The £1bn company with no staff? Why AI is a gift to Britain’s small businesses Opinion With branding built on Canva, market research synthesised in seconds or client decks as slick as McKinsey’s, could we say now that for the first time, a five-person firm can present like a 50-person one, and potentially undercut and outmanoeuvre larger rivals? Asks Eliza Filby In Silicon Valley, investors are salivating at the thought of [...]
Hackney tops London’s entrepreneurial boroughs for startup loans Entrepreneurship Startup founders in Hackney racked up the highest volume of loans in London as fleets of British entrepreneurs launched their business in the capital. Some 1,309 loans were taken out by founders in Hackney through the Start Up Loans initiative since its launch in 2012 topping £11.4m in value. The borough has benefitted from being [...]
Rachel Reeves warned against piling on small business tax pain Business As Rachel Reeves circles new avenues to boost tax receipts, the Chancellor has faced a fresh warning to ease the pain for small businesses. Businesses have called for Reeves to reverse her Autumn Budget tax hikes and ease the burden for firms as they suffer the crunch of economic uncertainty. One in five small- and [...]
Financial advisers sound alarm on lack of support for SMEs July 2, 2025 Financial advisers have raised concern about the lack of support for small businesses in government policy as firms feel the pinch of economic pressures. Over half of advisers surveyed by alternative lender Thincats branded government policy as unsupportive of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) whilst just six per cent said it was supportive. Small businesses [...]
Profit triples at SME lender Iwoca as loans near £1bn June 26, 2025 Profit has almost tripled at business lender Iwoca as its revenue jumped by nearly £100m in 2024, it has been revealed. The London-based firm, which provides credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has posted a pre-tax profit of £59.1m for its latest financial year. The total comes after the business reported a pre-tax profit of £21.7m [...]
Tech and taxes: What do SMEs want to see in the upcoming Budget? September 30, 2024 Small businesses have called on the government to prioritise growth in the upcoming Autumn Budget in order to avoid a slowdown of growth.
Gofundme: Brits open wallets to bankroll small businesses September 30, 2024 If there’s one thing Britain’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has figured out, it’s how to leverage the power of community.
Loss for talent: What impact does the London housing crisis have on start-ups in the City? July 30, 2024 Britain’s ongoing housing crisis has created a knock-on effect for start-ups, according to new research shared exclusively with City A.M., as small business owners begin to struggle to attract and retain talent. The research, which was conducted by fintech firm iwoca, highlighted that 22 per cent of the 500 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) surveyed [...]
City reveals new strategy to ‘retain and enhance’ small business growth in the Square Mile June 12, 2024 The City of London Corporation has revealed its first-ever small and medium-sized (SME) Strategy to focus on key areas of growth for the community.