Author: Jonathan Symcox

The CEO of NCC Group plc has stepped down with immediate effect.

Mike Maddison was named CEO four and a half years ago and has led a strategic transformation at the Manchester-headquartered cybersecurity firm.

He will be succeeded by CFO Guy Ellis.

NCC also provided a trading update for the year ended 30th September 2026 this morning.

Nous, a household AI agent helping families reduce life admin and save money on their routine spending, has raised £13m of new capital to expand internationally and add new features. 

Founded by Greg Marsh – the entrepreneur behind luxury accommodation marketplace onefinestay, which exited to Accor in a $200m deal – Nous has built an AI agent for households that allows normal people with busy lives to offload everyday admin and save money. The Nous agent finds cheaper deals, carries out the work of switching providers, cancels subscriptions, fills out forms, and spots dodgy contract terms or pricey renewal traps.

It also manages family calendars, reminds you of deadlines, finds local tradespeople, and books appointments.

The new funding is provided by Heartcore Capital and existing seed investor, Mosaic Ventures. Chalfen Ventures, Joyance Partners and Bain Future Back Ventures also participated. 

Nous has also previously secured angel investment from leading founders and entrepreneurs including: Tom Blomfield (GoCardless & Monzo); Brent Hoberman (Founders Factory, lastminute.com, Made.com); Doug Monro, (Adzuna); Richard Moross, (MOO); Andrew Brookes, Angie Ma and Marc Warner, (Faculty.ai); James Meekings, (Funding Circle); Eamon Jubbawy and  Husayn Kassai (Onfido); Will Dean (Tough Mudder); and Daniel Hegarty (Habito).

Cambridge technology company Gearset has appointed former Matillion marketing chief Mark Johnston as its new CMO, as the business looks to build on its global growth and expand further into enterprise AI.

Based at Cambridge Science Park, Gearset recorded 37% revenue growth in 2025 and moved into a larger headquarters on the Park.

It now serves more than 3,500 organisations worldwide.

Johnston joins with experience at Matillion, Domo and Microsoft, having helped bring Matillion’s agentic AI product to market. He will now help Gearset expand its enterprise offering, following the launch of Cam, its own AI agent for Salesforce teams.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

An activist investor is seeking to replace the chair of Auction Technology Group plc months after it saw a dozen takeover bids rejected.

FitzWalter Capital, which is based in London, is ATG’s largest shareholder and is demanding that the firm – also headquartered and listed in London – be moved to the US.

It has requisitioned a general meeting to remove Scott Forbes (pictured) as a director and appoint Richard Campbell-Breeden in his place. If the resolutions are passed, FitzWalter will ask the board to appoint him as chair. 

Alex Depledge MBE has quit as the Treasury’s entrepreneurship adviser ahead of the Budget, blaming the “sideshow” treatment of scaleup entrepreneurs.

Depledge was appointed to the newly created role by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves in June 2025 but said under John Healey – set to deliver his first Budget on Wednesday – the Government was instead directing taxpayer money towards traditional industries.

“Keeping scaleups on the fringes underestimates the contribution of our greatest companies, and we need to support and develop them on British shores at all costs”, she told The Sunday Times. “We treat them as a bit of a sideshow.”

The serial founder, who grew up in Bradford, exited cleaning marketplace Hassle.com in 2015 before founding PropTech Resi. She stepped down from ‘the UK’s largest residential architect’ at the end of last year.

Depledge said: “Where’s the real economy? They think it’s over here with steel, cars and hard hats, that this is the ‘main event’.

“And my argument has always been: no, scaleups are the main event.”

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Manchester is among the UK’s fastest-growing local economies – and accountancy firm S&W’s regional operation is expanding right alongside it.

The city has made headlines this year as the home to Number 10 North, thanks to the rise of former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to Prime Minister, and has a booming digital and tech cluster.

Meanwhile, S&W was launched last year to build on the strength and heritage of Smith & Williamson, founded in 1881, and aims to bring the “personal touch” to professional services for businesses across Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle – building on successful operations in Birmingham, Bristol and London, among others. 

Gary Fenemore-Schenk, a tax director, spent 10 years at Mazars before joining Alvarez & Marsal and then, soon afterwards, the fledgling S&W business.

“The North, and Manchester in particular, is seen as a real target for the business,” he tells me.

