“No”. A word that leads many of us to experience disappointment, rejection, frustration, even anger. From childhood it’s often the hardest word to hear.

Europe stands at a crossroads. There’s never been a better time to be a tech founder here: the continent has the talent, ambition, and ideas to lead. Yet Europe still hasn’t realised its full potential on the global stage. That’s why Atomico’s eleventh State of European Tech report sets out a bold roadmap for action, and a rallying call to power Europe’s first trillion-euro tech company.

A recent global risk management survey revealed that macroeconomic volatility, trade disruptions and increasing competition have pushed cash flow and liquidity into the top 10 risks for business leaders – for the first time since 2019.

Emm, the UK-based pioneer in biowearable technology, has raised £6.8 million in an oversubscribed seed funding round, to bring the world’s first smart menstrual cup and connected app to market. Creating a new category of “smart menstrual care”, Emm will equip users to understand their individual menstrual baseline and track key metrics for personalised, actionable insights into their menstrual health.  

A new report from reputation management consultancy Infinite reveals that UK media are up to five times more likely to frame tech unicorns through the lens of failure compared to their US counterparts – a trend that reflects, and may be contributing to, the UK’s struggle to support startups in scaling.

Irish advertising technology innovator, Buymedia, has officially launched its UK operations in Manchester with the backing of Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham. The announcement marks a significant milestone in Buymedia’s international expansion and underscores Manchester’s growing reputation as a hub for digital innovation.

Voltrac has announced it has secured a €7 million seed round. The round was led by Extantia, with participation from FoodLabs, Antler, PUSH, and Prototype Capital. This new round quickly follows its €2 million pre-seed, and enables Voltrac to scale production to 100 units per year in 2026.

A new study by Markel Direct has revealed which UK universities are producing the most business founders and where student-led startups are booming.

New research from Avilio has found that 36% of respondents experienced burnout in the last year which – when applied to the UK working population – means that 11.9 million UK workers would fall into this category.  

Kilo Health, the global health and wellness company, has rebranded to Kilo, to reflect the company’s expansion into new business opportunities in longevity, anti-ageing, beauty, and personal development. This change also demonstrates Kilo’s growing focus on co-founding, venture building, and early-stage startup investments.

Despite being home to some of the world’s most innovative startups, empowered by early-stage R&D, Europe’s startup ecosystem still trails behind its US counterpart in valuation and scale. Valued between 29% and 52% isn’t solely down to capital availability or investor appetite. European founders face critical barriers in the support they receive.

Planet Smart, a London-based biomaterials startup, has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to launch its first product. The company is developing PlanetSorb, a naturally biodegradable superabsorbent polymer (SAP) designed to replace the fossil-based plastics used inside nappies and sanitary products.

Danish fintech Flatplay has become the latest company to reach unicorn status, after it secured $170 million in fresh capital. Co-founder Rasmus Busk said Flatpay became the fastest firm in Denmark to reach the milestone, achieving it within three years.

Female business owners across the UK are working longer hours and taking on second jobs, with 39% saying 2025 has been tougher than last year, a groundbreaking report from Tide, the business management platform, and everywoman, the global organisation dedicated to advancing women’s careers, has revealed.

There’s been a huge amount shared about the EU AI Act in recent weeks, so much so that you’d be forgiven for being pretty confused as to what is happening and when, and whether you need to worry about it at all.

A few weeks ago, I was speaking at a conference about Gen Z (we discussed how to hire them). At the end of the session, a woman raised her hand and asked: “I agree with you about Gen Z. But we’re far away from them yet. So, can you help me, how do I convince my boss that it is okay to start hiring MILLENNIALS?”

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is significantly changing the way small and medium-sized businesses manage their finances. In the UK, the number of SMEs adopting AI tools has increased 32-fold between 2022 and 2024, while average spending on AI tools has risen nearly sixfold over the same period. Once seen purely as a tool for automation, AI now plays a much more proactive role, helping businesses anticipate cash-flow gaps, prevent fraud, and deliver more personalised customer experiences. 

Female-founded businesses are a vital and dynamic force within the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape. As of October 2024, there are 7,696 high-growth companies in the UK with at least one female founder, representing 13.7% of the country’s high-growth ecosystem.

Two essential Startup Masterclasses are now open for registration, designed specifically for founders and business owners navigating complex innovation, IP, and immigration requirements. Each event offers highly practical insights from experienced experts to help you protect your innovation, strengthen your funding eligibility, and secure your long-term UK status.

Dean Franklin is the winner of The Apprentice 2025 and Founder of ADL Air Conditioning, and at The Business Show 2025, he discussed starting a business during lockdown, his experience on the show, and how life has changed since the big win.