Schools in England are being supported by the UK Government to close the digital divide in classrooms with a £45 million investment to improve connectivity and further plans to make digital standards a requirement for schools.
As part of this, the UK Government’s Department for Education—whose remit is England due to the devolved nature of education—is also launching a consultation to gather views on a long-term ambition for schools and colleges to meet six core digital standards by 2030.
These core digital standards include broadband internet, wireless networks, network switches, filtering and monitoring, cybersecurity, and digital leadership and governance.
The UK Government is investing the £45 million to boost school infrastructure, including £25 million to upgrade wireless networks this year, to help get classrooms online and boost these standards.
It’s the latest phase of funding for the programme, which has been said to have so far improved connectivity for more than 1.3 million pupils in 3,700 schools.
This is on top of the £20 million to complete delivery of fibre upgrades to 833 schools.
It follows the UK Government’s recently-launched Digital Inclusion Action Plan, aiming to give the most digitally-excluded groups the confidence and skills to benefit from digitisation, which is a key driver of growth under its Plan for Change.
“Failing to tackle the digital divide in schools means robbing young people in those communities of the chance to succeed in the modern world. We won’t let it happen,” said technology secretary, Peter Kyle.
“Last month, we launched a Digital Inclusion Action plan setting out how we will bring everyone along with us and break down the barriers to the opportunities in the digital revolution.
“Today, we are building on that commitment to ensure the next generation can reap the benefits of the digital world, boost their life chances and have the confidence they need to thrive in today’s society.”
According to research from the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity working to break the link between family income and educational achievement, effective use of tech can accelerate learning.
Though, reliable, fast, and secure internet in the classroom is essential before schools can consider fully incorporating technology into their lessons.
The 2023 Technology in Schools Survey found that just 63% of schools reported having a fully functional Wi-Fi signal throughout the school.
Peter Kyle, the UK’s technology secretary, will set out the country’s credentials as a global hub for AI investment during his visit to the United States this week (18 to 25 March).
Speaking at Nvidia’s annual conference in San Jose, California, Kyle will outline how government is “rewiring” the UK’s economy to run on AI, helping the country to capitalise on transformative opportunities while moving wealth creation away from just London.
Addressing business leaders, developers, and innovators, the tech secretary will lay out his vision for how AI and advanced technologies can work to help solve some of our most complex shared challenges.
The tech is already being leveraged by the UK Government to improve public services and help foster fresh economic growth, which is a central pillar of the government’s Plan for Change.
Kyle’s also set to outline how the UK’s AI sector—valued at over $92 billion (or £71bn~) and projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2035—will position the UK as a major AI-leading nation, with a wealth of investment opportunities now being opened to US companies and financial backers.
Central to his message will be the UK’s readiness for AI investment, with a particular focus on how “the relics of economic eras past will be transformed into the UK’s innovative AI Growth Zones.”
A key component of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, the AI Growth Zones are strategically-designated areas, designed to rapidly attract large-scale AI investment through streamlined regulations and dedicated infrastructure.
Speaking at Nvidia’s annual conference, the tech secretary is expected to discuss how these Growth Zones, with access to large power connections, and a planning system designed to cut the time it takes to start up construction, will help to build a compute infrastructure which the UK “has never seen before.”
“In empty factories and abandoned mines, in derelict sites and unused power supplies, I see the places where we can begin to build a new economic model,” Kyle is expected to say at the conference.
“A model completely rewired around the immense power of artificial intelligence.
“Where, faced with that power, the state is neither a blocker nor a shirker – but an agile, proactive partner.
“In Britain, we want to turn the relics of economic eras past into AI Growth Zones.”
As part of the visit, Kyle will meet with key companies in the US tech sector including Open AI, Anthropic, Nvidia, and Vantage, in an attempt to bang the drum for more companies to set up shop in the UK as their home-from-home.
The technology secretary is expected to additionally say: “There is a real hunger for investment in Britain, and people who are optimistic about the future, and hopeful for the opportunities which AI will bring for them and their families.
“States owe it to their citizens to support it. Not through diktat or directive, but through partnership.”
According to technological research and consulting firm Gartner, agentic artificial intelligence, ambient invisible intelligence, and an augmented connected workforce are some of the top supply chain technology trends for 2025.
“This year’s trends highlight the transformative potential of connectivity and intelligence in supply chains, enabling leaders to enhance operational efficiency and adaptability,” explained Christian Titze, who’s a VP analyst and chief of research in Gartner’s supply chain practice.
