The Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) has opened applications for the 2024 cohort of its award-winning TechX Accelerator programme. Clean energy startups from around the world can now apply for a place on the programme and a share of the £1.2 million grant funding available (up to £100,000 for each startup).

Outverse, the community platform for modern SaaS companies, has announced that it has raised $6 million in a seed round led by Wing VC. Also participating in the round are Notion Capital, Seedcamp, Connect Ventures, and Tiny VC.

Tracxn, a global SaaS-based market intelligence platform, has released its UK Tech Semi-Annual Funding Report - H1 2023. The report, based on Tracxn’s extensive database, provides insights into the UK Tech space.

J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking’s Innovation Economy team has hired almost 20 new client-facing teammates in EMEA to further its efforts to support companies in this sector in the UK, Ireland and DACH region.

The UK Government has announced that it has secured an agreement from nine UK pension funds to invest at least 5% of their funds into the nation’s fast-growing startups and venture capital funds by 2030.

UK Fintech funding has dipped in the first half of 2023, as total cash raised by UK fintech firms reached $2.9 billion in the first six months, showing a 37% decrease compared to the latter half of last year, according to new figures from industry body Innovate Finance.

Swiss FinTech startup Numarics has raised a €10.2M seed round for its automated accounting and administration solution tailored to SMEs.

uMed, the health and research technology company, has raised £9.8 million in its latest venture capital funding round.

In Part Two of this series, Victor Basta, CEO, DAI Magister continues his masterclass on preparing for a successful funding round during an economic downturn and what companies can learn from trends in the African ecosystem.

In Part One of this series, Victor Basta, CEO, DAI Magister gives a masterclass in preparing for a successful funding round during an economic downturn and what companies can learn from trends in the African ecosystem.

Founders and entrepreneurs have to have a determination and resilience that often distinguishes them from those that are paid employees. It is not only that they have to find a gap in the market that they feel they can exploit, but they also have to have the confidence to back themselves to do that.

Settly, a HR platform for employee relocation, has raised €6 million from the French evergreen impact fund “2050” and Mediahuis Ventures, the Belgian venture capital fund of international publisher Mediahuis. It is Settly's first investment round after having single-handedly grown to over 50 employees in 7 European countries since its inception in 2019.

Nothing, the London-based consumer technology brand, announces a $96 million fundraising round led by Highland Europe, with participation from existing investors GV (Google Ventures), EQT Ventures and C Capital, alongside house music supergroup Swedish House Mafia.

A raft of start-ups working at the interface between climate change and human health have received financial backing and commercial support from global healthcare provider Bupa, to focus on the link between the environment and health.

bp ventures has invested €7.5 million in the Service4Charger GmbH, a Berlin-based provider for the planning, installation, operation and maintenance of EV charging infrastructure.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced the launch of the AWS Global Fintech Accelerator programme.

Upfront Diagnostics, a healthcare company focused on discovering novel biomarkers that can be applied to medical diagnosis, has announced a seed funding round of £1.6 million. The investment was led by APEX Ventures’ Medical Fund, following grant funding from SBRI Healthcare in partnership with Stroke Association, for Upfront Diagnostic’s patented blood-based diagnostic LVOne.

Dexory has secured $19 million in Series A funding led by European VC firm Atomico, with participation from existing investors Lakestar, Kindred, Capnamic, and Maersk Growth, the investment arm of the global logistics and container shipping company, Maersk. As part of this investment Atomico Partner Ben Blume will join Dexory’s board of directors.

Algorithmiq, a scaleup developing quantum algorithms to solve the most complex issues in life sciences, has raised $15 million. The Series A round was led by Inventure VC, one of the most experienced Nordic venture funds.

Getting funding to scale a business in 2023 is certainly more of a challenge than it has been in more recent years. This does not mean that it is not possible.