Small Business (SMB) stories - Page 2

Kick ICT has appointed Steven Brown as chief executive, succeeding retiring founder Tom O’Hara as the group targets its next growth phase.

Elyos AI raises USD $13m to grow its AI agents that answer calls, book jobs and automate admin for trades and field service firms.

FinTech Australia opens entries for the 2026 Finnie Awards, marking the programme’s tenth year with revamped categories and a new Sydney venue.

Bizcap has lifted its UK low-doc SME loan cap to GBP £300,000, promising faster decisions and fewer paperwork hurdles for borrowers.

Bizcap Canada relaunches under global Bizcap brand with new broker portal, revamped pricing and faster finance approvals for SMEs.

India’s booming SMBs face rising cyber threats, driving rapid adoption of managed IT and security services to safeguard growth.

New Zealand launches an AI advisory pilot, offering up to NZD $15,000 co-funding to help small firms plan and safely adopt AI tools.

Pax8 taps former Microsoft Asia channel leader Sarah Bowden to spearhead APAC sales, marketing and partner growth from 2026.

Executive-level CISO roles now dominate security leadership, but a new report warns widening scope and legacy structures are driving strain.

YouLend teams up with Teya to launch flexible cash advances of GBP £1,000-GBP £2 million for more than 30,000 UK SMEs, ahead of EU rollout.

Dun & Bradstreet flags sanctions, data quality and AI governance as top compliance pressures shaping corporate risk in 2026.

Cyber crime reports to Action Fraud have jumped 37% in five years, but analysts warn hidden enterprise losses run to hundreds of millions.

Avetta launches Avetta University, an e-learning hub in Avetta One to boost health and safety training and compliance across supply chains.

Constant Contact buys GURU Conference, SubjectLine.com and Certified GURU to deepen its email marketing tools, training and community reach.

Xero launches AI analytics across its platform, giving small firms dashboards, forecasts and scorecards once reserved for larger rivals.

AI-driven personalisation and shifting notions of value will set the pace for hospitality guest engagement in 2026, Paytronix predicts.

Newo.ai and IONOS have launched a plug-and-play AI receptionist, promising SMEs 24/7 call handling, missed lead recovery and quick setup.

Employment Hero launches a quarterly SMB Insight Engine to track Canadian small firms’ confidence amid hiring strain and burnout fears.

Money has overtaken health, time and relationships as the main driver of life satisfaction in the UK, new research from Intuit shows.

Business leaders are being urged to invest in financial insight as they navigate tighter oversight of artificial intelligence in financial services.