The supply chain tech trends for this 2025 are driven by two broad themes: the need for supply chain leaders to leverage emerging technologies to enhance connectivity, and tools that foster intelligence to drive competitive business differentiation and operational efficiency.
“By prioritising these technologies based on business requirements and use cases that clearly map toward strategic outcomes, supply chain leaders can better manage complexities and achieve their critical objectives,” Kaitlynn Sommers, senior director analyst in Gartner’s supply chain practice, added.
The eight top trends in the supply chain area are:
1. Ambient Invisible Intelligence
Enabled by ultra low cost small smart tags and sensors, ambient invisible intelligence allows for large-scale, affordable tracking and sensing, providing real-time visibility into end-to-end supply chains.
This technology is particularly useful for monitoring perishable goods and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations through enhanced traceability.
2. Augmented Connected Workforce
Augmented Connected Workforce (ACWF) initiatives leverage digital tools to improve decision accuracy and reduce variability, addressing the significant skills gap in today’s workforce, Gartner said.
By digitising standard operating procedures, organisations can accelerate employee onboarding and enhance productivity across manufacturing and logistics operations.
3. Multimodal UI
A multimodal user interface (UI) enables users to interact with systems through multiple modes of communication, enhancing user efficiency and experience.
For instance, this approach is being adopted in logistics to improve driver safety and productivity through voice-activated controls and gesture-based interfaces.
4. Polyfunctional Robots
Polyfunctional, multiuse robots can take on multiple tasks and adapt to new roles, providing a flexible workforce solution.
These robots, which are able to sense and switch between tasks, are increasingly used in warehouses to perform tasks ranging from sorting to packing, reducing the need for human intervention, Gartner stated.
5. Agentic Artificial Intelligence
Agentic artificial intelligence (AI) systems offer a virtual workforce of AI agents that autonomously execute decisions, enhancing adaptability and efficiency in supply chain operations.
As an example, these agents can optimise inventory management by autonomously adjusting stock levels based on real-time demand forecasts.
Technologies such as drones and mobile robots autonomously capture data, enhancing productivity and reducing labour in supply chain operations.
For instance, drones are used in warehouse inventory checks, significantly reducing the time and risk associated with manual counts.
7. Decision Intelligence
Decision intelligence (DI) combines decision modelling, AI, and analytics to support, augment, and automate decision making.
This tech allows supply chain leaders to understand how tools come to decisions and then improve those based on feedback.
8. Intelligent Simulation
Integrating AI and machine learning (ML) into traditional simulation models, intelligent simulation enhances predictive capabilities and decision making in supply chain operations.
As one example, intelligent simulation allows firms to optimise logistics routes and warehouse layouts, improving efficiency and reducing costs.
Gartner, the technological research and consulting firm, has predicted that by 2027, AI agents will reduce the time it takes to exploit account exposures by 50%.
“Account takeover (ATO) remains a persistent attack vector because weak authentication credentials, such as passwords, are gathered by a variety of means including data breaches, phishing, social engineering and malware,” explained Jeremy D’Hoinne, who serves as VP analyst at Gartner.
“Attackers then leverage bots to automate a barrage of login attempts across a variety of services in the hope that the credentials have been reused on multiple platforms.”
The research firm highlighted that AI agents will enable automation for more steps in account takeover, from social engineering based on deepfake voices, to end-to-end automation of user credential abuses.
Because of this, vendors will introduce web, app, API, and voice channels to detect, monitor, and classify interactions involving AI agents.
“In the face of this evolving threat, security leaders should expedite the move toward passwordless phishing-resistant MFA,” said Akif Khan, also a VP analyst at Gartner.
“For customer use cases in which users may have a choice of authentication options, educate and incentivise users to migrate from passwords to multidevice passkeys where appropriate.”
Defence Amid The Threat of Social Engineering Attacks
Along with account takeover, technology-enabled social engineering will also pose a significant threat to corporate cybersecurity, the research firm noted, predicting that 40% of social engineering attacks will target executives as well as the broader workforce by 2028.
Attackers are now combining social engineering tactics with counterfeit reality techniques, such as deepfake audio and video, to deceive employees during calls.
Although only a few high-profile cases have been reported, these incidents have underscored the credibility of the threat, and resulted in substantial financial losses for victim organisations.
