New £1B fintech fund aims to plug UK’s £2B funding gap
The UK has devised a novel solution for a funding gap: more funding. In a bid to strengthen the country’s financial sector, up to £1bn (€1.2bn) has been allocated to…
Influencers have made social media a booming market for counterfeit goods, study finds
Social media influencers are facilitating the trade in counterfeit goods, according to new research by Portsmouth University. After analysing surveys of 2,000 people in the UK, the study team found…
European fintech players are bracing for market consolidation
When Monzo published its latest annual revenue figures in February, it provided a flicker of light after months of headlines about fintech down rounds and job cuts. The accounts showed…
Microsoft’s Teams and Office bundling may breach EU competition rules
On Thursday, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s bundling of its Teams app with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel, and Outlook. The EU is concerned…
Can new advances in AI bring the ‘human touch’ chatbots are sorely missing?
When chatbots first became commercially accessible, companies big and small embraced them with open arms. “Have a robot handle easy customer service questions in seconds? Amazing!” — we thought. The…
Italy’s largest investment bank pledges to back UK fintech startups
London-based startup accelerator Founders Factory has gained a new partner in the form of Mediobanca. The Milan-based investment bank is looking to increase its presence in the UK, and has…
Getir sells off equipment, scrambles for funding amid financial woes
Getir’s woes are dragging on in Europe, raising concerns over the grocery delivery platform’s future in the region. On Wednesday, the Turkish-owned company started auctioning off parts of its equipment,…
UK extends deadline for Microsoft-Activision $69B merger
The UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA) is extending the deadline for its review of the Microsoft-Activion $69bn merger, in the latest twist of a complex regulatory saga. The cut…
Lithuania launches Europe’s first driverless delivery robots on public roads
Last week, Vilnius became the first European city to introduce a small fleet of autonomous delivery robots on public roads. Developed by Estonia-based startup Clevon and in collaboration with Lithuanian delivery…
Grocery delivery app Getir exits Spain, after bidding adieu to France
Following its upcoming exit from France, quick commerce startup Getir is losing yet another European market: Spain. According to Spanish trade union CCOO, Getir failed to raise sufficient capital in…
Digital euro framework seeks to quell privacy concerns
The digital euro is edging closer to reality, despite concerns over the project’s privacy risks and functionality. The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a legal framework for the electronic currency.…
The next trip you book online could be planned with ChatGPT
AI’s use in travel apps is nothing new — just think about the destination or hotel recommendations you get when booking a trip. But recent advances in generative AI are…