Diversity VC, Crowdcube and Frontline Ventures has announced the launch of the ‘Diversity VC: Parental Leave Guide’ as part of a collective of 25 top VC and tech firms. The guide, a first of its kind for the VC industry, aims to set the standard for parental leave policies and offers step-by-step advice on how VCs can create them. The guide is focused on the UK, and we hope the principals will be useful for other countries.

It is that time of year again, and hasn’t it come round quickly? As we introduce you to the cohort for Central Research Laboratory’s 2021 accelerator program, there are some similarities from last year, but also a number of exciting changes.

The insurance industry is ripe for disruption. For consumers, shopping for fair insurance coverage is complicated, and plans are often expensive. For insurers, measuring risk in potential customers isn’t always straightforward, and determining fault or the extent of damage in an incident is often challenging.

Banco Santander (through Santander Universities) and Oxentia Foundation are launching the Santander X Global Challenge | Helping Businesses Prosper for entrepreneurs with innovative, scalable solutions to help SMEs - the main driver of economic growth, job creation and social unity - digitalise and be more efficient.

Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank, today sets out its commitment to unlock the talent of thousands more people across the UK by helping them to start their own business.

The pandemic has forced businesses, CEOs, and humans in general, to reconsider what is important to them, how they want to spend their time, and what they want to do in the future. In fact, my firm’s 2021 CEO Purpose Report, conducted amidst the COVID-19 pandemic shows that 79% of CEOs surveyed said the pandemic has had an impact on the way they run their business.

COVID has meant that many medical procedures and operations across the globe have been delayed or cancelled. The issue is likely to continue for some time, so employers with staff overseas need to consider the options for supporting health and wellbeing.

Creating a great startup marketing strategy doesn’t have to be stressful. You can use solid frameworks and marketing principles to start successfully. It just helps to hear those recommendations from someone that’s had the experience before you stumble through trying to discover the best approach yourself. The ideas in this article will help you get started.

Almost a quarter (22%) of 16-17 year olds have decided to pursue a career in tech since the pandemic. That’s according to research from UK scaleup Talent Works, which surveyed UK students and tech professionals in the early stages of their careers on their education and the journey into tech.

Creative workspace and accelerator, Huckletree has revealed non-alcoholic drinks brand, Reformed Character Drinks and fashion force for good Manchester Fashion Movement, as the winning businesses of its ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’ programme.

The hospitality industry is a dynamic environment in a constant state of movement and evolution. Thanks to technology, the industry has changed at an unprecedented rate in recent years. With hotels open and working full time in the ongoing pandemic, technology is more important than ever and will play a key role in recreation.

Farly is a tech marketplace aiming to solve the rise in fast fashion which is currently poisoning the environment - and instead, offers users a slow, more conscious, and exciting place to shop online.

Businesses are sleepwalking towards a costly talent exodus, with four in ten employees (38%) looking to change roles in either the next 6 or 12 months or once the economy has strengthened - rising to 55% for 18-34 year olds. That’s according to new research from Personio, the all-in-one HR software solution, which is calling on businesses to prioritise their people as we emerge from the pandemic, or risk paying the price. 

Britain’s most inspiring small businesses have been crowned winners in this year’s Small Awards, during an online awards ceremony that increasingly stunned guests, as eleven small businesses across the UK were presented with trophies on their doorsteps.

Research carried out by absence management platform, e-days, has revealed that levels of reluctance to return to the office have doubled in less than a year, with almost two thirds (60%) of the UK workforce reluctant to return to the office when the lifting of lockdown restrictions allows. 

Xero has announced a major milestone in the growth of the Xero ecosystem, with more than 1,000 certified apps connected to Xero.

It is safe to say that most companies in the UK faced more challenges than ever before in 2020. However, one hugely positive thing that came out of last year was the growth of peer-to-peer business support, underpinned by the help and encouragement business owners showed one another.

electronRx is a deep tech startup, based in Cambridge, UK. The company’s story began in 2017 when Founder, Dr Bipin Patel set out to transform how we deliver healthcare and treat disease. The company is built from a team of interdisciplinary scientists and engineers who have all been brought together to develop novel technologies to sense the physiological environment and inform personalised therapeutic interventions.

In a year that saw mass layoffs, permanent closures and the GDP shrink to just 8.2%, some companies still managed to achieve growth.

As major economies reopen across the globe and consumer confidence rises, Sage has unveiled the true levels of resilience and optimism amongst SMEs across the UK, US and France. Sage’s recent sentiment survey shows that SMEs - the economic backbone of many countries - have reached a turning point and confidence has largely returned.