Welcome to the International Franchise Show, host to the UK’s biggest selection of the most exciting franchise opportunities from around the world! Returning on the 12th & 13th of April at the ExCeL in London, thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners will get FREE access to over 250 exhibitors, 60 seminars, 1-2-1 personal advice, interactive features, expert guidance and more. This show promises to be the biggest and busiest yet, boasting limitless choices to start, develop, or invest in a franchise.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced the official lineup for CES 2024 Media Days, an exclusive, media-only event that takes place in Las Vegas before CES opens to the tech industry. Kicking off major tech announcements, Media Days gives registered media access to news-breaking press conferences and CES Unveiled Las Vegas, a first-hand preview of the products launching at CES 2024. 

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced Best Buy CEO Corie Barry will be the CES 2024 Leaders in Technology (LIT) dinner headline speaker. This invitation-only event on January 10, brings together policymakers, technologists, media, and entrepreneurs.

The Consumer Technology Association announced that Qualcomm, a global leader enabling intelligent computing everywhere, will keynote at CES 2024. President and CEO Cristiano Amon will join Emmy Award-winning FOX Business Network anchor Liz Claman for a keynote conversation on January 10.

Berlin-based food technology company Milano Vice has raised a $9 million Series A round to expand its innovative, new restaurant model.

Sunsave, a UK solar subscription service, has raised £5.4 million in a seed funding round to support its goal of making solar power widely accessible to UK households.

Foretellix, a company specialising in verification and validation (V&V) solutions for Automated Driving Systems and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), recently announced the closure of its Series C funding round at $85 million.

UP Catalyst has successfully completed a €4 million seed investment round to further develop its innovative technology.

36 percent of workers are concerned about the impact of technological advancements on their jobs, prompting Virgin Media O2 Business to conduct a comprehensive study on the future of work.

Rotor Technologies, a player in autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft, has announced the launch and commencement of production for the R550X, the market's largest uncrewed civilian helicopter.

Discovery Park Ventures (DPV) has recently announced an increase in its early-stage life science fund from £1 million to £3 million.

Toqio, a configurable embedded finance platform, recently underwent a transformation, evolving from a SaaS financial service development portal to a comprehensive embedded finance orchestration platform.

In 2023 the business world has undergone significant changes compared to the pre-pandemic era, with inflation, hybrid working models, complex communication systems and finding new and innovative ways to manage workforces proving difficult to balance.  

Klarytee, a software platform dedicated to embedding security within data for large organisations handling sensitive information, has successfully completed a £700,000 pre-Seed funding round.

Accessibility. It’s a word with a meaning that is special to my heart. I am passionate about creating a more equal world where people and businesses within emerging markets can participate, grow, and thrive on a global scale. The pool of untapped entrepreneurial talent in those regions needs the opportunity to flourish.

The Small Business Research + Enterprise Centre (SBREC) is the City of London Corporation's small business startup support service, open to all pre-startups, small businesses, and SMEs in the City, London, and UK.

This series of Technology Briefings for Startups Magazine will review critical and influential trends, aiming to help business leaders identify opportunities to leverage in their own business development plans. Following the opening feature, on the capabilities and importance of sensors, we will examine how AI is raising both computing performance and efficiency.

Intel Ignite is an acceleration programme for early-stage deeptech startups. Launched in 2019 by Intel, its mission is to fuel a global ecosystem of deeptech innovation by empowering a diverse network of founders, mentors, domain experts, and investors to co-create enduring, industry-defining technology companies.

It’s vital that employers demonstrate that they are committed to supporting everyone in their workforce by offering inclusive employee perks.

The City of Helsinki and the startup event Slush have continued to share a common goal. They aim not only to support the startup field but also to increase international industry operators’ awareness of Helsinki, which was highly ranked for its startup ecosystem and quality of life.

In the era of side hustles and “gig” work, many people find wanting more from their careers. They want more freedom, more money, and more creativity. How can you achieve that?

GoMetro, a rapidly expanding South African tech firm specialising in fleet management, has recently completed a £9 million Series A funding round.

The twelfth iteration of South Summit Madrid, co-organised by IE University, is scheduled to take place in Madrid from the 5-7th June, 2024.

EMV Capital, the VC investor specialising in early-stage high-growth deep tech companies, is delighted to announce that it has led the completion of a £3.5 million investment round into its portfolio company Q-Bot, a developer of robots for use in the construction and retrofit industry.