The challenge of detecting deepfakes is still in its early stages, particularly when applied to the diverse attack surfaces of real-time, person-to-person voice and video communications across various platforms.
“Organisations will have to stay abreast of the market, and adapt procedures and workflows in an attempt to better resist attacks leveraging counterfeit reality techniques,” added Manuel Acosta, a senior director analyst at Gartner.
“Educating employees about the evolving threat landscape by using training specific to social engineering with deepfakes is a key step.”
The Scottish Government is hosting an Edinburgh event today aimed at unlocking new private investment in the country’s rapidly growing offshore wind industry.
The Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum, which will be attended by stakeholders including investors and developers, will be hosted by first minister John Swinney.
The Forum is taking place following a Green Industrial Strategy Commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a desirable destination for capital investment—with the Strategy identifying offshore wind as one of the five priority areas for Scottish Government resource and investment.
The government is investing up to £500 million over five years in the Scottish offshore wind supply chain to leverage an expected £1.5 billion of private investment.
Recent funding made as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment of up to £500m include the Scottish National Investment Bank’s investment in subsea cable manufacturer XLCC and anchor manufacturer Subsea Micropiles.
It’s also been announced today that up to £10m has been approved by the Highlands and Islands Enterprise to support a major redevelopment project at the Port of Nigg in the Highlands, aiming to increase capacity and capabilities at the port, and boosting activities across the country’s growing offshore wind operations.
Port of Nigg is recognised by developers as a prime location for the manufacturing and assembly of offshore wind components, and has a track record within Scotland’s offshore wind industry, having managed over 3.5GW of assets through the facility.
“The growth and success of Scotland’s offshore wind industry is not only an ambition of my Government, it is a priority for me personally,” said Swinney ahead of today’s event.
“Delivering on its promise will not only deliver our global climate obligations, but create significant new jobs and economic opportunities.
“History has shown that success stems from choosing the right time and place to capitalise on the next innovation of the era. We have already gained a significant first-mover advantage and laid the groundwork for success.
“Now we are poised to move to the next stage of development and growth and reap the rewards of what we estimate could be a £100 billion market.
“The Global Offshore Wind investment Forum is about ‘Team Scotland’ showcasing the offer that Scotland’s offshore wind sector offers to global investors. We have a compelling story and a clear message that Scotland is open for business.”
More than £6 million is being invested into technological and scientific health projects as part of the Accelerated National Innovations Adoption (ANIA) programme, it’s been announced.
The projects will help people with type 2 diabetes, stroke patients, and babies who are born with a rare genetic condition.
The first project is a national digital intensive weight management programme which will support 3,000 people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
With £4.5 million invested over three years, the project is expected to help around 40% to achieve remission from the condition by the end of their first year in the programme.
The second project, with a total of £1.1 million, will support testing of recent stroke patients to determine if they have a genetic variation that impairs the benefits of a drug commonly prescribed to reduce the risk of secondary stroke.
This would mean an alternative drug should be considered for the patient.
The third programme, to provide a genetic test for newborn babies, will receive £800,000 in funding.
The test will determine if they have a genetic variation which puts them at risk of permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common emergency antibiotic.
“In January the First Minister laid out our vision for Scotland’s NHS with digital innovation being a crucial part of our plans to reform health services,” said Neil Gray, the Scottish Government‘s cabinet secretary for health.
“So I am pleased to announce funding for these projects which demonstrate the transformative potential of scientific and technological innovation to improve health and social care.
“These projects have life changing effects for those who will benefit from them, resulting in improved health outcomes and a better quality of life.
“Innovation is transforming healthcare and delivering medical benefits for the people of Scotland and the NHS, which will see reduced pressures as a direct result of projects just like these.”
The ANIA programme is coordinated by the national Centre for Sustainable Delivery at NHS Golden Jubilee, and draws on expertise from NHS National Services Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Public Health Scotland, and NHS Education for Scotland.
Its aim is to introduce proven medical innovations into the NHS to improve healthcare.
The Scouts, in partnership with the UK Space Agency—responsible for the country’s civil space programme—have launched a brand-new Space Activity Badge.
The badge, which is the first of its kind for the 14- to 18-year-old scout section, was announced by Scout Ambassador and UK astronaut, Tim Peake.
The badge is born out of the Agency’s “Space to Inspire” initiative, which encourages young people to explore how space is used, the work of the UK space sector, and the wide range of space careers available in the UK.
