Computacenter has reported a strong third quarter performance, with growth across key markets keeping the business ahead of last year’s levels.

The listed technology and services provider saw continued momentum in North America, driven by enterprise and hyperscale demand, alongside improvement in the UK and a return to growth in Germany.

Trading in France remained challenging due to political and economic uncertainty, though group-wide Technology Sourcing revenue rose sharply, led by the UK and US.

Professional Services also delivered strong growth, partially offset by a slight decline in Managed Services.

The Hertfordshire-based company has seen its share price rise 3% to 2,820p today.

A new London-based accelerator, Antidote, has launched with £2.5 million in funding from Fulgur Ventures, Initial Capital and a network of private angel investors.

The initiative is aiming to help rebuild the UK’s position as a global leader in open financial and FinTech innovation. 

The accelerator will support founders building solutions in payments infrastructure, digital identity, data sovereignty and Bitcoin technologies, providing funding, mentorship, workspace and policy access to turn ideas into scalable businesses.

Led by Ben Cousens, Antidote’s mission is to create a credible bridge between entrepreneurs and institutions, helping innovators leverage emerging technologies to deliver real-world impact. 

The launch comes amid concerns over declining early-stage investment and UK startups moving abroad.

WPP has warned that full-year results will come in at the low end of expectations after reporting a weaker-than-expected third quarter, prompting a strategic review aimed at reigniting growth.

Revenue for the three months to the 30th September fell 8.4% year on year to £3.26 billion, with like-for-like revenue down 3.5%. 

The advertising giant now expects organic revenue less pass-through costs to decline between 5.5% and 6% for the full year, compared with earlier guidance of a 3-5% drop.

Chief executive Cindy Rose admitted that recent performance had been “unacceptable” but said the group was moving at pace to simplify its structure, strengthen execution, and capitalise on AI and technology partnerships. 

Rose, who took the helm in September, has launched a wide-ranging review focused on improving integration, expanding into enterprise technology services and tightening capital allocation to rebuild shareholder value.

The London-based FTSE 100 constituent has seen its share price drop by over 12% in the first two hours of today’s trading to 315.7p.

Author: Christopher Maguire

Steven Bartlett has lifted the lid on his Dragons’ Den debut.

Earlier this week the serial entrepreneur revealed how his new company – Steven.com – had announced it had closed a major eight-figure investment in a deal that valued the business at $425m (£320m).

Tonight, millions of people will see Bartlett take his familiar place in the Den when the 14^th and final episode of series 22 of Dragons’ Den is screened.

Bartlett was 28 when he made his first appearance on series 19 in 2022, joining the panel alongside Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, and Sara Davies.  

He said: “I think I continually find myself in situations where I’m well aware that I’m wildly inexperienced. Joining Dragons’ Den was one of them.

“They put me in a seat between Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden and they gave me a notepad. I was 28 years old.

“That was one such moment where I was well aware that objectively I do not have the experience to be here but in all of those moments I try and find the reason why I’m sat there and what’s unique perspective.”

Pri0r1ty Intelligence Group PLC has issued a trading update following its first full year on AIM, projecting revenue of over £500,000 for its financial year as it continues rolling out its AI-driven data and marketing solutions for SMEs.

The group’s core Pri0r1ty Advisor platform and related products have now been deployed with more than 40 customers, with around 20% already converting to paying users.

Growth was further accelerated by the acquisition of Halfspace Limited, which contributed around 80% of FY25 revenue, as well as the launch of Metr1c – a new brand partnerships and growth solutions agency that has secured multiple new contracts for FY26.

With products such as Advisor, Fan Sonar, Advisor MCP and Vox now active across its customer base, the London-based business says it is entering FY26 positioned for significant expansion.

Listed technology solutions provider Nexteq has appointed Deborah Wilkinson to its board as an independent non-executive director and chair of the audit & risk committee.

Wilkinson brings over two decades of financial and leadership experience across the technology and defence sectors.

She previously served on the board of Pennant International Group, where she chaired both the audit & risk and remuneration committees, and held senior executive roles at IrvinGQ, including CEO and finance director.

She currently sits on the boards of Novomorphic and Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult, and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Chair Carol Thompson said the appointment strengthens the Crawley-based firm’s governance and strategic capabilities as it delivers on its three-year growth plan.

Nexteq, which operates in six countries and serves over 500 customers in 47 markets, provides outsourced design, development and supply solutions for manufacturers of global electronic equipment.

