Author: Jonathan Symcox

Key figures behind Downing Street’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic have raised £10 million for their startup.

Electric Twin was founded by Dr Ben Warner, a physicist and the former Chief Adviser on Digital and Data to the Prime Minister, and Alex Cooper, a former military commander who established the UK’s mass testing response during the pandemic.

Having worked together in Number 10 at the heart of the COVID response, they founded Electric Twin so that decision makers had the tools they needed to make better decisions.

“Electric Twin was born from our experience leading through crisis, where we spotted a common problem: too many decisions had to be made with incomplete information,” said CEO Cooper.

The AI platform is building synthetic audiences that accurately model how people think and behave in real life.

Quantexa is to establish a new global headquarters at The Delft on London’s South Bank.

The decision intelligence firm has signed an agreement with Great Portland Estates plc for 52,293 sq ft of premium office space in the newly developed building.

Quantexa says the move is part of its plan to scale as a category-defining software company, supporting accelerating global demand for trusted data, contextual analytics and AI-driven decision intelligence across financial services, government and complex regulated industries.

Manchester Digital Charity Ball is to launch at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel to raise funds tackling digital exclusion across Greater Manchester.

The event in October 2026 will bring together 300+ members of the North’s digital and technology community for an evening of networking, celebration and fundraising, with proceeds supporting Forever Manchester, Greater Manchester’s Community Foundation.

The inaugural Manchester event follows the proven model of the Leeds Digital Charity Ball, which has raised over £300,000 for digital inclusion projects since launching.

Digital exclusion remains a real and growing barrier to opportunity, from applying for jobs and accessing essential services, to education and staying connected. The Lloyds Consumer Digital Index 2024 reported that 1.6 million people are offline in the UK, and 12.1 million have the opportunity to improve their digital capability.

Funds raised through the Ball will support Forever Manchester’s work funding and strengthening community activity across Greater Manchester, backing grass-roots organisations and initiatives that help people and neighbourhoods thrive.

Just Eat has today launched delivery robots in the UK, with an initial trial across Bristol and Milton Keynes.

Launched in partnership with Delivers.AI in Bristol and RIVR robots in Milton Keyes, the arrival of the robots comes just in time to support local restaurants ahead of the busy Valentine’s Day weekend.

Delivering from the local high street direct to customers, the robotics trial follows the pilot launch in Switzerland, where nearly 1,000 orders have now been completed.

The Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) has welcomed LYVA Labs, an innovation investment company based in the Liverpool City Region, as a core consortium partner.

LYVA Labs, which launched in 2021, works to drive investment and growth through the commercialisation of innovation.

Supported by a £10.5m investment from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, LYVA Labs provides funding, incubation, and consultancy to companies at all stages, accelerating and supporting innovation-led growth with a particular focus on organisations working in health, life sciences, and deep tech.

Led by Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), iiCON is a global R&D program that brings together industry, academia, and clinical organisations to speed up the discovery and development of new treatments, diagnostics, and preventative products for infectious diseases – saving and improving millions of lives through collaborative innovation.

LYVA Labs joins existing core partners within iiCON including Evotec, Infex Therapeutics, LifeArc, Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Unilever, and the University of Liverpool.

Under the new agreement, the organisations will pool knowledge and resources to deliver key programmes of activity to strengthen innovation-led growth across the Liverpool City Region, nationally and globally.

As a core partner, LYVA Labs will strengthen iiCON’s activity to support SMEs and develop regional innovation ecosystems. It will also work to support the spin-out and commercialisation of assets developed by iiCON partners and collaborators.

Southampton-based Vape Guardian, the UK’s leading vape detection technology provider, has successfully raised £350,000 in a seed funding round through Angel Investment Network, the world’s largest online angel investment network.

The investment will accelerate the company’s mission to eliminate vaping in prohibited spaces and establish its proprietary technology as the global industry standard.

Founded by husband and wife, Simon & Jean Hassett, Vape Guardian provides a solution to the ‘silent epidemic’ of underage vaping, with recent NHS data showing that 1 in 4 students aged 11-15 have tried vaping.

While schools have previously struggled to respond, Vape Guardian’s real-time detection hardware offers a non-intrusive, automated alternative to unpopular measures like bathroom patrols or closing facilities.

The company’s smart sensors, which resemble traditional smoke alarms, utilise an advanced 10-point formula to accurately detect exhaled vaping and THC, with the system sending immediate alerts to staff via SMS, email, or a dedicated app. The technology has been designed to integrate directly with existing fire and security systems.

Currently protecting over 400 schools in the UK and Ireland, Vape Guardian has achieved significant market traction and is the named brand on all new Department of Education tenders requiring vape detection.

Sancus Lending Group has entered into definitive legal agreements to increase the size, and extend the maturity, of its existing credit facility with Pollen Street Capital following a strong year of lending growth across its UK and Ireland businesses.

Under the revised terms, the size of the facility has been increased from £200 million to £300 million, with the tenor extended such that it will now mature no earlier than 11^th February 2031, providing at least five years of committed funding from the date of the agreed terms.