The agency said that from today, Explorer Scouts will be able to replicate the skills used by scientists and engineers to guide the Perseverance Rover across Mars’ surface, and can learn how to control something remotely.
They’ll also discover ways to grow plants without soil—a task undertaken on the International Space Station to test different watering methods, among other skills.
Peake, who became the first British European Space Agency astronaut to walk in space in 2016, said: “The exciting launch of the new Explorer Scout Space Activity Badge will ignite interest and spark curiosity in STEM for a whole new generation.
“This new badge brings together the knowledge of what’s been and the possibility of what could be, both in space and here on Earth for young people aged between 14 and 18.
“After working alongside some of the most talented space industry professionals in the world, it’s wonderful to see Explorers reaching up and developing the skills that helped me on my own space journey.”
Sir Chris Bryant, minister for space, said: “This fantastic new badge will inspire the next generation of Explorers to consider exciting opportunities that can push the boundaries of our knowledge of space.
“There are already over 50,000 people working in the UK’s space sector, and we want to continue to foster the interest and curiosity of the youngest so they can build their skills and even their careers in space exploration and research for years to come.”
The launch of the new Scouts badge comes just days after the UK’s space sector was lauded by Peter Kyle, the UK’s science secretary, as a “launchpad for innovation and investment.” This was amid the publishing of new figures which showed record contract wins.
Specifically, in the last quarter of 2024, the UK space sector secured additional contracts worth £80 million more than the government’s contributions to the European Space Agency. This resulted in the highest single quarter return ever recorded by an ESA member state. It also increased the total value of contracts secured for the UK sector through the ESA to £844 million, since June 2022.
The UK’s Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) is to be abolished in the government’s latest step to reduce the burdens on business.
The PSR, which looks after payment systems like Faster Payments and Mastercard, will mainly be consolidated into the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), making it easier for firms to deal with one port of call.
It follows complaints from businesses that the regulatory environment was too complex—with payment system firms having to engage with three different regulators, and therefore costing them time, money, and resources.
The step change will have a greater impact on smaller businesses that are trying to scale and grow however, as the costs are disproportionately higher for them.
“The regulatory system has become burdensome to the point of choking off innovation, investment and growth,” commented chancellor Rachel Reeves. “We will free businesses from that stranglehold.”
The government said that today’s announcement won’t result in any immediate changes to the Payment Systems regulator’s remit or ongoing programme of work, and it will continue to have access to its statutory powers until legislation is passed by Parliament to enact the changes.
In the interim period, the PSR and FCA will work together to deliver a smooth transition of responsibilities and to ensure the market remains competitive.
Nikhil Rathi, the chief executive of the FCA, remarked: “With a changed payments landscape, now is the right time to put in place a more streamlined regulatory framework.
“Doing so is a natural next step following recent work to improve co-ordination and clarity on regulatory responsibilities.
“We will work closely with government, the Bank of England and the payment sector as the details of this change are decided and to ensure the transfer of any powers is smooth.
“In the meantime, we will drive forward with change, including welcoming the deep expertise of PSR colleagues within the FCA.”
The UK’s science secretary, Peter Kyle, has hailed Britain’s space sector as a “launchpad for innovation and investment” amid the publishing of new figures which show record contract wins.
Released today, the figures demonstrate an increase in the UK’s competitiveness for valuable contracts awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Specifically, in the last quarter of 2024 alone, the UK space sector secured additional contracts worth £80 million more than government’s contributions to the ESA—the highest single quarter return ever recorded by an ESA member state. This is therefore the most successful quarter on record, and increases the total value of contracts secured for the UK sector through the ESA to £844 million since June 2022.
A government-backed taskforce led by the UK Space Agency has driven the efforts to attain maximum value from the UK’s contributions to the ESA. The taskforce has achieved this by improving the rate of geographical return—the principle that contracts are awarded in proportion to a country’s investments.
This initiative has then improved the UK’s return rate from 93p back in contracts for every £1 invested in 2022 to 99p in contracts for every £1 invested today; the wider benefits of this funding and international collaboration deliver £9.80 to every £1 invested over time.
The government said that the recent increase in contract wins will deliver wider benefits of more than £1 billion to the UK economy, and support an additional 3,800 highly-skilled jobs. As it stands, the UK space sector currently employs around 52,000 people, and generates an income of nearly £19 billion each year.