Precision measurement specialist Spectris plc has reported a strong third quarter, with group sales rising 11% year-on-year to £335.6 million for the three months ended 30th September 2025.

On a like-for-like basis, sales were up 4%, continuing the positive momentum from the previous quarter.

Both core divisions saw growth, with Spectris Scientific posting a 12% increase in reported sales and 5% like-for-like, while Spectris Dynamics rose 10% reported and 4% like-for-like.

The London-based company also stated that full-year adjusted operating profit remains on track with management expectations.

Spectris said preparations for its acquisition by KKR are now in the advanced stages.

The group, which employs 7,300 people across more than 30 countries, provides precision measurement instruments and software used across technology-driven industries, helping customers tackle sustainability, productivity and innovation challenges worldwide.

Global digital identity technology provider GBG has officially completed its transition from AIM to the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Trading in the company’s ordinary shares commenced at 8am today, with the shares simultaneously cancelled from AIM.

CEO Dev Dhiman said the listing reflects the Chester-headquartered firm’s evolution into a global leader in digital identity technology, enabling “safe and rewarding digital lives” while positioning the business to access larger pools of international capital and enhance long-term growth.

The company, known for its identity verification, fraud prevention and location intelligence solutions, said the Main Market admission will strengthen its credibility and visibility among global investors.

Cloud services provider iomart Group has reported a 25% rise in revenue to £77.7 million for the six months ended 30th September 2025, in line with expectations.

The increase was primarily driven by the £21.7m contribution from Atech, which it acquired in October 2024.

Excluding acquisitions, the traditional iomart business saw a £6m decline due to prior-year customer churn, though renewal rates have since improved and new bookings remain strong.

The company expects adjusted EBITDA of £12.7m, down from £17m last year, with an adjusted loss before tax of £2.3 million anticipated, largely due to increased interest costs linked to the Atech deal.

Despite shares dropping by nearly 3% to 21p so far today, the Glasgow-based company expects a stronger second half, driven by sustained demand, reduced customer churn and £4m in annualised cost efficiencies already achieved, with further savings and new sales initiatives in progress.

Author: Patrick Killeen

Specialist lender Shawbrook Group has successfully priced its initial public offering (IPO) at 370 pence per share, valuing the company at approximately £1.92 billion as it begins conditional trading on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market.

The offering comprises 13.5 million new shares, raising £50m in gross proceeds, alongside 80.5m existing shares sold by current owner Marlin Bidco Limited, bringing the total offer size to around £348m.

A further 14.1m shares may be issued under an over-allotment option, representing roughly 18% of the company’s issued share capital on admission.

Chief executive Marcelino Castrillo said the IPO marks a “milestone that positions us well for the opportunities ahead,” highlighting Shawbrook’s scale across diverse markets and its commitment to supporting UK businesses and households.

The Brentwood-based banking firm expects unconditional trading to commence on the 4th November under the ticker SHAW, with retail investors contributing around £25m through the UK retail offer.

Life sciences company ValiRx has announced plans to raise up to £1.05 million through a mix of placing, retail offer and director subscriptions to support its oncology and women’s health research.

The fundraise, priced at 0.25p per share, includes warrants allowing investors to double their stake at 0.5p per share over three years.

The Nottingham-based MedTech expects to use the proceeds to expand its collaborative research pipeline and progress preclinical programmes such as Cytolytix, VAL201 2.0 and the 3K screen through its subsidiary Inaphaea Biolabs.

Chairman Martin Gouldstone said the raise comes despite a “difficult funding environment,” while CEO Mark Eccleston added that the new capital will help deliver “significant value accretion throughout 2026”.

PayPal has announced a landmark deal with OpenAI to embed its digital wallet directly into ChatGPT, enabling users to shop and pay for products within the AI platform from 2026.

The partnership connects PayPal’s global payments network to OpenAI’s rapidly expanding “agentic commerce” ecosystem, where AI assistants can browse, compare and complete transactions on behalf of users.

PayPal will manage payment processing, verification and buyer protections, including dispute resolution and package tracking, while allowing consumers to pay via bank accounts, cards or stored balances.

The move follows Sam Altman’s firm’s recent integrations with Shopify, Etsy and Walmart, as ChatGPT evolves from a conversational tool into a transactional platform.

