Technology, leadership, and change – business leaders must prepare for their next act April 9, 2019 "Everything flows, nothing stands still” (Heraclitus, 501 BC). Quite a lot has changed in 2,500 years, but that quote still rings true. We are surrounded by a flow of constant and accelerated change. And in such times of change, the art of decision-making is more significant than ever. While this added weight of responsibility might [...]
London startups to take fintech unicorn crown from San Francisco April 9, 2019 London is on track to become home to the same number of fintech unicorns as San Francisco, the world's current leader. Out of the 29 fintech unicorns globally – companies with a valuation of more than $1bn (£765.5m) – nine are based in the Californian hub, while seven are housed in the UK capital. Over a third [...]
EU pips Google to the post as it unveils AI ethics strategy April 8, 2019 The EU has outlined its guidelines for ethical AI development just days after Google was forced to scrap its controversial ethics board. The European Commission today unveiled its recommended steps for achieving “trustworthy” AI as it looks to set up a framework to ensure the new technology is used responsibly. Read more: Google scraps AI [...]
London remains most popular investment target for European venture capitalists April 8, 2019 London secured its reputation as a global fintech hub as it attracted almost double the amount of venture capital funding compared to its closest European rival last year. The capital received 39 per cent of European venture capital funding last year, almost double that of runner-up Berlin, which took in 21 per cent in 2018, despite [...]
Grab eyes $2bn more funding this year as it looks to create ‘app for everything’ April 8, 2019 Softbank-backed startup Grab is hoping to raise another $2bn (£1.5bn) in funding this year as it embarks on an aggressive expansion plan. The Singapore-based ride-hailing app has already raised $4.5bn in a fundraising round led by Japanese investment giant Softbank. Read more: Lyft takes a wrong turn as shares fall below float price But chief [...]
Pinterest’s valuation slips as it looks to raise $1.3bn in New York float April 8, 2019 Social media platform Pinterest plans to raise as much as $1.3bn (£995m) when it floats on the New York Stock Exchange this year. Pinterest will put 75m shares up for sale at its initial public offering (IPO), with a price tag of between $15 and $17 per share. Read more: Lyft IPO paves way for [...]
Europe must lead the way with digital tax, says EU competition commissioner April 8, 2019 Europe must agree on plans for a new digital tax and should be the trailblazer if there is no global consensus, the EU’s competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager has said. The EU last month scrapped initial plans to roll out a digital tax on tech giants after opposition from several member states. Read more: EU drops [...]
Smartphone sales to fall in 2019 as foldable phones fail to spark interest April 8, 2019 Global smartphone sales are set to fall again this year as consumers shun upgrades and hold on to their devices for longer. Shipments of mobile phones are expected to slip 0.5 per cent to 1.8bn in 2019, according to data published by research firm Gartner. Read more: Samsung warns of 60 per cent drop in [...]
The government must pause for thought before pushing ahead with “online harms” regulations April 8, 2019 A common view of the world goes thus – individuals and businesses do whatever they can to pursue their own self-interest, and must be kept in check by governments. As certain companies get bigger and bigger, greater regulations are required. While not entirely without merit, this dichotomous standpoint is excessively blunt and can result in [...]
Huawei’s ‘shoddy’ cyber security could lead to UK ban, says GCHQ April 8, 2019 Huawei could be banned in parts of the UK because its “shoddy” engineering practices create cyber security issues, a top GCHQ official has said. Dr Ian Levy, technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said the UK may ban the Chinese firm’s equipment in sensitive areas such as Westminster in a bid to [...]