“Everyone within S&W recognises that the growth of Manchester’s economy and ecosystem is outstripping everywhere across the UK. It is fair to say that it’s a city that is getting  maximum attention at the moment.”

Gary will speak on the breakfast panel at FUEL Manchester next week. You can register for free at the link below.

Manchester-based charity technology startup Raiser has secured innovation funding and attracted investment from former JustGiving adviser Daryl Upsall as it targets its next phase of growth. 

The company, which is developing an AI-enabled platform to connect charities with potential funders, has also strengthened its leadership expertise with the addition of experienced figures from the charity, philanthropy and financial sectors. 

Daryl Upsall, an internationally recognised fundraising consultant who advised JustGiving’s founders during its early development and launch, has joined as an investor and ambassador. 

Zahra Hedges, former chief executive of Winning Scotland and IoD Director of the Year (Third Sector) 2025, has recently joined as an adviser, while Mark Carrigan, a specialist in philanthropy and capital mobilisation, joined Raiser’s board as a non-executive director earlier this year. 

The innovation funding, awarded by the GM Business Growth Hub, will support development of Raiser’s grant-matching technology and its wider growth ambitions. 

 

Author: Jonathan Symcox

The chair of GB Group plc is to retire from the role after overseeing a 65% drop in the firm’s share price.

Richard Longdon took on the role in September 2022, when GBG’s shares were valued at 450 pence. Today they are worth 156p, with a market cap of £358 million.

He will step down on 30th November to spend more time with his family and on personal interests, the global identity and location technology provider said.

 

The Government has pledged to slash red tape for businesses ahead of next week’s Budget.

The changes include making compliance guidance clearer, simpler and small business-friendly; simplifying the UK’s corporate reporting requirements; reducing duplicative reporting burdens for asset managers; streamlining the home-buying and selling process, saving money for businesses in the transaction chain; and extending import tariff suspensions on more than 250 products favoured by businesses.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey said they could save businesses a combined £800 million.

They will today meet with small business owners and representative organisations, including the Federation of Small Businesses, at Number 10 North. 

There, they will accept recommendations from the Small Business Taskforce, which has seen government work in partnership with business leaders over the past months to identify and reduce the bureaucracy holding firms back. 

Greater Manchester has launched a new plan to take the city region from a leading UK innovation economy to a globally recognised innovation hub by 2035. 

The ambition is set out in the new 2035 Greater Manchester Innovation Plan, launched by Mayor Bev Craig and Innovation Greater Manchester Chair Andrew Hodgson at the Greater Manchester Innovation Expo 2026. 

Hosted by the GM Business Growth Hub, the event brought together hundreds of business leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and investors to showcase our science and technology strengths and build partnerships for future growth. 

Author: Chris Maguire

Private equity-backed professional services group Leonard Curtis is expanding its Manchester presence with a move to a new 10,000 sq ft office at Eden in New Bailey.

The firm, which specialises in corporate restructuring, turnaround, funding and legal advice, will relocate from Riverside House on Irwell Street to the seventh floor of the 12-storey building.

The move follows a period of significant growth for Leonard Curtis, which has outgrown its existing Manchester headquarters.

The group has expanded through a combination of organic growth, acquisitions and the development of its service offering.

Following a majority investment from Pollen Street Capital in 2025, Leonard Curtis is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy, with plans to double group revenues over the next four years.

Work on fitting out the new 10,000 sq ft space is now being planned, with staff expected to move in later this year.

Dan Booth, CEO of Leonard Curtis and one of BusinessCloud’s Northern Leaders 2026, said: “This move marks an important step for us.

“While additional space is important, this is really about creating an environment that reflects the business we are building. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we want to create an environment where they can do their best work and continue to develop. Eden gives us the space and facilities we need for the next
stage of growth.”

Leonard Curtis has more than 30 years’ experience in corporate restructuring and employs over 350 people across a network of 30 offices.

Author: Chris Maguire

The Atom Valley Northern Gateway Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) has appointed Chris Cheap as its new managing director.

Cheap joins the MDC after almost 23 years at real estate advisory firm Avison Young, where he held a number of senior leadership roles both in the North West and nationally.

Northern Gateway is a key part of the wider Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone, which stretches across Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.

The ambitious development is expected to play a central role in driving growth in advanced manufacturing, innovation, housing and infrastructure.