Altrincham-based digital marketing agency The Genius Group (TGG) has officially opened its new 14,000 sq ft headquarters in the town’s Foundation building – celebrating the milestone with a £42,000 donation to Prevent Breast Cancer.

The contribution will support the construction of the new National Breast Imaging Academy at Wythenshawe Hospital, which will boost screening capacity and train specialist clinicians.

Founded in 2017 by Chris Niebel and Mark Shephard, TGG specialises in lead generation, marketing services and software innovation.

Its 40-strong team has helped clients generate more than £2.3 billion in sales over the past three years, with plans to more than double its workforce in the next year.

Tech innovators across Yorkshire are being urged to apply for Top Tech Yorkshire 2026, with just over a week remaining before the 7th November deadline.

The six-month growth and mentoring programme, created by national law firm Mills & Reeve, aims to help high-potential tech companies accelerate their growth through access to investors, industry leaders and specialist advisors.

Now entering its next edition, Top Tech Yorkshire has already drawn strong interest since opening for applications in September.

The most promising entrants will be selected in December to join the 2026 cohort, which kicks off early next year.

Global digital infrastructure company Equinix has completed the purchase of an 85-acre site in Hertfordshire for the development of a major new data centre campus – its largest-ever UK investment, worth £3.9 billion.

The site will provide more than 250MW of compute capacity, boosting the UK’s critical national infrastructure and supporting industries such as healthcare, life sciences, finance and manufacturing.

Construction is expected to create around 2,500 local jobs, with 200 permanent skilled roles once operational, contributing up to £3bn to the economy during construction and £260 million annually thereafter, according to KPMG estimates.

The California-based firm, which operates over 270 data centres worldwide, plans to power the site entirely with renewable energy, retain more than half the land as open space and deliver a 10% biodiversity net gain.

Vodafone has agreed to acquire cloud, digital transformation and security specialist Skaylink GmbH in a €175 million deal.

Headquartered in Germany with over 500 cloud professionals, the company is known for its expertise in Microsoft Azure and AWS deployments and its growing focus on AI-driven business solutions.

The acquisition is set to expand Vodafone Business’s capabilities in cloud services, cybersecurity and managed digital transformation, strengthening its offering to enterprise and public sector clients across Europe.

Swiss electronics firm Cicor Technologies Ltd is lining up a £287m offer for UK-based TT Electronics Plc.

Cicor is a global provider of full-cycle electronic solutions for the healthcare technology, industrial, and aerospace & defense sectors.  TT, listed on the London Stock Exchange, is a provider of engineered electronics for ‘performance critical’ applications.

TT shareholders are expected to vote on the transaction in December 2025. The offer has the full support of the TT board.

The Parliament Street think tank has appointed Steven George-Hilley as its director of artificial intelligence in a newly created role.

George-Hilley is the founder and CEO of global tech communications firm Centropy PR, and will be tasked with leading the think tank’s cross-party policy development on AI deployment.

The role will involve chairing debates in the House of Lords and liaising with ministers and policy officials.

First launched in 2012, Parliament Street specialises in connecting businesses with policymakers and operates impartially, organising debates, events and discussions in the Houses of Parliament
and the House of Lords.

Originally joining the organisation as technology director in 2013, George-Hilley has led key political liaison programmes, working with ministers in both Labour and Conservative party governments to develop the best practice of key technologies such as analytics, AI and quantum computing.

LinkedIn has released its second annual Top 5 Startups in Manchester list.

To be eligible, companies must be headquartered in the UK, fully independent, privately held, have 30 or more full-time employees in the city and be 7 years old or younger.

The top 5 are:

1. Summize
2. CONDUCTR
3. IN4 Group
4. Campfire
5. APIS Assay Technologies

Author: Patrick Killeen

Nvidia’s march toward a $5 trillion market valuation has become the defining symbol of AI’s dominance in global markets.

However, according to deVere Group CEO Nigel Green, it is also a reminder that investor enthusiasm may be outpacing financial fundamentals.

“AI is transforming the global economy and remains the single most powerful force shaping the future,” said Green.

“But valuations are expanding faster than earnings. The technology is real, the transformation is real, but the profitability still has to prove itself.”

Nvidia’s staggering growth – with revenues more than doubling over the past year and quarterly sales exceeding $44 billion, largely from its data-centre business – reflects the high demand for chips powering AI systems across industries.

Yet Green, who leads the now-Dubai-based FinTech, has warned that much of this momentum is “built on anticipation more than profit”.