How millennial savings app Plum could lure a new generation of DIY investors March 12, 2021 The reason Victor Trokoudes started Plum may be a familiar story to some millennials. His dad started nagging him about putting money away after he realised he hadn’t been doing much about his savings despite working as a trader in the City. He started building Plum in 2016 with co-founder Alex Michael before its launch [...]
Shareholder management platform Shaparency announces capital raise amid expansion March 11, 2021 Shareholder management platform Shaparency which claims to democratise business access has secured another capital raise amid its rapid expansion. While a number of companies switched to digital fairly seamlessly for the day-to-day business during the first lockdown, shareholder engagement was largely neglected. Globally just 15 per cent of corporate boards use digital platforms in AGM [...]
FTSE 250 Ascential COO joins the board of cyber security firm Darktrace March 11, 2021 AI cyber security platform Darktrace has appointed Ascential’s COO to its board as a non-executive director. Paul Harrison, who formerly held the chief financial position at Just Eat, will aid the board in tackling the fast-changing challenges that the digital landscape brings. “As cyber-threats become more sophisticated and better-resourced, it is clear that the cyber [...]
Playtech swings to €73m loss as lockdown hits casinos March 11, 2021 Gambling software group Playtech swung to a €73m (£62.5m) loss last year as coronavirus lockdowns shuttered casinos across Europe. The FTSE 250 firm’s loss compared to a €55.9m profit in the previous year. Revenue dropped by a quarter to just over €1bn. Shares in Playtech dropped almost three per cent in morning trading. The downbeat [...]
Technology transfer offers a fast route toward rebuilding the COVID-ravaged economies of low-and-middle income countries March 11, 2021 | City Talk Technology transfer is a measure of the way in which countries manage their international flows of capital, goods, services, ideas and people. Borders and tariffs in rich countries often impede the economic and technological exchanges that could otherwise accelerate development and growth in poorer nations. Evidence shows that quickly spreading technology and technological knowledge quickly [...]
Monzo co-founder Gary Dolman joins Tickr as chairman March 11, 2021 Sustainable investing app Tickr has enjoyed meteoric growth during the pandemic, closed a £2.5m funding round and will now welcome one of Monzo’s founders to its board. Founded in 2018 by Tom McGillyCuddy and Matt Latham after stints at Barclays and Wellington Management, the pair wanted to demystify sustainable investing. The Tickr app only offers [...]
New tech startup launches every half an hour during pandemic March 11, 2021 The tech sector has been one of the few winners from the pandemic with many entrepreneurs using the time to launch new companies. Between January and December 2020, 19,465 businesses were registered in the information and communication sector according to data from Tech Nation. It is equivalent to a new tech firm launching every half [...]
Exclusive: Teams rival Starleaf plots London float as demand surges March 10, 2021 British video call and messaging firm Starleaf is plotting an initial public offering in London after demand for its services surged during the pandemic, City A.M. can reveal. Watford-based Starleaf, whose platform is used by major corporate clients including the NHS, booked a record year of trading in 2020 amid the shift to home working. [...]
Zego becomes first UK insurtech to secure unicorn status March 10, 2021 Motor insurance startup Zego has secured unicorn status with a valuation of more than $1bn after its latest funding round. The London-based company provides insurance to gig economy workers and claims to be the UK’s first insurtech unicorn. It follows a $150m round led by DST Global with backing from General Catalyst, whose founder and [...]
First Deliveroo backers now have stake worth 431 times original investment March 10, 2021 The investors who piled into Deliveroo at its earliest stages will be rubbing their hands as the takeaway giant prepares for its bumper London listing. The investors who bought into the takeaway back in 2013 will now have a stake worth £646, around 431 times their original investment according to data from MarktoMarket. In September [...]