Author: Jonathan Symcox

Young people across the country are turning their ideas into thriving businesses. But which city stands out as the UK’s young entrepreneur capital?

Capital on Tap analysed over 60,000 Companies House records using a custom script. They identified active founders aged 24 and under, then calculated their density per 100,000 residents to rank the nation’s top cities for young entrepreneurs.

Manchester takes the top spot as the UK city with the highest concentration of young entrepreneurs. The research found around 290 founders aged 24 or under, equivalent to 74 per 100,000 residents.

The sample found that Wakefield, West Yorkshire, ranks second for young entrepreneurs. It has 30 founders aged 24 and under, which is equal to 41 per 100,000 residents.

Canterbury ranks third, with one of the highest densities of young founders in our research, around 36 per 100,000 residents.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

A year after launching its free legal templates, GitLaw is taking its next major step toward making legal documents accessible to everyone. 

The San Francisco-based AI company, founded by entrepreneur Nick Holzherr, has raised a $3 million (£2.3m) pre-seed round to power the launch of its agent – part of GitLaw’s platform built for startups and small businesses, not law firms – that helps teams draft, review, and negotiate contracts in minutes, for free.

In August Holzherr stepped down as CEO of Samsung Food due to “really feeling the urge to set up a new startup again with the dizzying acceleration of AI”.

He left the post 13 years after first pitching the idea that became Whisk and later Samsung Food to Lord Sugar on BBC show The Apprentice.

Eleven life sciences businesses from Greater Manchester and Liverpool City region joined a joint Mayoral Trade Mission to Ireland this week.

The Irish health care sector has undergone significant transformation in recent years, driven by a combination of policy reforms, increased investment in health infrastructure, and a growing emphasis on digital health solutions.

The visit was a response to these dynamic changes within the Irish health care system, with businesses gaining first-hand insights into the Irish market, and identifying tangible opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and expansion.

The trade mission was led by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Mayor of Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram. They were joined by a delegation of eight life sciences businesses from Greater Manchester, and three businesses from Liverpool City Region.

The businesses were selected by GM Business Growth Hub, and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to represent the growing life sciences sector in the North of England.

During the mission the businesses took part in visits to the health innovation hub at St James’s Hospital and University College Dublin’s innovation hub NovaUCD – alongside events at the British Embassy and Glencairn House, the UK Ambassador to Ireland’s residence.

ECI Partners, the mid-market private equity firm, has made two new hires as it scales its investment team.

Ben Kirrage joins as investment manager from FNZ, a global wealth management platform, where he was chief of staff for the European business and a member of the strategy and corporate development team.

Prior to FNZ, Ben worked in the M&A advisory teams at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and Raymond James, where he focused on transactions involving software, data, and services businesses across the financial services ecosystem.

Georgia Ling joins ECI as investment analyst, where she will be supporting the team in identifying and converting deals across the ECI pipeline. After graduating from University College London, Georgia started her financial career at Rothschild & Co as an M&A Analyst with a tech focus, gaining experience in the IoT, Office of the CFO and vertical software sectors.

Author: Patrick Killeen

Convatec has appointed a new leadership team following the death of CEO Karim Bitar last month.

Jonny Mason has been appointed permanent CEO at the medical products and technologies business, with Fiona Ryder named CFO.

Mason joined the FTSE 100 firm as CFO in 2022 and took up the CEO role on an interim basis in early August when Bitar took a medical leave of absence.

Bitar, who had led the company since 2019, passed away on 27th October.

“Colleagues at Convatec are deeply saddened by this devastating news. Our sincerest sympathies are with Karim’s wife and family, and we extend our condolences to them,” read a statement from the firm on that date.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Auto Trader Group plc reported profit & sales growth in its latest six-month reporting period.

The Manchester-headquartered online vehicle marketplace saw overall group operating profit top £200 million for the six months ended 30th September 2025, an increase of 6%, with revenue growing 5% to £317.7m.

Losses halved in its Autorama division to £1.4m. Revenue for the leading platform – which operates the Vanarama brand – climbed 13% to £21.4m.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Half-year profits at Wise plc have dipped despite growing revenues, volume and its customer base.

