Steven Bartlett: Dragons’ Den star signs the ‘biggest deal of my life’ May 27, 2025 Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has said he’s “signed the biggest deal of my life” after becoming a co-owner of a US technology company. The entrepreneur has agreed a “major, double digit equity investment deal” in LA-based Stan Store. The business is led by chief executive John Hu who set up the firm in 2021. [...]
After angels, before VCs: UK consumer startups are stranded in £1m-£5m no man’s land May 14, 2025 Britain's brilliant consumer startups are finding themselves stranded in a funding no man’s land, writes Joe Benn.
Entrepreneurs! We need YOU to back Britain May 13, 2025 Governments don’t create growth, businesses do – and it’s time for Britain’s business leaders to move beyond the negativity and back this great country, says John Caudwell I’ve always believed in Britain. Through the ups and the downs – from the boom years and the Brexit battles to the huge challenges presented by the Covid [...]
‘Richard Branson told me not to start my business’: Gravita CEO Caroline Plumb May 8, 2025 We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, Gravita CEO Caroline Plumb tells us about her life as a serial entrepreneur.
The UK isn’t celebrating risk takers and wealth creators – Castore boss April 29, 2025 The UK is at risk of “taking too many steps down a road of not wanting to celebrate risk takers and wealth creators”, according to the co-CEO of sports apparel brand, Castore. Tom Beahon, who shares the top job with his brother Phil, added “there’s not a lot of incentive for anyone to take risks [...]
Puresport: Finn Russell, Ben Earl and Castore backer in £3.6m fund raise April 23, 2025 Rugby stars Finn Russell and Ben Earl have doubled down on their investment to help London-based sports nutrition brand Puresport raise £3.6m in fresh funding. Redrice Ventures, an early backer of British sportswear brand Castore, and serial high growth investor Five Seasons Ventures also took part in the latest funding round. Puresport was founded by [...]
There is such a thing as good growth April 23, 2025 The unbridled pursuit of more can be irresponsible at best, and exploitative at worst, but the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs understands that growth isn’t just about enriching businesses, but enriching society, says Orlando Martins It’s sensible for a business to seek to grow, if for no other reason than the lousy alternative: those that aren’t [...]
Small firm owners are leaving the UK en masse, survey finds April 15, 2025 Small business owners up and down the country are packing their bags to escape a flurry of higher taxes, soaring costs and red tape, fresh data has found. Nearly two in five owners of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) have either left the UK or are considering an imminent departure, according to a new survey, [...]
If we want more entrepreneurs we should tax them less April 8, 2025 Altogether, from the very first penny received from an employer to the very last penny passed down to one’s children, the tax on entrepreneurship can get up to 93.1 per cent, says John O’Connell In a speech she gave in January, the Chancellor declared that it is “businesses, investors and entrepreneurs who drive economic growth”, [...]
‘The deal was done before the starters arrived’: Fundment CEO on the art of the business lunch March 27, 2025 Fundment founder Ola Abdul secured £45m earlier this year. He tells us how he did it, including the art of the business lunch.