Orthofuse, an orthopaedic MedTech company focused on delivering safer and more efficient surgical procedures, has closed a £2.2m seed round led by a group of angel investors.

Orthopaedic trauma and spinal degenerative conditions often require technically demanding procedures, but current implant systems are often difficult to use leading to prolonged surgery times and increased risks for both patients and clinicians.

By leveraging additive manufacturing techniques, Orthofuse is developing a new generation of implants designed to improve the reversibility of procedures in challenging cases, simplify surgical procedures, and deliver better patient outcomes.

The investment will support Orthofuse’s mission to develop 3D-printed implant systems that prioritise surgical ease of use and patient safety.

Bracket, a London-based FinTech that has developed an FX, treasury and cash management platform aimed at high-growth and mid-market businesses, has raised £5 million in new funding led by Macquarie Group and Blackfinch Ventures.

Following a landmark year in 2025 that delivered 600% YoY revenue growth, Bracket is one of the UK’s fastest-growing FinTechs and is soon to expand through Europe and Australia.

The funding will support product development and Bracket’s next phase of growth, including opening new offices in Europe and Australia and doubling employee headcount over the next 12 months.

Tangible, a FinTech platform that enables HardTech companies to access and manage debt financing, has raised a £3.2m seed round led by Pale Blue Dot, with participation from MMC, Future Positive Capital, Unruly, SDAC, Prototype Capital, and Aperture.

HardTech is central to solving the biggest macroeconomic themes of our generation – the energy transition, compute buildout, transport, and reindustrialisation.

However financing these companies efficiently can be difficult. Hard asset companies need significant funding, but most companies struggle to obtain scalable debt financing until they are deemed mature or ‘institutional-ready’. As a result, many earlier-stage companies fund their capex with expensive equity, slowing deployment, compounding dilution, and often jeopardising company survival. Conversely the best companies in this category are leveraging their capital intensity, as a strategic tool for growth.

Tangible was set up to solve this problem. Tangible’s AI-powered platform and finance experts standardise the data, documentation, and ongoing reporting that lenders need. This reduces underwriting time and cost for lenders, and enables founders to run structured facilities without building an in-house structured finance team.

Author: Alastair Winsey, founder, AIVA Revolution

There is a commercial blind spot in hospitality that rarely appears in reports or revenue forecasts. It sits outside standard operating hours and reveals itself only when demand and availability fail to align.

This is what we refer to as the Golden Hour.

The Golden Hour is not a fixed time of day. It is a window of high intent when guests decide whether to move forward. Evenings after work, late nights on social platforms, or weekends when planning finally happens. For wedding venues, this often means midweek evenings or weekends. For hotels and restaurants, it frequently occurs just before or during peak service.

The issue is structural rather than behavioural. These decision points coincide with moments when teams are busiest, front of house, mid-event or intentionally offline. Yet this is when enquiries arrive.

Be.EV has acquired the UK public charging network from Mer, a leading European electric vehicle charging company.

The deal significantly expands the Manchester-based EV charge point operator’s footprint nationwide and will make it easier for customers to charge on one reliable network.

The acquisition adds over 1,600 charging bays across more than 450 sites to the Be.EV network, strengthening its presence across the South of England and will complement its existing strength in the North and Midlands.

The deal moves Be.EV into the UK’s top 10 charging networks by rapid and ultra-rapid charging capacity.

Be.EV is majority owned by Octopus Energy Generation’s Sky Fund, including an employee ownership stake.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Global tech firm LogChain is swapping Singapore for Liverpool in a move that will bring jobs and growth to Merseyside.

The digital shipping technology firm has selected Liverpool, a port city and historic trade hub, as its new headquarters.

LogChain helped deliver the world’s first fully digitalised goods shipment in 2023 with a ship making its way from Burnley to Singapore processed without any physical customs documents.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Truespeed Communications and Freedom Fibre have signed an agreement to combine their businesses.

The firms said the deal creates a scaled, capital-efficient full fibre platform which will play a leading role in the ongoing consolidation of the UK alternative network sector.

This merger brings together two businesses with a combined footprint of 412,000 premises ready for service, and 70,000 customers, concentrated across the North West, West Midlands, South West and East of England.

It is the latest deal in the ‘altnet’ sector amid challenges around scaling as standalone businesses. 

Author: Chris Maguire

Myprotein, the world’s leading online sports nutrition brand, has announced a strategic partnership with Greencore, a leading producer of convenience foods.

The collaboration will introduce a new range of Myprotein branded food on-the-go items, significantly expanding the brand’s presence in offline retail channels and continuing its successful strategy of launching new licensing agreements with best-in-class partners.

The range will include protein-enriched salads and wraps, with scope to expand into other profiles and formats, helping consumers access convenient, nutritious meals that align with their fitness and healthy lifestyle goals. These products will be available in Sainsbury’s supermarkets and convenience stores.

The Greencore partnership forms part of Myprotein’s wider strategic ambition to grow its offline and licensing footprint to 100,000 doors, allowing for accelerated expansion within the convenience channel.

