File-sharing platform WeTransfer shows strong third-quarter as workforce remains remote October 26, 2021 WeTransfer reports a strong third-quarter, as clients remain digital and remote.
Exclusive: NatWest-backed Updraft raises £72m in latest funding round October 19, 2021 NatWest-backed Updraft, an app which aims to help people get out of debt, has raised £72m in its latest funding round as it eyes expansion. The fintech firm, which is looking to lend £200m to UK customers next year, allows customers to connect their bank accounts and view their debts from across credit cards and [...]
Exclusive: Meet the UK’s 50 fastest-growing startups October 12, 2021 A total 50 of the most promising high-growth tech firms in the UK have been named as the country’s top scaleup companies by tech group Silicon Valley Comes to the UK (SVC2UK). Smart employee app Blink, charity fundraiser Enthuse, and digital health platform supporting under-served areas of healthcare, Pepp, were among the firms selected for [...]
Mental health startup BetterUp trebles value to $4.7bn since hiring Prince Harry October 10, 2021 BetterUp, the mental health startup which hired Prince Harry earlier this year, has raised $300m from investors, trebling its valuation to $4.7bn (£3.5bn) in just eight months. The company’s recent funding round was led by Iconiq Capital – an investment fund who have managed Mark Zucherberg – Wellington Management and Lightspeed Venture Partners, The Sunday [...]
Startup city: Square Mile investors make London the top place after Silicon Valley for tech firms September 22, 2021 London is second only to Silicon Valley for the best place for startups to thrive, according to a definitive ranking of the world’s major tech and business hubs. The capital tied with New York in second place to the Californian area synonymous with billion-dollar valuations and tech bros – and far ahead of the next [...]
Over half of UK tech investors ready to pull capital over proposed clampdown on startup M&A September 14, 2021 Investors in UK startups are ready to pull capital over the threat that a proposed competition clamp down on startup M&A by the CMA’s new Digital Markets Unit (DMU) poses to the country’s startup innovation and growth. Half (50 per cent) of the UK’s investors in startups will significantly reduce the amount they invest in [...]
UK global talent visa applications surge during lockdown August 31, 2021 Applications for the UK’s tech visas increased by almost 30 per cent during lockdowns and the pandemic, as the UK continues to attract global talent, according to industry body data. Applications for the Global Talent Visa between April 2020 to March 2021 increased by 28 per cent compared to the same period the previous year, [...]
ESG investing now mainstream, but who’s holding ‘greenwashed’ portfolios to account? August 24, 2021 Environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns are rising up the agenda of investors, who are increasingly more attentive to the impact of their investments. Beyond financial performance, investors are looking at their portfolios in relation to ESG factors, but how can they assess the ESG credentials of companies and funds when the data is scattered [...]
Psychedelic medicines start up raises £58m August 16, 2021 An Oxford based company which uses psychedelic medicines to treat neurological disorders has completed an oversubscribed £58m funding round. Beckley Psytech today announced that their Series B financing round had to be upsized from $50m (£36m) to $80m on account of investor demand. The funding will be used to complete an ongoing trial which uses [...]
DoorDash swings to loss in second quarter since IPO August 13, 2021 Aggressive expansion into a crowded global grocery delivery market plunged SoftBank-backed DoorDash into a wider than expected loss in the second quarter since its December 2020 IPO. The NYSE-listed food delivery firm reported a net loss of $102m in the second quarter, wider than the $74.6m loss Wall Street had been expecting. This translated to [...]