Small businesses across the UK are being offered a major new package of support and mentoring, as Small Business Saturday UK launches the UK’s first online roadshow for towns and cities affected by the pandemic.

With the government furlough scheme ending on 31st October, many people will no doubt be worried about job security. One study by the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex suggested more than 6.5 million jobs could be at risk.

The marketing industry may have the biggest responsibility when it comes to the advancement of equality - of the sexes, of the races, of sexualities, of mental & health conditions, and more.

Intellectual Property firm, Mathys & Squire has announced the launch of its Scaleup Quarter, a one-stop microsite resource focused on smaller and growing businesses, including startups, scaleups and SMEs, to harness their passion and energy for innovation and provide crucial IP services that are dynamic and energetic, adding value and supporting businesses as they grow.

The National Australia Bank (NAB) is partnering with Pollinate to transform their merchant acquiring offering for Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMEs) across Australia.

What qualities make an entrepreneur? What character traits are typically seen in entrepreneurs? Are these qualities and character traits something that they are born with or do they change over time? Can they be learned? Is it nature or nurture? Whatever the answers, it is certainly true that some people take to being an entrepreneur naturally whilst others would be so far out of their comfort zone that they would never even consider the idea.

On-demand wellness app, Urban has raised £5.9m on investment platform Seedrs, tripling an initial target of £2m. This is Seedrs’ third largest raise this year, and with over 800 investors, ranks in their top 20 in terms of investor numbers.

A new study, commissioned by business bank, Allica Bank, shows that a high level of engagement and interaction with external institutions and resources, is central to SMEs’ prospects of success.

As part of our 'Women in Tech' focus we got the chance to speak to Lisa Krapinger, CMO at breathe ilo, who started working in marketing at Red Bull, leading the sampling and promotion team in order to combine her passion for sports with her career. Krapinger then moved to Heineken in brand management, where she was responsible for promoting the cider brands in Austria through sponsorships and events. Krapinger said: "What I realised from these two roles was that I loved working to build new brands and products up from scratch - hence why Carbomed Medical Solutions GmbH was the perfect next step in my career path."

Whether it’s a natural disaster, global health pandemic or economic downturn, businesses are inevitably going to encounter some unexpected circumstances that are out of their control. It’s not always straightforward for companies to keep operations running smoothly during these unprecedented times, but the highest priority should be to nurture employees and support the company culture. But how do organisations invest in the business culture, while still taking care of the company’s changing needs?

Ethics and business aren’t always easy bedfellows in a crisis. Now, more than ever, in order to survive, most businesses need to be risk averse and fret primarily about the bottom line.

LinkedIn has announced a new visual redesign to help people connect with their network and community, and to make their LinkedIn experience as easy, enjoyable, safe, and inclusive as possible. Every element of the visual refresh has been designed with LinkedIn members in mind.

Women in Electronics (WE) has announced they are going global, with chapter expansions into Europe beginning this month. This will be the first international chapter for the three-year-old professional association with a focus on women in the electronics industry.

Tech startup, Clear Review has announced the launch of its new Performance Management Academy, an innovative online learning platform that will make the practice a critical part of all businesses. Providing the latest courses, exciting events, and a supportive community, the Academy will deliver help, guidance, and networking opportunities to anyone involved in performance management.

Following the Government’s introduction of a 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants, Bolt, European mobility platform, has announced it is ditching its surcharge between 9:30pm - 10:30pm in a bid to reduce overcrowding on the streets at closing time.

Providing comprehensive insurance cover via smartphones: That’s the business idea behind Heidelberg-based digital insurer, Getsafe. The company was recognised as an outstanding German insurtech with the Fintech Germany Award.

The smarthome security startup, Boundary Technologies is launching its first self-service system in October, and looking to hire a reformed burglar to assist with consultations surrounding home thefts, alongside extensive product testing.

Office workers are now demanding new levels of flexibility in working arrangements following COVID-19 remote working. That’s according to a new survey of 189 office-based workers carried out this month by UK-based office software experts, SmartWay2.

We’re living through a time of economic uncertainty, so it’s no surprise that money worries are responsible for a high level of stress and anxiety right now. Financial concerns can have a huge impact on an employee’s performance and productivity levels at work and employers therefore have a duty of care to their people when it comes to financial wellbeing.