Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Australia’s record industry won’t chart tunes recorded in the key of AI
This is basically a riff on ‘You wouldn’t steal a car’ and means only the human league can have a hit
UK and Ukraine sign landmark AI deal to develop new technologies
A landmark AI deal between the UK and Ukraine has been signed as the two countries join forces to develop new technology and military capabilities.
Itoflow secures £1.8m to build AI agents for investor portfolio management
Itoflow, an AI platform helping professional investment teams scale research and portfolio management, has raised $2.5m (£1.8m) in pre-seed funding.
The Adviser’s Dilemma: Going round in circles
Dear Emma, I have a client whom I inherited from a retiring adviser a few years ago, and with whom the same issue arises at every annual review. The previous adviser recommended that he open a new personal pension with us and transfer his final-salary
Ukraine unveils native jet-powered drone interceptor
Fast and lightweight unmanned aircraft is designed for easy deployment and fits in a pickup truck
Embedd raises £2m to accelerate infrastructure for physical AI
London-based Embedd has raised $2.7m (£2m) to develop its build capabilities of infrastructure for physical AI and expand its work with semiconductor partners.
Logistics confidence rebounds despite rising cost pressures
Confidence across the UK logistics sector improved in the second quarter of 2026, although businesses remain under pressure from high transport costs, rising freight rates and persistent recruitment challenges.
CommBank rolls out payout platform in advance of cheque phase out
CommBank’s venture scaling arm, x15ventures, has launched PaidIt – a new platform to help organisations more easily manage remediation payments, refunds, and other payouts.
HMRC dangles £500M carrot for National Insurance system revamp
Taxman wants to drag creaky NPS into agile era
Chesnara reports 38% boost in AuA after HSBC Life acquisition
Chesnara has today (25 August) published its results for the six months ended 30 June 2026, revealing a 38% increase in group assets under administration (AuA) to £21bn. Operating capital generation (OCG) has risen by 79% to £96m (HY 2025: £54m) and its cash remittances
Quilter: How probate trusts reduce delays when families need certainty
Estate planning is often viewed through the lens of inheritance tax (IHT), but that can miss a practical problem families face after death: how quickly assets of the estate can be made available. Our recent analysis of Ministry of Justice data obtained via a Freedom
Industry campaign reconnects customers with £2.5bn in forgotten financial products
More than £2.5bn in lost and forgotten pensions, investments, savings and protection policies has been reconnected with customers by firms involved in Gretel’s ‘Billions 4 Millions’ initiative.
SpaceX claims it will put a Vera Rubin NVL72 rack-scale system into orbit next year
And fly ‘significant scale’ in 2028 – a claim that isn’t entirely bonkers, but needs a solid grain of salt
Lil Luv Dog launches in Selfridges
Lil Luv Dog has launched its liquid shampoo and leave-in conditioning mist exclusively at Selfridges, marking its debut in the UK market.
Revolut launches dedicated AI research lab built on its own foundation model
Revolut has launched a dedicated AI research division built around its foundation model, Pragma, with the aim of developing a single, unified system capable of understanding the true nuance of financial behaviour in real time.
Crocs to launch store at Northern Ireland retail park
Plans have been unveiled to launch a Crocs outlet at Northern Ireland shopping destination The Boulevard - Banbridge.
Retailers warn zero-hours crackdown could threaten flexible and youth jobs
Retailers have warned that the government’s overhaul of zero-hours contracts risks adding billions to employment costs and reducing the flexible jobs relied on by shops and younger workers.
Store sales productivity hits record high as shoppers spend more per square foot
UK retailers are generating more sales from their stores than ever before. Sales per occupied square foot reached a record high in the second quarter of 2026.
George at Asda becomes destination for style and value in new campaign
George at Asda has unveiled a new campaign that aims to reposition the brand as “a destination where style and value exist together”. Devised by creative agency Lucky Generals, it is the first time an agency has led creative across both home and fashion.
Unhidden founder on why adaptive fashion is retail’s overlooked growth opportunity
Victoria Jenkins, founder and CEO of adaptive and universally designed fashion brand Unhidden, is nominated for Women in Leadership at this year’s RG Retail Excellence Awards.
Financial services industry publishes roadmap for equity issuance electronification
In a step towards the first fully electronic IPO, the FIX Trading Community (FIX) and the Investment Association (IA), have published an industry best practice framework to support the modernisation of equity capital raising processes.
Columbia Sportswear’s Romain Cancilleri-Michy breaks down its flat earth campaign
Columbia Sportswear unveiled their award winning campaign ‘Expedition Impossible’ earlier this year. The marketing drive asked the public to find the edge of the Earth in return for the company’s keys.
Crooks push Mac malware through fake OpenAI Codex ads
Sponsored search results lead developers straight into a ClickFix malware trap
Uniqlo ramps up UK expansion with new openings
Uniqlo is continuing its UK store expansion with the opening of its first Cambridge shop next month. The Japanese fashion giant will open the 9,472sq ft store at the Grand Arcade on St Andrew’s Street on 24 September, taking over the former Ted Baker unit.
Iceland Foods expands in South Korea with new deal
Iceland Foods has struck a partnership with South Korean supermarket giant Lotte Mart to ramp up its expansion across Asia. It will launch branded Iceland concessions across 45 Lotte Mart stores this summer, giving South Korean shoppers access to more than 30 products from its…
What is virtualization modernization?
SPONSORED EXPLAINER: Why you should take a long-term approach to rethinking your virtualization portfolio
High street risks ‘fresh wave of closures’ without urgent support, Burnham warned
Britain’s high streets risk being hit by a fresh wave of business closures unless Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivers immediate financial support, industry figures have warned.
Skims bolsters C-suite with Supreme creative chief amid global expansion
Kim Kardashian-founded fashion brand Skims has extended its senior leadership team with two newly created C-suite roles. The brand has appointed former Supreme executive Erin Magee as its first chief design officer and promoted long-standing creative director Kim Schraub to chief…