During 2020 virtual collaboration accelerated exponentially, creating an instant need for virtual facilitation skills. But as more and more companies move towards online and virtual meetings, the opportunities and challenges associated with remote sessions have been thrown into sharp relief. 

u-blox has signed a deal with the Cambridge-based technology company, Focal Point Positioning, to integrate technology that will improve the accuracy and reliability of GNSS devices - enhancing positioning performance and security for growing applications such as smart cities, location-secure IoT and health and fitness wearables. 

Valloop, founded to empower employees and management to buy the companies they work for, has emerged from stealth ready to back small business founders wishing to exit.

Fixter, the UK’s first end-to-end online car maintenance service provider, has urged UK motorists to book their cars in now for MOT, car service and repair work to avoid potentially costly parts price rises and supply issues in the event of a No-deal Brexit. To soften the potential blow, Fixter is offering a parts cost price protection guarantee for January 2021 MOT and service bookings across its UK network, giving car owners valuable peace of mind in these uncertain times.

Nine months on from the first outbreak of Covid-19 here in the UK and the virus remains the most-talked about news item. Whether it's radio shows discussing tiers or newspaper articles investigating possible PPE corruption, coronavirus continues to be the biggest story worldwide.

Back in January, it looked likely that employee share schemes would see reasonable growth across the country through 2020.

The three-day, 60-hour marathon TiE Entrepreneurship summit scheduled to be held from 8th to 10th December 2020 is a mega virtual platform where budding entrepreneurs will get a chance to restructure their way to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis.

TiE Global Entrepreneurship Awards are designed to honour the outstanding entrepreneurs for their stellar performance and recognising the key ecosystem stakeholders for their contribution to the startup innovation, entrepreneurship development and investment climate. This initiative is in live with TiE’s mission of Fostering Entrepreneurship.

Manchester-based tech start-up enee.io has been awarded £170k from Innovate UK’s Sustainable Innovation Fund. The six-figure grant will enable the firm to further develop and commercialise its pioneering technology providing automated and remote monitoring of industrial battery systems used to provide back-up power for critical infrastructure including hospitals, data centres and mobile phone masts.

Although the future looks quite challenging during the pandemic, having watched 18 entrepreneurs show what risks they take to improve patients' lives to enable better patient care, we become hopeful.

Zephr, the technology platform for media companies to grow their subscription revenue, has announced it has raised $8m, led by US-based BDMI and financing from SVB.

The F Factor, organised by Founders of the Future, is the UK’s premier startup competition for 18-25 year olds. It goes all across the UK to find entrepreneurial talent. To enter the competition you need an idea, a seemingly working prototype (does not need to be a fully working MVP but rather a prototype that shows how your idea works) and a two min pitch in video of your startup idea.

It seems that we’ve had so many turning points over the past few years, we’re running in circles. Landmark moments from Brexit to COVID-19 have completely shifted our personal lives, politics and the economy. Crises and moments of great change put us into reactive mode, and short-term fixes appear to be the only option. Looking for solutions which reap benefits and pay for themselves further down the line is a much bolder endeavour.

Corgee is a free personal finance management app for independent workers. Think about us as a buddy and financial adviser to those that have unstable income and are looking for more financial security. We use Machine Learning to provide each user with personalised support in following their income goals, understanding how to better manage their finances, and securing gig work. We got the chance to speak to Dmitrijs Vitjazevs, Founder & CEO to find out more...

The PR Essentials Summit taking place on Friday 11th December from 7am PT to 5pm PT. The Summit is a one day virtual learning event for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners to learn and develop their own public relations strategies and campaigns moving into the New Year.

The government has pledged to spend 1/3 of its budget with SMEs and has also introduced schemes such as CBILS, BBLS and the Future of Fund to support startups during the pandemic, but as government support eases and investors continue to be cautious about funding early-stage startups, many startups are already struggling to stay open. A new campaign from Plexal, the innovation centre and coworking space owned by clients of Delancey, places the responsibility for saving startups at industry’s doors. 

We at The WealthiHer Network have delved into the challenges facing female entrepreneurs in today’s society, the potential they create economically and socially, and the turnaround traits needed to drive recovery for all.  Our fear is that without positive action, the path to recovery for female entrepreneurs is under threat… especially in a post COVID-19 society.

Mouser Electronics, the New Product Introduction (NPI) leader empowering innovation, will be co-hosting a three-day online event to help UK-based startups test, validate and communicate their technical requirements to manufacturers. The workshop, hosted in partnership with the Central Research Laboratory (CRL), takes place from Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th December.

There’s no question that 2020 has been an incredibly disruptive year for business, as both national and local shutdowns have forced many firms to temporarily shut up shop.

A new survey has revealed that 40% of people have considered starting a business in the last six months, however, 38% would be put off due to having limited knowledge of how a business is run.