Resolve Ventures, an Irish development and growth capital fund management company led by managing partners David Scanlon and Alan Costello, proudly announces the launch of its new 'Climate Impact Fund,' following successful support from the Irish Innovation Seed Fund.

Kickstart Innovation selected 46 startups and intrapreneurship teams out of over 1,000 applications from 62 countries for its 8th Kickstart innovation programme, an 11-week initiative in collaboration with organisations, cities, foundations, and universities.

Eco-friendly home energy technology company myenergi has recently celebrated a significant milestone, delivering its 600,000th device.

Celebrating its eleventh year in the UK, Small Business Saturday has become a well-established fixture in the business calendar. New analysis conducted by Clover in the UK indicates that the marketing initiative is yielding positive results for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

An automotive startup is designing a range of electric trucks using PTC’s Onshape software.

Highlighting breakthrough startups, LG NOVA, LG Electronics’ North American Innovation Centre, announced the winners of the Startup Pitch Competition at its annual Innovation Festival in October 2023.

Small business owners across the UK will be flying the flag for independent shops on Saturday 2nd December.

As part of its drive to support diversity and inclusion across the profession, the Royal Academy of Engineering has launched Culture+ (‘Culture Plus'), an online interactive platform specifically designed for small and medium-sized engineering businesses.

A Swiss multi-product IT company specialising in language technologies and development of AI-powered translation solutions, Vidby, launches Vidby Call Translator service to let business teams and individual users communicate with foreign language participants through Google Meet.

Businesses were given invaluable insight and advice to help them stay ahead of the technology curve.

In a move to propel account-to-account payments into the mainstream, Underpay has officially launched in the UK, marking a significant shift from the single-digit adoption rates that have plagued online retail for years.

Sharing a singular vision, Ben Upcroft, Vice President of Technology at Oxa, and his team are building software that enables any vehicle to self-drive, anywhere, anytime.

With a passion for innovation and a green heart, Polina Mikhaylova, Co-Founder of KNOT, and her fellow visionaries, set out to start a company that specialised in universal docking and charging points for micromobility solutions.

The notion of service has changed as technology evolves. We’re now much more comfortable using AI-powered smart assistants; everything from satnav to Alexa and Siri to fridges that tell us when we’re running low on milk, all there to take care of mundane tasks and make our lives easier. But we still love good, old-fashioned service that you can only get from human interactions – the person who remembers your name and favourite coffee order in your local cafe, or a beaming smile and extra snack from the cabin crew on a long flight.

Technology has a vital role to play in addressing climate change if we’re to make any meaningful change – a point reiterated in the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report published earlier this year.

Ahead of Small Business Saturday, an assembly of e-commerce experts, known as the E-Commerce Trade Commission (E-CTC), is advocating for enhanced support for small retailers to expand their growth through exports.

UK-based FemTech company Matrix has received a £5,000 grant from London-based manufacturing specialist Get It Made.

Education plays a crucial role in the economic growth and social development of any country. However, challenges in state school provision often lead families to opt for fee-paying schools. Addressing the financial strain this causes, EduFi has announced a $6.1M funding round for its 'Study Now, Pay Later' lending platform, launching in Pakistan where 40% of students attend fee-paying schools, contributing to an annual education expenditure of over $14 billion.

Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority launches cohort 04 of the Anjal Z Techstars Founder Catalyst Programme.

The year 2023 marked a challenging yet resilient phase for the European tech ecosystem. Facing tough macroeconomic conditions, Europe saw a significant reduction in funding levels, reaching just over half of 2022's levels at $45 billion. Large funding rounds and the creation of new billion-dollar companies slowed down, testing the venture asset class's strength and resilience​​. Startups Magazine looks at the Atomico State of European Tech Report 2023.

Bigcrafters, the new digital delivery platform for artisan products backed by Estrella Galicia, has chosen Mangopay, a provider of modular and flexible payment infrastructure for marketplaces and platforms, as its latest payment partner.

Genpact has announced the launch of its Genpact Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Centre in London, marking a significant step in the company's commitment to transforming businesses through AI-driven outcomes.

According to a recent Hard Numbers report, the advent of ChatGPT has led to a significant surge in AI innovation in the UK, with the number of new companies incorporating 'AI' in their names increasing threefold since its launch.

VeUP, a global technology consultancy, has launched a new Advisor service range dedicated to Technology, Alliance and Marketing programmes that fuel rapid growth for Amazon Web Services (AWS) focused startups.  

