Octopus Ventures has announced the appointment of Erin Platts as its new CEO. Erin will take on her new role in January 2025, following a distinguished 20-year career at the intersection of finance and the technology startup ecosystem.

Revyve, a foodTech startup, has innovated a solution to eliminate animal-derived texturisers and additives from burgers while maintaining a meaty bite.

Taxfix Group, a European financial platform for digital tax filing, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TaxScouts, a company working in accountant-assisted digital tax filing.

Female Foundry has announced a partnership with the Google for Startups Cloud Program. This partnership will provide eight innovative female-founded companies going through a six-week Visionaries AI Programme access to a breadth of Google resources designed for early-stage startup founders, including its latest innovations in AI.

Project Brains, a Future of Work startup, has proudly announced its receipt of the prestigious Innovate UK Smart Grant for its AI-powered B2B platform, ‘ProdigyPB’. This award represents a significant milestone for the company, addressing the critical skills shortage faced by UK businesses, particularly startups, scaleups, and SMEs.

ULTRA.VC, an EU-based impact accelerator and early-stage investor, released the second cohort of purpose-driven startups at the Demo Day, held in Warsaw on June 27.

Malverde, a London-based company dedicated to combating fraud and financial crime, officially launched in June.

Surface Technology International Limited (STI), a contract electronics manufacturer located in Hampshire and Cheshire, secured an £11.3 million asset-based lending facility from Cynergy Business Finance (CBF).

SEaB Energy, the innovator behind an anaerobic digestion system that generates energy from organic waste, has secured a partnership opportunity with Shimizu Corporation, one of Japan’s civil engineering, construction, and architecture firms. SEaB Energy representatives have been invited to Shimizu’s NOVARE innovation facility in Singapore to discuss collaboration possibilities.

Lineage, a global temperature-controlled warehouse REIT, has launched the Food Chain Innovation Challenge, a pioneering global competition aimed at combating food waste, especially postharvest losses. This initiative invites students and startups to present innovative solutions addressing one of the world's critical issues: food waste reduction.

Fuelled by technological advancements, the smart manufacturing sector, or Industry 4.0, is experiencing a remarkable annual growth rate of 16.3%, with projections reaching $279.75 billion by 2028.

Led by AND Digital and TechWM with support from SF Technology, Browne Jacobson, Technology Supply Chain, and Oxford Innovation Advice, this week saw the kick-off event for the innovative AI Adoption Acceleration Programme.

Cemex Ventures, the corporate venture capital and open innovation unit of Cemex, the Mexican multinational building materials company, is doubling down on its commitment to digitalise construction and improve industry efficiency through a follow-on investment in the Chile and UK based startup ObraLink.

Robin AI, the legal AI assistant startup, has appointed Carina Negreanu, PhD, as Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Carina joined from Microsoft, where she held the position of Principal Research Manager.

The Digital Marketing World Forum (DMWF) has unveiled that their 2024 Global edition sustained a fantastic 150% growth rate in attendance across the board.  

Workabout, the booking platform for flexible workspaces, is on a mission to simplify and enhance accessibility to flexible working with the launch of its workspace marketplace on 15th July.

Insurtech startup Blip has introduced small business insurance policies that are, on average, one-third cheaper than the lowest prices available on comparison websites.

Companies House has been prominently mentioned in a scam letter demanding payments from businesses. A Cumbrian business received this convincing fake letter, prompting Saint & Co Chartered Accountants to alert others about the fraudulent demand.

Swiss-Israeli fintech startup okoora has expanded into the Polish market, marking a pivotal step in its European Union (EU) growth strategy. Okoora's Polish operations will eventually encompass sales, marketing, and customer support offices, along with a research and development centre to further its product innovation.

Imagine a commute where your car knows your favourite coffee shop, recommends a scenic park for a break, and even connects you with travellers along the way.