Intryc, the platform transforming customer support quality assurance (QA) through AI-powered automation, has announced a $3.1 million seed funding round. The oversubscribed round saw participation from General Catalyst and scouts from Sequoia, alongside existing investors Episode 1 and 500 Emerging Europe, bringing the company's total funding to $4.2 million. The announcement follows the company's successful completion of Y Combinator's Summer 2024 cohort.

The GSMA, in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has launched the GSMA Innovation Fund for Impactful AI, to empower small and growing enterprises in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) across Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.

The account freezing order (AFO) is a legal power that UK authorities can use to hold and recover funds that they believe are connected to criminal activities. When authorities believe that certain funds are the proceeds of a crime, or may be intended for use in committing a crime, they can secure an AFO to restrict access to these funds. The AFO will freeze a bank or building society account and prevent any access to the funds within, and this can last for up to two years while investigators work to determine their source or purpose.

MintNeuro, a startup working in scalable, low-power semiconductor technology for minimally-invasive neural implant applications, has announced that it is the recipient of three major funding awards from the UK government’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) in collaboration with leading institutions.

Rumours circulating suggest that AllBright, the women-only members’ club, has entered administration.

The latest Work Index from the future of work experts, Flexa, has analysed data from throughout 2024 to reveal the biggest work trends of the year, and those set to shape how we work in 2025.

BGF deployed £489 million in 2024, introducing 47 businesses into its diverse portfolio of 360 companies.

Branding is not just a nice-to-have in venture capital. In an industry built on relationships, trust, and differentiation, a strong brand is one of the most valuable assets a firm can cultivate. Yet, many VCs overlook its importance, treating branding as secondary to deal flow, performance, or network effects.

Construction is costly and time-consuming, and the need for homes is increasing. Automatic Construction is a New York based startup that has developed a method called Inflatable Flexible Factory Formwork (IFFF) to improve both of these factors.

Flowwow, a global gifting marketplace for local shops in 40+ countries, has shared new insights from its 2024 market research, revealing a remarkable surge in cross-border gift orders across Europe. The European personalised gifting market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.01% from 2023 to 2029, driven by disposable income increases and product innovations.

A little over a decade ago, the APAC payments market was lagging behind its US and European counterparts, predominantly due to a greater reliance on cash transactions and lack of payment infrastructure. Now the APAC payments landscape is undergoing a renaissance, driven by technological advancements, strong government support for real-time payments, efforts to integrate unbanked citizens into digital finance, and adaptive regulatory changes.

For startups, creating your branding can feel like choosing your personality. Deciding whether you want to come across as fun and frivolous, safe and serious, or peaceful and personable can be the difference between boom or bust for your company. Throw in the fact that trends come in and out of season, and suddenly the prospect of nailing your visual branding can feel like a daunting task.

It may have been 5 years since the pandemic wreaked havoc, but we are still feeling its ripple effects and will do so for the foreseeable. As a businesswoman, I know how resilient founders can be when facing economic adversity, but the challenges remain, and knowing how to weather the storm and thrive in unpredictability is not a given.

The trickle down of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements to small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) can represent as much of an opportunity as a burden if properly managed under a robust and scalable internal framework.

PAY360 2025, the largest event dedicated to the global payments ecosystem, will be held on 25-26 March 2025 at ExCeL London. Hosted by The Payments Association, this premier event brings together over 6000 innovators, thought leaders, and stakeholders to discuss the trends, technologies, and challenges defining the future of payments.

Social media in all its forms has become a marketing must-do. Its reach is enormous and its shareability potential far beyond any other marketing channel. But TikTok has a certain reputation. The younger sibling of the social media dynasty, it’s relatively new to the party, and largely associated with frivolous content – viral trends for Gen Z and the impressionable generations.

Kore.ai, a company in enterprise AI, has announced AI for Process, a no-code platform that fundamentally transforms how enterprises automate and optimise knowledge-intensive operations.

Sports-focused investment company APEX, backed by professional athletes, has announced its strategic investment in Baller League. The concept is a trailblazing 6-a-side football competition that merges the worlds of street football and internet influencers in an innovative fusion of sport and entertainment.

Vessev, has announced that the first Vessev VS-9 hydrofoiling ferry, named Kermadec, has entered commercial service with Fullers360, one of New Zealand’s largest ferry transport and tourism operators.

"In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible," said Seth Godin.