The wider Atom Valley vision is already taking shape, with the recent completion of the base build of the 30,000 sq ft Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre (SMMC).

The facility is located within the 25-acre Atom Valley Innovation District (AVID) at Kingsway Park in Rochdale.

Former ThinCats MD Ravi Anand has launched Ignite Funding Partners.

Ignite has entered the UK lending market to fund proven UK businesses, offering tailored lending facilities of between £1 million and £25m to support organic growth, acquisition, ownership transition and refinancing strategies.

Ignite focuses on the larger end of the SME market – proven businesses with strong management teams which are building momentum and scaling.

To support this, £500m of lending capital is being lined up from leading institutional investors, it says.

Birmingham firm MoniRail and its partners have secured £50 million funding to further aid development and commercialisation of its quantum navigation system for use on London Underground.

The firm’s tech has the ability to locate train and track faults precisely, where satellite signals can’t reach.

As part of the Government’s investment focus on quantum technology in the UK, MoniRail has been awarded a contract from Innovate UK as part of the Quantum Missions Primer Phase 2 initiative.

MoniRail’s project builds on previous Innovate UK SBRI Quantum Catalyst funding which demonstrated the project’s concept. The next phase of the project will focus on bringing the first commercial version closer to market.

MoniRail leads the consortium which brings together Imperial College London, University of Sussex and their spinout company Spectomiq Ltd, PA Consulting, Transport for London (TfL), GBRX, Durham University and QinetiQ. 

 

The British Business Bank’s Regional Angels Programme has announced a £2 million commitment to Cambridge Capital Group through the Haatch Angel Syndicate Platform, further expanding access to angel investment capital for high-growth businesses across the UK.

The commitment will be used to co-invest alongside CCG in every qualifying investment.

CCG is one of the longest-standing angel networks in Britain. Established in 2000, the Cambridge-based network focuses on technology-enabled investments and has deployed more than £50m into over 150 companies.

The latest commitment brings the total number of investment partners on the Haatch Platform to seven.

Preventative healthcare platform Emerald has secured an additional £1.4 million in fundraising – including backing from Innovate UK.

Emerald is helping to shift healthcare from reactive to proactive, and make it part of everyday life.

The platform provides individuals with tools, insights and support to continuously understand their health, empowering them to spot issues sooner and act before problems become serious.

This approach brings together comprehensive testing, health data, ongoing GP support, treatment and prescriptions all in one place, creating a connected picture of a person’s health.

The latest funding combines a £700,000 grant from Innovate UK, Emerald’s second award from the organisation, with a further £700,000 in venture capital investment secured following the award.

The round was backed by all existing investors, alongside new investors including Sequel and Highgoal – with Emerald’s valuation rising from its previous funding round.

Offers365, a Manchester-headquartered performance marketing network, has secured fresh investment from NPIF II – GC Business Finance & River Capital Smaller Loans, which is delivered by the consortium as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

Founded in 2019 by Seun Olabisi, Offers365 provides an end-to-end performance marketing service across email, social and native platforms. The team’s core offering supports clients from across a number of industries as they look to expand CRM systems, helping to build audiences through data acquisition to drive new leads.

It is now working with over 250 partners and over 100 brands. It has also expanded its footprint, with offices in Amsterdam and the UAE.

A founder aged 19 has raised £1 million to create Chaos – described as the first operating system for music.

Chaos, founded by Ruhan Verma, is a unified space for music creators to collaborate, communicate and create. It includes the sharing of files, feedback and lossless live writing rooms.

A self-taught musician and producer, Verma spent years watching creative work get fragmented across endless messaging threads, disconnected files and siloed software, making collaboration cumbersome and attributions an uphill battle. 

 

Skyfly Technologies, a British developer of electric and hybrid-electric vertically capable aircraft, has closed a $10 million (£7.5m) seed round.

The round was led by specialist growth equity investor HICO Investment Group, with participation from Archangel, Europe’s only dedicated next-generation defence technology fund. 

The firm says the investment will take the Axe, Skyfly’s two-seat electric aircraft that takes off like a helicopter and flies like an aeroplane, from flying prototype to certified production aircraft in customers’ hands.

 

US cybersecurity firm Chainguard has opened a regional headquarters in London and pledged to invest $200 million across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Chainguard aims to help organisations prevent AI software supply chain attacks. It says it is adding 200 new roles across engineering, sales and customer service in the region.