Snoop Dogg-endorsed fintech Klarna issues shares in £82m fundraising round March 1, 2019 Online payments firm Klarna has issued shares in a bid to raise 1bn Swedish krona (£82m) from existing investors, and said it will launch a larger external fundraising round later in the year. The Swedish fintech company, which in January welcomed a $2.5bn from none other than rapper Snoop Dogg, acquired a Swedish banking license [...]
Strong and stable: London extends lead as Europe’s top hub for unicorn startups March 1, 2019 London has cemented its status as the home of more young billion-dollar tech companies than any other European city, taking home the crown for ten consecutive years. Read more: Female fintech leaders highlighted as sector battles gender imbalance The number of so-called unicorn startups – private businesses valued at $1bn (£752.6m) and founded after 2000 [...]
The NHS needs to act more like WeWork March 1, 2019 A&E waiting times are at their worst level for 15 years. In 2018, more junior doctors left the NHS than stayed. Doctors and nurses are facing untold pressures, with things set to get worse as European recruits dry up ahead of Brexit. The health service is facing a critical staffing crisis which could prove fatal. [...]
Serial fintech entrepreneur Marta Krupinska focused on diversity as she relaunches Google for Startups UK February 28, 2019 Fintech entrepreneur Marta Krupinska has vowed to make diversity a priority as she takes over the reins at the relaunched Google for Startups UK. Read more: Revolut pushes ministers for fast-track tech visas Krupinska, who shot to fame after founding Azimo, the digital money transfer app, has been tasked with overseeing the Google project as [...]
Female fintech leaders highlighted as sector faces continued lack of gender diversity February 28, 2019 Senior figures at major banking and professional services firms including HSBC, Barclays, Schroders and Monzo have been recognised on a list of women excelling in Fintech. A total of 35 women including HSBC head of digital innovation Diana Biggs, Starling Bank founder Anne Boden and Monzo chief technology officer Meri Williams were highlighted on Innovate [...]
Fedex creates Segway-inspired delivery robot with Pizza Hut and Walmart February 28, 2019 Fedex has unveiled a pizza delivery robot that will hit the streets this summer. Read more: What’s on your tech radar for 2019? Pizza Hut and Walmart are both on board, with trials set to begin soon in cities across the US, including in Fedex’s hometown of Memphis. The autonomous bot, which is powered by an [...]
Software developers beat average UK salary by 154 per cent February 28, 2019 Top developers earn 154 per cent more than the average Brit, a report released today has revealed, with blockchain fuelling a rise in employer demand for such skills. Read more: Blockchain oil firm taps former JP Morgan director as new chief Software supremos command an average salary of £71,000 a year compared with the UK [...]
BMW and Mercedes-Benz create Share Now car-sharing alliance February 28, 2019 A car sharing service involving more than 20,000 cars made by BMW and Mercedes-Benz has been named Share Now. The free-floating car sharing service is available in nine London boroughs and comes as part of an alliance between BMW and Daimler, which owns Mercedes. The two German firms also announced on Thursday that they will [...]
DEBATE: Was Facebook right to ban Tommy Robinson? February 28, 2019 Was Facebook right to ban Tommy Robinson? Dr Ben Marder, social media expert at University of Edinburgh Business School, says YES. Facebook was absolutely right to permanently ban Tommy Robinson from its platform and sister site, Instagram. Facebook prides itself as a medium of free speech, one that affords individuals and organisations an influential and [...]
London offers a magic potion for startup success, but we can up our game February 28, 2019 The formula for a successful business is impossible to define. Just having the best product isn’t enough (Betamax’s loss to VHS back in the eighties can tell you that). Great branding and brilliant management are both necessary, obviously, but neither is a silver bullet. Luck is probably part of it. Hard work too. But whatever [...]
