Founders stories

Fintech investor Brian Collins has been appointed CEO of Enterprize Tasmania as it ramps up support for the state’s growing startup scene.

Arcus Compliance founder Lee Bryan’s new book urges start-ups to treat regulation as a strategic growth engine, not a drag on innovation.

WealthAi secures $1m pre-seed to scale its modular AI wealth platform for UK advisers, targeting system sprawl and manual workflows.

AutoGrab secures AUD $80m Series B at AUD $230m valuation to fuel AI-powered automotive data expansion across the UK and Europe.

Sam Altman says AI co-workers will reshape software jobs, cut team sizes and force firms to compete on ideas, attention and resilience.

Berlin’s Cloover secures USD $1.222bn to scale AI-powered financing for home solar, batteries and heat pumps across Europe.

Aspire embeds Deel’s Employer of Record tools to let startups hire, pay and manage overseas staff from a single cross-border finance platform.

London wellbeing rewards platform incentifi raises GBP £150,000 pre-seed to run pilot with employers, including Specsavers practices.

GrowthPal raises USD $2.6m to scale its AI platform for off‑market M&A deal sourcing and global expansion from its Singapore base.

AI is fuelling a boom in solo UK “Founder + AI” ventures as entrepreneurs favour lean, automated operations over hiring staff.

NIIT Learning Systems snaps up US learning designer SweetRush for up to USD $26m to boost AI-driven custom training and near-shore reach.

UK learning platform HowNow backs domain-specific AI agents to join teams as ‘colleagues’ by 2026, reshaping workflows and competition.

Manchester agency PushON marks 20 years with 40% revenue growth, tripled scale and fresh AI-driven, international eCommerce ambitions.

Hedgehog lab has bought Label Sessions to build a full-stack innovation consultancy, linking AI delivery with a 500-strong global expert network.

Bizcap appoints long-time executive Rebecca del Rio as Deputy CEO for APAC, expanding her leadership as the lender accelerates global growth.

Canadian merger and acquisition activity is set to surge in 2026 as domestic startups gain favour, driven by local firms seeking labour-saving tech solutions.

NEC X invites founders to join Elev X! Ignite, offering hands-on AI access and up to USD $250,000 funding for seed-ready B2B SaaS startups.

Australia has seen a 40% rise in tech rescue projects, revealing a gap between startup ambition and early-stage technical support needed for scaling.

UK fintech founders embrace AI, with 83% adopting it, despite 81% losing confidence in the economy and nearly half considering relocating abroad due to tax concerns.

SOUTHSTART 2026 returns to Adelaide, uniting founders, investors, and innovators across Australia’s startup and technology sectors in March.