AI’s threat to traditional banking models September 14, 2017 Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things are now defining the future of our economy. The effect of these technologies, made possible by the colossal volumes of data we are able to collect and process, has been described as the “fourth industrial revolution”. There are hundreds of ways businesses can apply AI to [...]
Sadiq Khan on Digital London: How we can remain a capital of innovation September 14, 2017 London is the world’s business capital and the engine of Britain’s economy. Our city has always been an incredible hotbed of innovation and disruption. As Britain prepares to leave the EU, we must embrace our entrepreneurial spirit more than ever, to ensure our economy continues to go from strength to strength over the decades ahead. [...]
Balderton and Mike Lynch’s tech fund Invoke Capital back Sophia Genetics, an AI DNA analysis startup, with £30m September 13, 2017 A Swiss biotech firm that uses machine learning to analyse genetics used by several of the UK’s NHS trusts has bagged millions of pounds in fresh funding from Balderton Capital and Mike Lynch’s Invoke Capital. Sophia Genetics’ technology can accelerate diagnosis of cancer and other hereditary diseases by using algorithms to analyse DNA, reducing the [...]
Skype billionaire Niklas Zennstrom’s Atomico backs Bossa Studios with $10m ahead of Worlds Adrift launch September 12, 2017 Atomico is at it again, splashing the cash from its huge new fund, this time on a London games developer. The venture capital firm has led a $10m series A round in Bossa Studios, which is set to launch Worlds Adrift, the first built using the virtual reality platform created by fellow UK tech startup [...]
Tech startup incubator Entrepreneur First raises $12m and gets LinkedIn founder’s backing September 11, 2017 Startup builder Entrepreneur First, which supports the creation of tech firms from scratch, today announced it had completed a $12m (£9m) funding round with the backing of one of LinkedIn’s co-founders London-based Entrepreneur First attracted investment led by Greylock Partners, where LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is a partner. Read more: Winning in the Dragons’ Den: [...]
AI can liberate humans to lead happier lives, if we get it right September 11, 2017 Discussions around artificial intelligence (AI) provoke both excitement and fear in strong measure. Just last week, Elon Musk predicted that AI will be the most likely cause of World War III (although perhaps he just wasn’t following President Donald Trump closely enough). As happens so often with new advances, policymaking lags significantly behind. We must [...]
Britain needs future-facing leaders, not nostalgic dinosaurs like Rees-Mogg and Corbyn September 8, 2017 Jacob Rees-Mogg – committed Brexiteer, potential contender for the Conservative leadership, and devout Roman Catholic – is against abortion and same-sex marriage. Who would have guessed? Rees-Mogg’s comments on ITV on Wednesday, especially his assertion that a rape victim should be forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term, raised eyebrows among the commentariat. But [...]
EY, Maersk, Microsoft, startup Guardtime and insurers are putting boats on the blockchain with marine insurance tech platform | City A.M. September 6, 2017 EY, shipping giant mersk and Microsoft are among the companies planning to get boats on the blockchain, or their insurance, at least. The professional services firm is building a blockchain-based platform that can streamline marine insurance for the shipping industry. It is working with Estonian enterprise blockchain startup Guardtime and Microsoft to build the technology [...]
UK artificial intelligence startup FiveAI lands £14m series B from Lakestar Capital, an early Facebook and Spotify backer September 6, 2017 The venture fund set up by an early backer of Facebook, Spotify and Skype has invested millions in a UK artificial intelligence startup that is planning on getting driverless cars on the road. Lakestar Capital has led the £14m series B round into FiveAI, the company working with Mclaren technologies and Transport for London on [...]
Seedrs fundraising: Neil Woodford invests another £4m into crowdfunding startup Seedrs September 5, 2017 Star fund manager Neil Woodford has increased his stake in crowdfunding startup Seedrs with a fresh £4m investment, taking his total to £10m. Woodford Investment Management kicked off a fundraising round today, making its investment through two of its managed funds: Woodford Patient Capital Trust and Omnis Income and Growth Fund. A crowdfunding campaign give [...]