London startups bag £2.69bn in VC funding in 2025 so far April 17, 2025 London-based startups attracted £2.69bn in venture capital (VC) in the first three months of the year, marking a robust start of the year despite a fall in deal volumes. According to KPMG’s latest venture pulse report, while deal count dropped from the previous quarter, the overall value of funding reached nearly 90 per cent of [...]
The UK’s cyber blindspot lies with its SMBs April 16, 2025 Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) in the UK are facing an escalating cyber security crisis, experts have warned. According to Hugues Foulon, chief executive of Orange Cyberdefense, cyber attacks on SMBs have surged by 53 per cent, yet only 21 per cent of SMB chief executives are aware of their cyber risks. This alarming [...]
Former Google CEO warns AI may soon ignore human control April 16, 2025 Former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) was advancing so rapidly that it may soon no longer need human guidance to evolve. Speaking last week at an event hosted by the Special Competitive Studies Project – a think tank he founded – Schmidt described how AI systems were beginning to [...]
Nvidia hit by US chip curbs as trade war escalates April 16, 2025 Nvidia shares slid sharply on Wednesday after the chip giant revealed that newly tightened US export restrictions on its China-bound AI chips could cost it up to $5.5bn this quarter. The move, part of an escalating series of trade and technology curbs between Washington and Beijing, has rattled markets already on edge over tariff uncertainty [...]
ASML and Nvidia tumble amid US trade tensions April 16, 2025 ASML and Nvidia both took a hit in the markets, falling sharply due to rising concerns about US-China trade tensions and their potential impact on the semiconductor industry. ASML, a critical player in chip manufacturing equipment, dropped 6.5 per cent, while Nvidia saw a 6.3 per cent after hours on Tuesday. The Dutch chip equipment [...]
Bunzl shares plunge after FTSE 100 giant cuts forecast April 16, 2025 Bunzl shares plunged 23 per cent in early deals on Wednesday after the FTSE 100 giant cut its 2025 guidance following a tough first quarter. This was driven by softer-than-expected revenue growth in the UK and Ireland and margin pressure in its largest North American business, which weighed on performance. The distribution titan said revenue [...]
WH Smith: High street profit slumps ahead of Modella sale April 16, 2025 WHSmith’s high street division has reported a significant drop in trading profit, falling by over 30 per cent as it prepares for its sale to private equity firm Modella Capitlal. The retailer’s high street business delivered a profit of £15m for the six months to Febuary 28, 2025, down from £22m in the same period [...]
Can tech help the state of the UK property market? April 16, 2025 Despite its vast size, the UK property industry lags much of the rest of the economy on technology adoption, with highly fragmented and deeply traditional ways of doing business. Many of these businesses still rely on outdated practices rooted in manual labour and legacy systems. While consumer expectations have shifted towards seamless, tech-enhanced experiences, the [...]
UK resilience buoys Robert Walters amid global hiring slowdown April 15, 2025 Recruiter Robert Walters reported a tough first quarter of 2025, amid a global hiring slowdown and persistent economic uncertainty weighing heavily on recruitment activity. The group cited a combination of cautious employer sentiment, escalating trade tariffs, and shifting economic landscape as key factors disrupting the field. Despite the broader slowdown, the UK was the group’s [...]
Exclusive: EY reveals Brits embrace AI at home, not at work April 15, 2025 The UK public is increasingly embracing artificial intelligence (AI) in their personal lives, but barriers to adoption are stopping workers from using the technology at work, according to a new study. EY’s new global AI sentiment index, shared exclusively to City AM, found that while 70 per cent of UK adults had used AI in [...]
