced a significant investment to fuel its expansion and continued growth.

Pathways, an AI-driven sustainability platform which enables manufacturers to measure and reduce building material emissions, has raised $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Pi Labs and Zacua Ventures. Other investors included Blue Lion Global, Positive Ventures, Jetstream, Refashiond, Great Wave Ventures and Anglet. The round was oversubscribed by $1.5 million. 

Since 2012, over 15,000 "Start Up Loans", amounting to more than £100 million, have been awarded to young entrepreneurs aged 18-24. These loans are part of a government-supported finance initiative facilitated by the British Business Bank, which has disbursed over £1 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country since the scheme's inception.

Cambridge Mechatronics Limited (CML), a player in the design and control of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators, announced the completion of a funding round, amassing over $40 million to facilitate the swift expansion of its actuator and controller IC product ranges.

Spacegoods, a pioneering wellness brand that focuses on functional mushrooms and nootropics, secured a £2.5 million seed investment.

OnePlanetCapital, a venture capital firm dedicated to climate change, has initiated an angel syndicate to offer investors the opportunity to directly invest in specific companies within its portfolio.

Macmillan Cancer Support is allocating £350,100 to fund Lucida Medical's innovative AI platform, Pi, aimed at enhancing the precision and efficiency of prostate cancer diagnostics.

In a significant move aimed at transforming the European hospitality industry, Finnish technology-driven hospitality operator, Bob W, announced it has secured Series B financing amounting to €40 million.

Gresham House Ventures, a growth equity investor specialising in software and digitally-driven businesses in the consumer, healthcare, and service sectors, has invested 8.5 million in Ozone API, the open banking API platform founded by the team that designed open banking in the UK.

Project 3 Mobility, a Croatian company developing a new ecosystem of urban autonomous mobility, closed its Series A investment round, growing the total amount raised from private investors to c. €100 million.

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.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of the UK economy, in fact they account for 99% of all private sector businesses, contributing significantly to innovation, employment, and economic growth. In this article, Neil Cassule, COO at FundOnion discusses how SMEs can ensure they are in pole position to gain finance in 2024. 

AI has undergone significant advancements over the past decade, with its pace of development accelerating in recent years.

Clue Software, a startup in the field of investigation and intelligence management software, has announced a £4 million investment round led by Frog Capital, complemented by £1 million from angel investors and employees, with ScaleUp Group acting as the investment advisor.