Letter: Reform business rates entrepreneurs tell chancellor ahead of Spring Budget March 7, 2017 Entrepreneurs, startup founders and tech leaders have penned an open letter to chancellor Philip Hammond ahead of the Spring Budget calling for business rates reform. Dear chancellor, In recent years London has established itself as Europe’s top destination for technology startups. Our capital has gone above and beyond to welcome and nurture some of the [...]
Entrepreneurs and tech leaders urge chancellor to give startups business rate exemption in Spring Budget March 7, 2017 Entrepreneurs and tech leaders are urging the chancellor Philip Hammond to exempt newly created companies from business rates, adding their voice to a growing chorus of anger at the burden of an imminent rise in costs, and calls for reform. A three-year exemption would give startups breathing space and a chance to find their feet while [...]
Ford’s testing out making car parts using a massive 3D printer March 6, 2017 Car spoilers and other bespoke and custom car parts could be made for Ford's vehicles with the help of a massive 3D printer. The US car company is testing out the technique with a new machine, the Infinite Build, from Stratasys, which can construct parts made of plastic on a larger scale than many 3D printers – feet [...]
Connected cows: An actually useful example of the Internet of Things (seriously) March 6, 2017 Just when you'd lost faith in the Internet of Things (IoT) and its pointless devices such as connected vases, toothbrushes and, um, egg holders, which make you scream "but why?" to the world, along comes something that might restore your faith. And it's not just because it's cute. Farming is where you'll find an actually [...]
Fintech funding trends in 2017 March 6, 2017 An Innovate Finance report recently suggested that venture capital investments into the UK FinTech sector have dropped by a third over the past year, potentially making way for a new type of investor in town. FinTech has typically attracted the most investment and limelight compared to other areas of digital innovation. Yet the funding landscape [...]
IBM is commercialising quantum computing to solve mind-boggling problems March 6, 2017 IBM has revealed its ambitions to bring the power of quantum computing to the business world. The tech firm is making available its IBM Q quantum systems to firms wanting to analyse and explore data that's too complicated for standard computing. Read more: The organisations of tomorrow – and the technologies already building them “Classical computers [...]
No, YouTube.TV isn’t going to replace broadcast television. It’s New Coke March 6, 2017 I recently learned that in Scottish dialect the word “tube” is quite the insult – an idiot – and that when YouTube was first launched, many got the wrong end of the stick. “It’s on you tube!” could quite easily be interpreted as an invitation to fight. 12 years later and as far as established [...]
Uber drivers will transport non-emergency patients around in tie-up with social care start-up Cera March 6, 2017 Uber drivers will be trained to transport non-emergency patients around, according to social care start-up Cera, which has partnered with the ride-hailing app. The partnership will also enable Cera's London-based carers to use Uber to get to the people they are caring for as quickly as possible. It forms part of an aim to "bring greater independence and [...]
Monzo and Revolut cardholders can’t use their cards and might not for the rest of the day due to supplier issues March 6, 2017 Monzo cardholders are unable to use the digital challenger bank to make payments or send money and might not be able to for the rest of the day. In a notification sent to customers, the startup said there have been issues since just before 10 am on Sunday morning due to one of its suppliers [...]
Buck up: UK tech sector not doing enough to attract female talent, according to research by PwC March 6, 2017 The UK's tech sector isn't doing enough to attract female talent, according to research by PwC. Only a quarter of female students in the UK (27 per cent) would consider a career in technology, compared to 62 per cent of males, PwC's survey of 2,000 A level and university students has found. Only three per cent of females [...]