Over two-thirds (69%) of UK employees say their workplace allocates funds for Christmas activities such as parties, decorations and employee gifts. Among those employees, almost half (49%) are in favour of some of these funds going towards charities of their choice according to an Ipsos poll commissioned by GlobalGiving UK1.

A leading PR agency based in Harrogate, Cause UK, has achieved B Corps certification.

The slowdown in venture capital-led tech sector investment hasn’t proven to be a setback for Cloudsmith, a Belfast-headquartered software supply chain management firm, which has announced $11 million (£8.8 million) in Series A2 financing.

Anglia Components has unveiled plans to expand its Anglia Live eCommerce platform across Europe, driven by substantial investments in its logistics and website development.

Collctiv and Ryft, two Manchester-based fintech companies, have announced a strategic partnership with the aim of transforming the group payment sector and offering a more customisable checkout experience.

Elite Business Magazine announces the opening of nominations for its prestigious "Elite Business 100 Top SME Business Awards 2024." The impressive listing celebrates excellence within the SME community and recognises their outstanding achievements.

QuantumDiamonds, the quantum sensing company, announces the raise of €7 million in seed funding led by IQ Capital and Earlybird.

Scottish innovation is alive and well, with a new generation of entrepreneurs creating products with the potential to meet some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

FinCrime Dynamics, the financial crime prevention AI company, is pleased to appoint Joanne Dewar, the recognised Fintech leader to join the board.

South Summit Industry & Energy  Bilbao, the meeting for the entrepreneurial ecosystem of these sectors organized by South Summit and  Biscay Startup Bay, held its second day today at the  B Accelerator Tower (BAT)  international entrepreneurship center in Bilbao,  where it brought together the main leaders, representatives of companies and startups and experts in the Industry 4.0 sectors.  Energy Transition and Mobility.

Europe’s first and most active proptech-focused venture capital (VC) firm Pi Labs has expanded internationally through the creation of a new Hong Kong outpost.

The Small Business Saturday campaign is set to return on the 2nd December with the aim of helping small firms maximise the peak season. Research indicates that Christmas is crucial for the success of four-fifths (86%) of small businesses.

At the UK Space Conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 21st November 2023, Skyrora and Spirit AeroSystems announced their collaboration on orbital launch capability. This partnership was unveiled in Belfast, the location of Spirit's largest UK manufacturing facility.

For small businesses, there are few bigger shopping days in the year than Black Friday. Marking the start of the holiday shopping period, it’s a chance for retailers up and down the country to capitalise on consumer interest in gifting and deals.

Last month, the Government’s consultation into Occupational Health services for businesses closed. The consultation has many aims, but one of the main ones is to look at how we can eradicate long-term sickness and get people back into work.

In today’s rapidly changing business environment we must navigate change, innovate, disrupt and transform to ultimately stay relevant and grow. This often feels counterintuitive to long-term planning. How does long-term strategy marry with short-term agility?

High-volume data and several data pipelines can be hard to manage and cause disruptions, particularly for startups. Explore ways to improve financial management to keep business processes up to date.

South Summit Industry & Energy  Bilbao, the meeting for the entrepreneurial ecosystem of these sectors organized by South Summit and  Biscay Startup Bay, held its first day today at the B Accelerator Tower (BAT)  international entrepreneurship center in  Bilbao with the main leaders, representatives of companies and startups and experts in the Industry 4.0 sectors.  Energy Transition and Mobility.

A biodiversity monitoring startup, enhanced machine learning for neurology research, and pre-fabrication validation for advanced processor designs exemplify this year's HiPEAC Technology Transfer Awards.

Pledge and Smart Freight Centre are set to host a round table in Dubai, UAE, on the occasion of COP28.

During Nottingham Trent University's Global Entrepreneurship Week, students engaged in the dynamic Start-up Marathon hosted by the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT) at Nottingham Business School.

Greenwashing is now a familiar concept to us all but in the pursuit of sales, brands are looking for ways to promote their environmental credentials in a way that is appealing, authentic and, importantly, compliant.

Mobility startup BusCaro has secured $1.5 million in a pre-seed funding round to tackle the commuting challenges faced by many in Pakistan.

Bringing together drug discovery company Evotec, pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squib, and leading British universities, the $20 million (£16 million) beLAB1407 partnership seeks to identify novel disease modifying therapeutic targets and platforms early on, and to develop them into new biotech spinouts.

