DRUID, a global player in conversational AI technology, has announced its successful $30 million Series B led by TQ Ventures, with participation from new investors Smedvig Capital, Endeavor, and Verve Ventures, and existing investors GapMinder, Hoxton Ventures and Karma Ventures.

"Gaining entry into an accelerator's funding program requires startups to possess a combination of qualities, which collectively reveal a business that has the potential to thrive in a competitive and rapidly changing business landscape," writes Dr Yousef Alhammadi, Executive Director of The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA).

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are finding it increasingly hard to access funding from high street banks, new data from fintech firm iwoca reveals.

Xero, the global small business platform, has opened applications for its inaugural Xero Beautiful Business Fund, designed to celebrate small businesses and help accelerate their growth. The initiative is now open for submissions with more than £360,000 in funding available globally.

The Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA) has published new data gathered from over 600 early-stage companies that have benefited from VCT funding, which shows that deployment of capital into early-stage startups grew 8% year-on-year to £664 million, proving resilient in context of wider UK venture capital funding, which fell by almost a quarter (23%) in 2022.

Everest Assets Group (EAG) has launched a £5 million growth fund to empower a new generation of cybersecurity and IT scaleups.

In times of economic uncertainty, female-led businesses can be particularly vulnerable. A lack of awareness of the funding options available and a reluctance to take on debt, coupled with the impact of the lending gap, makes it harder for female founders to secure funding to increase working capital or seek growth in turbulent times.

Big tech was back in fashion for investors in Q2, according to the latest analysis from smart money app Plum.

Simply Business, one of the UK’s largest providers of small business insurance, has announced the launch of its annual Business Boost competition, which will award a £25,000 cash prize to the winner.

UK-based bio-tech business Clean Food Group has announced a further £2.3 million in funding to accelerate the commercialisation of its sustainable oils and fats technology. International investment has come from industrial food specialists Doehler Group and Alianza Team as the global food industry looks to invest in healthier and more sustainable food choices for future generations.

Sourcing finance for growth plans is a huge part of running a startup. There are many stages and steps involved in getting a brand-new business off the ground. From that initial inspiration, to developing a sound concept, planning, staffing, marketing, and launching. But hard cash underpins everything a startup founder does and can dream of doing.

Pockit – the financial super app for low-income and underserved communities – has raised $10 million in a growth round led by Puma Private Equity, with participation from The North East Development Capital Fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners and supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

Savvy investors around the world are using the ‘summer markets’ period to consider rebalancing their portfolios and, speaking in a recent social media post, the CEO and Founder of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations said this summer he’s investing in three key areas.

NGP Capital, the global venture capital firm, has announced the results of its deep dive into the DACH startup ecosystem investment landscape. Comparing data from the beginning of Q1 (January) 2020 up to the end of Q2 (June) 2023, NGP Capital’s analysed over 3905 companies and 5644 funding rounds from across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein, to show the latest trends in startup fundraising, dealmaking, and exits from across the region.

The Government has launched the Research Ventures Catalyst fund, injecting £50 million to bolster cutting-edge research in tech and science.

Running a business is a time-consuming endeavour but it brings great opportunities for you. From building a business for sale or having a business that can fund your desired lifestyle.

I used to honestly believe I’d missed the lesson in which someone explained the jargon on a payslip. After all, we wouldn’t drive for the first time without someone explaining how to turn the car on.

Starting a business is a challenging undertaking but even more so in today's economic climate. However, with adversity comes innovation. For founders and entrepreneurs, engaging with technology that is disrupting the rigidity of the finance sector can be the path to success.

UK-based HR startup, Zelt has announced it has raised $3.5M in seed funding in a round co-led by Episode 1 Ventures and Village Global, with participation from a number of high-profile angels including Charlie Songhurst, Mandeep Singh, Felix Leuschner and Daniel Hegarty.

KaarTech, a global digital transformation consulting company specialising in SAP and S/4 HANA implementation, has raised $30 million from A91 Partners, an investment firm headquartered in Mumbai. Gautam Mago and Kaushik Anand from A91 Partners will join the Board of KaarTech.