Quantum and AI drive UK startup funding to $7.8bn in 2026 Tech UK startup funding jumped to $7.8bn (£6.2bn) in the first quarter of 2026, as a surge in quantum computing investment and mega-rounds powered the strongest start to a year since 2022. New data from HSBC Innovation Banking and Dealroom shows venture capital investment rose 60 per cent year on year, pointing to renewed confidence in [...]
Hybrid working overtakes pay in race for UK tech talent Tech Hybrid working has overtaken salary as the main way UK firms are competing for tech talent, according to new research seen by City AM, as skills shortages intensify across the sector. Data from International Workplace Group found 37 per cent of businesses now cite hybrid working as their primary strategy to attract talent, ahead of [...]
Tech bosses line up for Cabinet under new Whitehall plans Tech Hundreds of business leaders, tech executives and former military figures are set to be trained for senior roles in government under a new initiative aimed at overhauling Whitehall. The programme, led by the Centre for Government Reform, will target candidates from outside Westminster and prepare them to take on positions such as cabinet ministers and [...]
IBM: AI adoption stalls as UK businesses lack clear strategy April 10, 2026 UK businesses are adopting AI at a pace, but many are still struggling to convert that momentum into real, meaningful financial returns. According to IBM’s Race for ROI study, 66 per cent of British enterprises report significant productivity improvements from AI, with 63 per cent of senior leaders citing noticeable efficiency gains post-adoption. There seems [...]
Peter Kyle touts US opportunities as OpenAI pauses UK investment April 10, 2026 Business secretary Peter Kyle has insisted Britain’s economic ties with the US are strong despite political tensions, in what he dubbed a “really great economic set of opportunities” between the two countries. Speaking ahead of a major trade mission to California, Kyle was optimistic about transatlantic relations, despite rhetoric from Trump straining diplomatic ties. “The [...]
OpenAI pauses Stargate UK project over energy costs and regulation April 9, 2026 OpenAI has paused plans to develop a major AI data centre project in the UK, citing high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty. The US firm confirmed that its ‘Stargate UK’ infrastructure initiative, first announced in September, has been put on hold as it reassesses the conditions needed for long-term investment. “We see huge potential for [...]
Britain’s most AI-exposed sectors foot biggest tax bill March 31, 2026 The UK sectors most exposed to artificial AI are concentrated in the same parts of the economy that generate the bulk of tax revenues, according to government and industry data. A 2026 assessment from the UK government shows AI is most applicable to tasks involving data processing, analysis and routine cognitive work, activities concentrated in [...]
Exclusive: Databricks commits $850m in vote of confidence for UK tech March 31, 2026 Databricks is pouring more than $850m (£644m) into the UK over the next three years, City AM understands, in a major vote of confidence in Britain’s position as a European AI hub. The US data and AI group said it would quadruple its London office footprint with a new 137,000 sq ft headquarters in Fitzrovia, [...]
Arm moves into chips as boss says firm will deliver silicon March 25, 2026 Arm boss Rene Haas said the company will begin delivering its own chips as it unveiled its first in-house processor, marking a major shift for the UK tech firm. “With today’s announcement, we’re expanding the Arm compute platform to include delivery of production silicon with our Arm AGI CPU,” Haas said. The Cambridge-based company revealed [...]
Forget AI, Britain can win the quantum era March 23, 2026 Britain might not have the deepest pockets anymore, but in quantum theory, small is powerful, writes Tom Adeyoola.