Tech unicorns face fresh bubble fear November 24, 2015 Traders are piling up short interest on early stage technology firms after a string of young companies made market-busting initial public offerings (IPOs). The so-called “unicorns” – companies which are valued at $1bn before they have launched onto the stock market – are being targeted by traders betting their share prices will fall. Although they [...]
London is now a true rival to Silicon Valley – but risks loom November 19, 2015 This year has been dubbed the Year of the Unicorn. It’s not an allusion to the success of the Scottish National Party – the unicorn being the national symbol of Scotland – but rather a reference to the booming global startup scene. In the world of venture capital, “unicorn” is applied to young tech [...]
The Shard skyscraper wins new letting after poaching fintech firm from the City November 19, 2015 The developers behind the Shard skyscraper at London Bridge have secured another letting after poaching fintech firm Sapphire Systems from the City. The global software solutions firm has agreed to take 15,700 square feet of office space on level nine of the tower, City A.M. can reveal. It is understood to be paying in the [...]
Fintech Lookahead 2016: The disruptors you should be looking out for November 19, 2015 What can we expect to see from the fintech industry over the coming year? And what kinds of companies are leading the charge? In its 2015 Global Banking Annual Review, McKinsey said that “banks are under attack from new technology companies and others seeking to poach their customers. To date, banks’ losses to attackers have [...]
Tech unicorn bubble? When building a business, watch out or you could end up swimming with sharks November 18, 2015 We see it all the time: the latest tech darling pouring time and money into raising their profile. The company sponsors every event going, turn up to panels flanked by more advisors than a politician and their picture is in every newspaper going. Don't get me wrong. In many cases this is deserved attention, as good [...]
Blockchain is the single biggest fintech innovation of the decade November 12, 2015 Despite the enormous attention being lavished on digital currencies such as bitcoin, the reality of the situation is we won’t see one hit the mainstream for many years. Before central banks commit to issuing a digital pound or dollar they will need to be assured about several factors, including proof that there are no vulnerabilities [...]
Fintech revolution: Visa and Bank of America file the most fintech patents November 11, 2015 There’s a fintech revolution going on – but who’s at the forefront of it? New patent figures reveal that Visa has filed by far the most fintech patents, soaring 20 per cent ahead of its nearest rival, Bank of America. Data from Aistemos and Relecura shows which companies hold the most patents, providing an overview of [...]
London beats Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris to be named best city in Europe for digital startups – Nesta November 9, 2015 London has been named as the best city in Europe for digital startups, according to Nesta’s European Digital City Index. The capital beat rivals Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam to be named as the number one destination for digital entrepreneurs looking to start and scale up a digital business. This comes as the Mayor of London [...]
Fintech start-up acquirer Silver Falcon to float on London Stock Market November 9, 2015 Silver Falcon, a shell investment company that is aiming to acquire fintech start-ups is today floating on the London Stock Market. The newly formed company is aiming to take advantage of London’s booming fintech startup scene, that in September City AM reported had seen record investment so far in 2015 of £357m. The directors of Silver [...]
City A.M. Awards 2015: Celebrating the best of the business world November 2, 2015 It has been a memorable year for the City, with milestones seemingly being met every week. In the last few months alone we’ve reported on some impressive trends and grounds for celebration. Financial services are powering a jobs boom, with employment in the City at an all time high. London’s tech sector has attracted record amounts [...]