Recent findings from Marktlink, an independent international M&A advisory firm with a UK base in Manchester, indicate that 47% of SME leaders have contemplated acquiring another business in the past year. Notably, nearly two thirds (64%) of these leaders plan to make a purchase within the next five years.

Flux Aviation has recently received a boost in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the UK's regional and domestic flights.

The current analytics pricing model presents a significant challenge for many UK startups. These companies, already grappling with reduced funding – down to $7.4bn in the first half of 2023, a 57% decrease from the previous year – find themselves in a precarious position where balancing costs against innovation is a constant struggle.

Swytch Technology Ltd has announced a funding of £3.4m, aimed at boosting stock levels for its 'Swytch Kit.'

Dr. Ben Maruthappu, the Founder of AI-enabled home healthcare provider Cera, has been crowned Great British Entrepreneur of the Year at The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

Women in Tech Dorset, a community organisation committed to promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the technology sector, launched a transformative playbook on 15th November.

DUAMENTES is pleased to announce the availability of the Global Entrepreneur Equality Study report, featuring insights from over 200 female entrepreneurs across 40 countries.

Startups Magazine is excited to announce our much-anticipated ‘From Stress to Success: Work-Life Wellness’ networking event! Taking place at Clockwise, Woodgreen on the 30th November at 6pm, we will be bringing you an event full of insights on mental health and wellbeing, as well as a relaxing wellbeing session.

Manchester-based emerging tech company Zally has announced a new strategic partnership with SkyParlour, a prominent fintech PR firm, as part of its expansion plans through 2024.

Redditch entrepreneur Steph Middleton-Foster has been honoured as the Digital Entrepreneur of the Year at the national Digital Women Awards.

In a significant stride towards smarter infrastructure maintenance, a UK-based startup has introduced an autonomous robot designed to address the challenge of road repairs.

TenU, a consortium of technology transfer offices (TTOs) from leading global universities, has greeted the UK Government's Independent Review of University Spin-out Companies with enthusiasm.

Design is more than what meets the eye. It has the power to influence, shape perceptions, and guide decision-making - for businesses, that’s pivotal. A thoughtfully designed digital product or service can resonate with users on a deeper level, establishing meaningful connections.

When a startup or growth company is looking to raise investment, the choices can seem quite slim.

Beginning a new business can be thrilling for entrepreneurs. With so many things to do and plenty to look forward to, most things boil down to having a budget. If the budget is stretched to its limits, keeping a tight rein on your outgoings isn't just wise but key to the company's longevity.

 

When I look at the tech startup landscape today, I wonder how different my career might have been if I had been born 20 years later.

It’s no secret that AI technologies are enabling cyber criminals to carry out more sophisticated, slicker scams than ever before.

There are around 28 million adults in the UK living with chronic pain. Pain has a huge impact on quality of life and work. Our PAW Toolkit developed at the University of Nottingham, aims to help employees with managing their condition and accessing help when it’s needed.

FundOnion has officially launched its AI-backed business finance comparison site for small business loans.

Tomoro, an AI enterprise set on reducing the business working week to just three days by 2029, has commenced operations in the UK.

The Chancellor is poised to reveal a new initiative in his Autumn Statement this week, aimed at fostering and attracting UK-based technology investors to support commercially viable UK innovations.

Sweden emerged as the third-largest market in climate tech funding, witnessing a 224% surge in investments this quarter, according to a recent BloombergNEF report.

Over the past eight years, fintech has experienced a remarkable surge, with disruptors challenging traditional finance and instigating a wave of customer-centric innovation. However, the fintech domain now confronts an unprecedented challenge, as it can no longer remain immune to a tumultuous and deteriorating macroeconomic environment.

The advent of accessible AI tools – such as ChatGPT - has led to a growing number of people experimenting with and adopting these technologies in their daily lives. As AI technology continues to evolve rapidly and become more widely used, these tools will likely remain part of our lives for the foreseeable future. 

The European startup landscape is set to receive a significant uplift in generative AI capabilities through a collaborative effort. NVIDIA, in partnership with cloud service provider (CSP) Scaleway, is providing startups with access to essential resources like GPUs, NVIDIA AI Enterprise software, and tools for enhancing large language models (LLMs) and generative AI development.

Amidst economic uncertainty, businesses find themselves at a critical crossroads where unwavering focus must converge with the readiness to seize opportunities.

Lynx, an AI software provider specialising in fraud detection and prevention, announced a €17 million (£15 million) Series A funding round led by Forgepoint Capital, a venture capital firm focused on cybersecurity and digital infrastructure software.