The UK has an incredible community of female entrepreneurs who are launching and growing businesses that are shaping the future of technology. They are developing tools that improve our lives, connect communities and drive economic growth. Yet, despite their impact, the environment they operate in often isn’t set up for them to succeed, with too many barriers like limited access to investment, networks and technical skills stymying growth. Iana Vidal, Head of UK Public Policy at Block, Inc., discusses why the UK ecosystem needs to create the infrastructure for female tech founders to succeed. Breaking down the barriers to access For…
Author: sme-admin
By Justin Kuruvilla, Chief Cyber Security Strategist at Risk Ledger When the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) was introduced, much of the initial focus naturally centred on compliance. Financial institutions moved quickly to align internal processes and governance frameworks with the new rules, ensuring they met regulatory expectations. But DORA was never just about ticking boxes. At its core, it represents a shift in mindset, from safeguarding individual firms to protecting the stability of the entire financial ecosystem. Regulators are seeking to uncover and address the systemic risks that arise from deep interconnections and shared dependencies across the sector. True…
A new framework aimed at preventing workplace sexual harassment through practical, measurable steps has been launched by Chloe Wallace, founder of OneSource HR. The CEASE Framework®, is a structured five-step model designed to embed harassment prevention into core business processes and everyday operations. Drawing on her 15 years’ experience in manufacturing, engineering, and professional services, the continuous improvement framework moves beyond box-ticking and reactive policies. She explains, “In compliance-driven sectors, continuous improvement is second nature. I wanted to bring that same rigour to harassment prevention, something that’s often treated as an afterthought.” CEASE stands for Call it out culture, Educate,…
Workplaces are evolving at a rapid pace and leaders are facing new pressures and opportunities that will define success in 2026. From the way teams collaborate to how managers demonstrate value, the next wave of workplace change is set to challenge assumptions about productivity, technology, and leadership. Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, shares his perspective on the forces shaping the future of work—and what organisations must do to stay ahead. Four-day week: The next mainstream workplace shift: “Recent successes of private sector four-day week pilots are continuing to drive rapid adoption, transforming the four-day work week from a narrow experiment…
Steady recovery of the property market and resurgent interest from institutional investors and shifting developer strategies are redefining the UK real estate finance landscape. The UK property market is showing early signs of equilibrium, following two years of turbulence, with house prices rising 2.8% year-on-year. And as developers adapt to a changing interest rate environment and constrained traditional lending, a renewed focus on forward funding is re-emerging as a preferred route for large-scale residential and living sector schemes, driven by renewed institutional appetite and the need for capital certainty. This is according to the latest UK Real Estate report from Heligan Group. Build-to-Rent…
Research from Boston Consulting group found that 30% of software development projects were late or over budget with 50% of these projects still producing unsatisfactory outcomes. According to Justin Megawarne, managing partner at Megaslice, the next generation of UK founders are being failed by developers that churn out ready-made solutions to support complex and multifaceted business ventures. “The majority of development companies operate on a model that will give you a modest estimate on what something might cost, then bill you by the day until the budget runs out,” Megawarne explains. “The problem is you could be pouring money into something…
According to new research, a high number of menopausal women feel that they’re feeling either too hot or too cold when in the workplace, making their struggles with menopause temperature regulation more challenging. This is according to UK thermal clothing specialist, Heat Holders, who during its research for a new ‘Menopause Wellbeing Guide’, asked its 30,000-strong mailing list to share their views on what experiences they’re having with temperature regulation at work. After segmenting the data menopausal respondents, the results suggest 72% are struggling with temperature regulation at work. In addition, around 70% of these respondents feel they’re unable to…
46% of smaller SMEs say they’re not confident that the government will drive a ‘pro-business’ agenda going forward Smaller SMEs are half as likely to be excited about the year ahead compared to medium sized ones – 17% vs 39% In contrast, over the past 12 months, confidence among medium-sized business has increased With the Autumn Budget approaching, new research from Simply Asset Finance reveals that smaller businesses are increasingly worried about the pro-business credentials of the Government. Almost half (46%) of smaller SMEs say they’re not confident that the Government will drive a ‘pro-business’ agenda compared to only 22%…
More than 1 Million Older People Face Christmas Alone – Cherishers 811 CIC Offers an Alternative with A Free Festive Meal in Rugeley According to research by Age UK, 1.4 million older people in the UK will eat dinner alone on Christmas Day, and around 1 million older people say they feel more isolated at Christmas than at any other time of the year. Against this backdrop of rising loneliness and seasonal hardship, Cherishers 811 CIC is once again stepping forward to ensure that no one in the community has to face Christmas alone. This Christmas Day, Cherishers will host…
Pete Smyth, CEO at Leading Resolutions, a leading UK technology consultancy, outlines the key steps to taking individual project and portfolio management to the strategic scope needed for enterprise-wide innovation and transformation. For any business with ambitious growth plans, managing how your organisation changes is essential. Constantly juggling multiple change initiatives that affect every part of your organisation, from IT to business operations, can be challenging. Navigating this complexity successfully requires a disciplined approach to prioritisation and governance, where business case development is also non-negotiable. A traditional Project Management Office (PMO) can cover individual projects and portfolios, yet often lacks the…