For the six months ended 30th September 2025, the money transfer platform reported £658 million revenues, up 11% on the prior year, but underlying operating profit dropped 15% to £132.8m.

Active customers increased by 18%, with 13.4m people and businesses moving and managing their money during the period.

Its customers moved £84.9bn via the platform, an increase of 24% versus H1 FY25.

Filtronic plc has secured a €7 million contract with a leading European aerospace manufacturer to supply RF assemblies for a major Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation programme. 

The deal will be delivered over the next three years and deepens the firm’s relationship with a key new customer.

The high-performance assemblies will be designed and manufactured in-house and are built to operate reliably in the harsh conditions of space, supporting advanced communications systems. 

Headquartered in Sedgefield, Filtronic develops advanced microelectronics and RF systems for the space, aerospace, defence, and telecoms sectors.

Vault Ventures’ technology arm, System7, has secured two new commercial contracts with Fancy.com and Ellers Farm Distillery, expanding its client base across both the digital and consumer sectors. 

Since launching in January 2025, the AI-driven growth platform has become a self-sufficient, revenue-generating business with seven active contracts and projected first-year revenues of around £200,000.

For Fancy.com, System7 will manage go-to-market operations using AI-powered tools to automate customer acquisition and optimise conversions for the rewards-based financial app. 

Meanwhile, its existing partnership with Ellers Farm Distillery, co-owned by Ricky Gervais, has been extended to cover the full spirits portfolio, including 6 O’Clock Gin, using automation to scale sales across UK hospitality venues.

ITV has reported a solid third-quarter performance, with results coming in ahead of market expectations despite a weaker advertising market. 

Total group revenue rose 2% year to date to £2.8 billion, driven by strong growth at ITV Studios (up 11%) and digital advertising (up 15%) through the continued success of streaming platform ITVX.

Advertising remained resilient, with total advertising revenue flat in Q3 and down 5% year to date, following a strong 2024 comparison boosted by the men’s Euros. 

It expects advertising to fall around 9% in Q4 due to broader economic uncertainty ahead of the UK Budget but has identified £35 million of temporary savings to offset the softer demand.

The company remains on track to deliver its full-year targets, including at least £750m in digital revenues by 2026.

This is despite the broadcasting giant’s share price tanking last month following Liberty Global selling half of its 10% stake in the firm.

IMI plc, the FTSE 100 engineering group specialising in fluid and motion control, reported a strong third quarter with organic revenue up 12% year-on-year and 5% higher year to date. 

The company said the results reflected the success of its growth strategy and the resilience of its “One IMI” operating model.

The automation division, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the Birmingham-headquartered firm’s sales, delivered a standout performance with organic revenue up 17%.

IMI reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting mid-single digit organic growth and adjusted earnings per share of 129p-136p.

ASA International Group has appointed Geert Embrechts as its new CFO.

Based at the company’s Amsterdam head office, Embrechts will oversee finance, treasury, tax and investor relations, and will join the firm’s executive committee to help drive long-term sustainable growth.

He joins from Rabobank, where he served as CFO of its wholesale & rural division, bringing more than 30 years of global financial services experience, including work across emerging markets and multiple supervisory boards.

The London-listed firm said it intends to appoint Embrechts to its board as an executive director in due course and current CFO, Tanwir Rahman, will move into the role of finance director.

ASA International is one of the world’s largest microfinance institutions, providing small, socially responsible loans to low-income entrepreneurs, particularly women, across Asia and Africa.

Smith+Nephew has appointed Thérèse Esperdy as an independent non-executive director and senior independent director designate.

She currently chairs Imperial Brands and sits on the board of Moody’s Corporation, following a senior career at JP Morgan in global investment banking.

The appointment comes as the FTSE 100 MedTech reported a solid third quarter, with revenue rising 5% year-on-year to $1.5 billion. 

Growth was driven by a strong performance in advanced wound management, which saw a 6% rise, as well as sports medicine & ENT – up 5.1%. 

Orthopaedics also grew 4.1%, supported by US hip implant sales.

The Hull-based company maintained its full-year revenue growth guidance of around 5% and expects its trading profit margin to expand to between 19% and 20%, while free cash flow guidance was raised to $750 million on the back of improved efficiency and strong working capital management.