Food-to-go represents a high-frequency, high-visibility consumption occasion that complements Myprotein’s existing protein portfolio, covering powders, dairy and desserts, bars and snacks and ready-to-drink, broadening consumer touchpoints beyond the gym and home.

Licensing agreements with category leaders including Müller, Iceland and Jimmy’s Coffee, led to sales of over 43 million Myprotein units into retail during 2025.

Myprotein announce new licensing agreement with Greencore

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Some senior managers at the Co-op have complained of a “toxic culture” at executive level, the BBC reports.

The 180-year-old member-owned food and services group, which has a reputation for upholding ethical values, is facing allegations that it created “fear and alienation” among several senior staff.

Amid declining performance, a letter to Co-op board members – seen by the BBC – also said they were scared to raise concerns about the direction of the business, which is led by chief executive Shirine Khoury-Haq.

Lawyers for the Co-op told the BBC they did not recognise these claims and “do not believe that they represent the views of our broader leadership and colleagues”.

A senior manager told the BBC: “You learn to look at your shoes. Nobody can speak their mind in this business – anyone who does has their card marked.”

Responding to the reports, Thomas Beale, partner and head of workplace bullying and harassment at law firm Bolt Burdon Kemp, said he has “seen firsthand how toxic workplace cultures can lead to horrific and sustained bullying, harassment and abuse, which causes long-term psychological injuries”. 

Construction tech specialist MukAway has announced a three-year partnership with leading energy solutions provider Stuart Energy.

Warrington-based MukAway is the UK’s digital platform for sustainable soil management and reuse and connects developers, groundworkers, hauliers, and merchants to reduce landfill and CO₂ emissions.

Fraser Linaker, founder and CEO of MukAway, said: “This partnership with Stuart Energy represents a significant step forward for MukAway as we continue to build our network across the UK.

“We have done this with our national rollout in mind, safe in the knowledge that MukAway has sites from the North East all the way down to London.

“Mark and the team at Stuart Energy share our commitment to innovation and sustainability, and by combining our networks and expertise, we’re creating real value for the construction industry.”

Mark Stuart, joint managing director at Skelmersdale-based Stuart Energy, said: “We’ve been impressed with what Fraser and the MukAway team have built.

“They’re disrupting an outdated system and bringing transparency, efficiency, and sustainability to waste management in construction.”

Stuart Energy is involved in some of the region’s most prestigious developments after signing a partnership with Domis to power all their construction sites throughout the UK.

Britain’s tech industry should adopt a pragmatic approach to sovereign AI that actively backs the country’s AI businesses, according to the head of the UK’s AI trade body.

Speaking after a parliamentary roundtable at the House of Lords, Tim Flagg, chief executive of UKAI (pictured), said the UK’s competitive advantage lies in pairing strong domestic capability with openness: ensuring UK firms are not locked out of their own market, while remaining deeply integrated into global AI supply chains.

He is calling for clearer routes to scale, win contracts and compete internationally, while retaining control over critical capabilities and continuing to work with global technology partners.

Author: Jonathan Symcox

Sundar Arvind has taken investment raised by his second startup past £5 million – and he is only 23.

Yet that is only half of the story.

Arvind was a precocious tennis player who turned professional aged 12 and was ranked third in India and the top 1,000 in the world. He faced the likes of Jack Draper and Carlos Alcaraz across the net.

However repeated injuries led to enforced rest periods and so he turned his attention to music.

“One day I just decided to become a music producer, so I swapped out my racquet for decks and became the first Indian to sign with Warner Bros Music,” he wrote on Instagram.

After achieving four A* grades in his A-Levels, he took the advice of his father and studied computer science (artificial intelligence) with management at King’s College London, which included a year in industry.

He graduated with first class honours in 2024. That same year he began building his first startup Blitzo – an AI-powered delivery platform which quickly reached £1.8m in annual recurring revenue – with Arjun Khanna, who has represented India in global maths competitions and Harvard debates. 

Now the CEO is returning to music with Mozart AI, a startup founded with COO Khanna and CTO Pascual Merita Torres, a producer and DJ, classically trained pianist and AI researcher. 

Author: Chris Maguire

Tech entrepreneur Dez Derry has announced his exit as an investor in Fletchers Group after a three-year partnership.

Derry, who is the founder of LegelTech Blume, played a key role at Fletchers Group in shaping strategic direction and supporting M&A opportunities that helped the business surpass £100m turnover.

His investment has delivered three times money-on-money (3x MOM)and a 53 per cent internal rate of return (IRR) — reflecting both strong capital growth and a rapid investment cycle.

Speaking about his departure, Derry said: “It’s been great working with the team, shaping the strategy and helping identify M&A opportunities.

“I wish the new management team all the best as they continue to drive the business forward.

“It’s been a privilege to be involved in their trajectory over the last three years and to witness them break through the £100m turnover milestone.”

Derry was adopted by a white family in the 1990s and became a charity ambassador for Adoption Matters, which he plans to continue to support.

He also plans to invest in the global electronic dance music space, identifying and supporting young talent from underprivileged backgrounds to access opportunities in music, entertainment and entrepreneurship.