UK tech: Record raise of £13.5bn pushes number of British unicorns to 105 September 20, 2021 The UK tech sector raised £13.5bn in the first six months of this year, almost three times more than the same period a year ago, according to new data. As a result, the number of British unicorns has jumped to 105. Companies including fintech giant Revolut, online video conference business Hopin and online car sales [...]
Sunak says investors have nothing to fear over tougher tech M&A regulation September 15, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak said proposals from the UK’s competition watchdog for tougher scrutiny of M&A deals in the startup industry are reasonable and not intended to discourage early investors in UK tech companies. “I don’t think people need to be that anxious about it,” he told reporters at a tech event in London. “No one [...]
Golden year for startups: London may be heading for a post-pandemic unicorn boom September 15, 2021 The last 15 months has provided every aspect of society with an unprecedented challenge, not least to small firms and founders. The response of this section of business, however, has been nothing short of inspiring, with nearly 800,000 new firms incorporated in 2020. The response of the investors who back them has been equally stirring, [...]
Sunak: Private equity raid on UK businesses ‘good news’ for economy September 14, 2021 Foreign investment firms’ recent surge of interest in British listed companies is a “sign of confidence” in the UK economy, chancellor Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday, while also touting British fintech and life sciences companies as “globally best in class.” On the same day that Clayton, Dubilier & Rice cemented its pole position in a [...]
Exclusive: ‘I felt sorry for the people of Belgium,’ says Estonia’s Prime Minister September 14, 2021 An artificial intelligence assistant for every citizen? AI to help unemployed people back into work or to suggest a career change? Bots telling you when to visit your GP? All this may sound a tad futuristic, but not for the government of the tiny Baltic state of Estonia. In fact, the country has grand ambitions [...]
Bottom-up ESG: New platform wants to give retail investor army voting power for £1 September 9, 2021 Tulipshare is targeting the next generation of shareholders by tapping into their booming interest in retail investment and demand for a corporate ESG overhaul. The new UK-based activist investment platform wants to enable individuals to “vote with their money” for change from the inside at Amazon, Coca-Cola and Apple by investing as little as £1. [...]
Insurtech Marshmallow reaches $1.25bn valuation and becomes UK’s second black-founded unicorn September 8, 2021 Digital car insurance provider Marshmallow has smashed the $1bn threshold after its latest Series B funding round, making it the second UK unicorn with founders of Black heritage. Marshmallow’s latest cash injection of $85m values the insurtech at over $1.25bn (£907m), joining the ranks of other recent UK unicorns Starling Bank, Gousto, Zepz and Zego. [...]
US intervention in tech deals a “dangerous trend,” says Chinese state media September 2, 2021 Chinese state media called the US attempts to block cross-border acquisitions of tech companies a “red flag” for the global tech sector. The Global Times, a state-backed media outlet, said that efforts to thwart the purchase of a Korean tech firm by a Chinese company “represents a dangerous trend for the whole industry.” The article [...]
UK global talent visa applications surge during lockdown August 31, 2021 Applications for the UK’s tech visas increased by almost 30 per cent during lockdowns and the pandemic, as the UK continues to attract global talent, according to industry body data. Applications for the Global Talent Visa between April 2020 to March 2021 increased by 28 per cent compared to the same period the previous year, [...]
ESG investing now mainstream, but who’s holding ‘greenwashed’ portfolios to account? August 24, 2021 Environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns are rising up the agenda of investors, who are increasingly more attentive to the impact of their investments. Beyond financial performance, investors are looking at their portfolios in relation to ESG factors, but how can they assess the ESG credentials of companies and funds when the data is scattered [...]