Edinburgh-based investment syndicate, Archangels, led £27.3 million of investment during 2024 in some of Scotland’s best early-stage tech and life science companies.

People – whether employees, customers or stakeholders – are the only reason any business exists. After all, it’s people who create companies to fulfil human needs and desires.

Gone are the days when Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) accountability fell only on the big corporations. Today, we see increasing regulatory demands, evolving consumer preferences and intensifying climate concerns. All of these place ESG principles as not just a moral imperative, but a strategic business necessity for startups and SMEs alike, helping them drive growth, resilience and profitability.

Small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-SMEs are the backbone of the economy, driving innovation, employment, and growth. But these businesses often operate on tight margins and face numerous challenges, from economic uncertainty and rising costs to evolving risks.

IQ is undeniably a strong predictor of success, and there’s no way around that. It plays a critical role at a global level, especially in determining early career opportunities. For instance, not everyone has the IQ to complete a medical degree or excel as a computer engineer.

Given how fast-paced the world of startups is, keeping an eye on the newest market trends and staying ahead of them isn’t just smart play – it’s an essential element of success and survival. In the US alone, there are roughly 4.7 million businesses that launch every year. Globally? It’s hard to even begin counting.

Neurent Medical, the Irish MedTech company at the forefront of treatments for chronic inflammatory sino-nasal diseases, has secured funding from the Claret European Growth Capital Fund III (CEGCF III).

Metaview has released its 2024 Year in Interviews Trends Report, revealing the topics and trends that dominated hiring conversations in 2024.

Business owners plan to increase their use of outsourcing services over the next year, according to research carried out by Evelyn Partners. 

The majority of employers (55%) take a passive approach to encouraging the utilisation of the health and wellbeing support they offer, according to research by Towergate Employee Benefits.

Spain’s innovation ecosystem strives to keep pace with global rivals, according to the new ‘Tech Scaleup Spain. Keeping the pace of innovation in an evolving global scenario 2024 Report’ that Mind the Bridge (with the support of ACCIONA and Crunchbase) presented at Tech Spirit Barcelona, shedding light on the state of Spain’s innovation ecosystem and its positioning in the global race for technological leadership.

The CIPD is urging the UK Government to consult thoroughly with employers to ensure that proposed changes to employment law don’t negatively impact organisations or workers.

New research from Intuit QuickBooks uncovers a potential surge in entrepreneurial activity across the UK, marking 2025 as a pivotal year for self-employment growth.

In 2022-23, approximately 801,006 companies were registered in the UK, showcasing a rapidly growing entrepreneurial landscape.

The University of Salford’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation has received £101,000 of funding from Innovate UK, to help educate SMEs across Greater Manchester on the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.

Energy Revolution Ventures, an energy tech venture capital firm targeting the multi-trillion-dollar opportunity in electrification, has closed an $18 million seed and series A fund focused on breakthrough deeptech.

Switzerland Global Enterprise, the official Swiss agency for export and investment promotion, and Presence Switzerland, the Swiss government marketing and communication agency, announced that swisstech will be showcasing 10 of Switzerland’s most innovative startups at CES Unveiled, held before the start of CES 2025 on Sunday, January 5th, 2025, from 5:00-8:30pm at the Mandalay Bay Hotel, Mandala Bay Convention Centre, Shoreline Exhibit Hall in Las Vegas.

The startup ecosystem in 2024 has proven to be a hotbed of innovation, with emerging companies tackling global challenges and shaping the future of technology, sustainability, and industry.

When was the last time you gave your business a gift?

At Christmas we often think about giving gifts to our nearest and dearest. Well, is your business not something you care deeply about? Why not give your business some gifts this year. Often, we can get so busy this time of year, wrapping presents but also wrapping up as much as we possibly can before we take some well-deserved time off over the festive season. In all that business, we forget to take a step back and see what our business may need, or what may be of significant benefit for our businesses this year.

Despite Christmas having a reputation for being a quiet time for fundraising, many founders will continue negotiating rounds over the holiday season.