Founded in 1856 and operating in more than 100 countries, Smith+Nephew focuses on orthopaedics, sports medicine and advanced wound care, employing around 17,000 people worldwide.

Molten Ventures has partially sold its stake in Revolut, realising around £23 million as part of its ongoing portfolio management strategy. 

The move follows a previous £25m sale in August, leaving Molten’s remaining holding in the FinTech giant valued at about £130m.

So far this financial year, the venture capital firm has generated roughly £85m in cash realisations – around 6% of its opening gross portfolio value – keeping pace with its long-term target of 10% annual realisations.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has expanded its partnership with UK retail giant Morrisons to accelerate the retailer’s digital transformation and operational efficiency.

The collaboration will look to modernise key business functions such as retail, e-commerce and marketing, while introducing AI-driven automation and data-led decision-making.

The listed India-based firm will deliver end-to-end engineering services, set up an automation factory and create a Business Intelligent Command Centre to improve service delivery and customer experience.

Manchester-based agency Down at the Social (DATS) has been chosen by brewery JW Lees to lead the relaunch of one of the North’s most iconic beers in Boddingtons.

The nostalgic “By ’Eck It’s Back” campaign marks the return of the beloved 1990s beer to cask after more than a decade, with pints selling out across Manchester on launch day.

Working with agency Squad and JW Lees’ in-house marketing team, DATS has delivered a mix of PR, social media, events and outdoor advertising that taps into Mancunian pride and nostalgia.

Highlights include a tasting event at the brewery, a city-wide yellow OOH takeover and media coverage sparked by everyone from locals to the Mayor raising a glass.

Leeds United have appointed local PR and events agency Pink Gorilla Hairy Lemon (PGHL) to lead media and influencer activity for the launch of its new hospitality suites at Elland Road.

The partnership will see PGHL manage communications for the club’s premium matchday and corporate spaces, which include the LUFC 1919 Suite, The Gary Speed Suite, Peter Lorimer Steakhouse and The Hisense Leeds Lounge.

Each space has been designed to elevate the Premier League club’s hospitality offering for both fans and corporate guests, with it looking to enhance its off-pitch experience alongside its on-field success.

PGHL will deliver a campaign aimed at strengthening the club’s premium brand and expanding its appeal among supporters and businesses.

The agency, also based in Leeds, is celebrating new wins with Federal Café and Asda as well.

London-based HealthTech Cosi Care has secured a $1 million investment after being named one of five winners in the global 43North startup competition in New York. 

Founded by Lauren Bell from Swansea, the company created the world’s first safe scratching medical devices to deliver instant itch relief and soothe painful skin conditions such as eczema. 

The win will fund Cosi Care’s expansion into the US market, with Bell saying the recognition proves “how universal our solution is –  everyone knows someone with itchy skin.” 

The company, which has already helped more than 50,000 UK customers and generated over £3 million in revenue, also won the People’s Choice Award, adding another $25,000 to its prize.

Risers:

Ceres Power Holdings – +22.32%

Trainline – +5.19%

Bluefield Solar Income Fund – +4.99%

International Workplace Group – +3.54%

Clarkson – +3.16%

Fallers:

TP ICAP Group – -6.68%

Playtech – -4.85%

Allianz Technology Trust – -3.17%

Fresnillo – -3.13%

Avon Technologies – -2.50%

The West of England has signed a landmark transatlantic technology deal with the US to boost growth and investment in the quantum sector.

The agreement – between the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), the University of Bristol and Elevate Quantum, America’s largest regional quantum consortium – marks the first partnership of its kind in the UK.

The collaboration is set to align academic research with industry needs, integrate supply chains and support the scale-up of quantum businesses, with the aim of creating new jobs across both the West Country and the Mountain West region of the US, which includes Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.

The deal builds on growing UK–US tech cooperation, following September’s Tech Prosperity Deal that pledged £280 billion in new investment, including NVIDIA’s partnership on the £225m Isambard-AI supercomputer with the University of Bristol and HPE.

Delegates from the US quantum sector visited Bristol this week to sign the agreement and tour the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre (QTIC) – a £35 million WECA-backed initiative supporting early-stage entrepreneurs.