”These figures show not only the incredible results of a government working hand-in-glove with industry to get even more bang for our buck, but also send a clear message to the private sector across the globe: when it comes to space, science and tech, the UK is a launchpad for innovation and investment,” Kyle commented.
“We are on a mission to deliver sustained economic growth, and it is fantastic to see such a vital industry helping us turbocharge our Plan for Change, ultimately raising living standards for everyone.”
The recent European Space Agency contracts, funded through the UK Space Agency, are helping to accelerate innovation in space missions and capabilities, spanning from the Airbus-led Vigil mission, which will provide space weather forecasts up to five days in advance, to Thales Alenia Space’s work on a next-gen spacecraft to deliver cargo and instruments to the Moon’s surface.
The UK Government is also backing the UK’s growing launch sector, with a recent £20m investment into Orbex, which is planning to launch satellites into space using its Prime rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands later this year.
Recent success in attracting private investment include an £8.2m seed funding round led by Magdrive announced last month, and a £10m Series B round led by SatVu announced in November 2024.
More investment deals and contracts are expected to be announced in the coming months.
According to a new survey from Gartner, the technological research and consulting firm, 30% of first-time geographic expansions for software providers are still unprofitable two years after launch.
Gartner surveyed over 300 software and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers across North America, the European, Middle Eastern, and African region (EMEA), as well as the Asia/Pacific region in summer 2024 to uncover its findings.
It also discovered that there are several mitigating actions that tech CEOs should take to address pitfalls—something which Scottish founders can likewise harness to better navigate the tricky process of geographic expansion.
Gartner’s 7 Action Points For Navigating Geographic Expansion
The first action point that differs top-performing tech startups in this regard with trailing organisations is expanding at the right time—and with enough financial backing. Top performers are 1.6x more likely to launch their first geographic expansion when they reach or exceed Series B funding.
The second is to prioritise buyer intent over market data analysis when validating expansion opportunities. According to Gartner’s research, top performers are actually 1.3x more likely to conduct qualitative interviews with prospective customers.
Leveraging relationships with local partners to overcome insufficient reputation and poor market awareness is also key, with successful tech startups being 1.5x more likely to expand internationally after being approached by interested local partners.
The fourth action is to upgrade HR capabilities and tools to better manage international teams. Gartner advocates for this after finding that top-performing tech startups are 2.3x more likely to enhance their HR function to manage compensation, payroll, and employment regulations across multiple countries.
Adapting operational systems to meet local market payment preferences and regulatory requirements is also suggested. Comparatively, firms who more successfully navigate geographic expansion are 1.4x more likely to upgrade technology infrastructure such as servers, network, or data localisation.
Another action point is to adapt sales, marketing strategies, and execution to improve customer acquisition. Top performers are 1.3x more likely to change legacy sales processes, marketing campaigns, or presentation materials to align with local cultural norms, buying behaviour, and preferences, Gartner found.
Finally, the seventh action is to keep after-sales support at home but to localise its processes, with top-performing tech startups being 1.8x more likely to keep the new market’s customer service/support at HQ, and 1.3x more likely to adapt customer service/support processes to meet local expectations.
Igor Marchal, who serves as vice president analyst at the research and consulting firm, commented that “The first geographic expansion of a tech startup is, by definition, also its riskiest.”
“Emerging providers with limited resources are tempted to replicate their proven home market’s marketing campaigns, content, messages and sales techniques because it is more expedient, more economical or simply because they see no compelling reason to change them.”
Marchal continued: “Yet expanding into a new geography requires as much preliminary research and internal due diligence as that of launching a new business.”
“Successful tech CEOs engage and navigate their first expansion with optimal timing, having properly localized their product, processes and go-to-market playbook to meet local buyer preferences. They often leverage local partners to overcome their insufficient reputation and poor local market awareness.”
According to new research from The Alan Turing Institute, swift action is required to better secure the UK’s artificial intelligence research ecosystem against hostile threat actors.
The report is cited as the first study of its kind to focus specifically on AI, and has been produced amid growing concerns that the UK’s work-leading AI research is a high-priority target.
The newly-published report argues that there’s currently a lack of incentives for researchers to follow existing government guidance on research security, and that awareness of the possible security risks isn’t consistent across the academic sector.
It advocates for urgent culture change, and better balancing between research security and the pressures academics face to publish their innovative research.
Additionally, the report highlights that there are difficulties for academics both in assessing risks of their research, including future misuse, and carrying out due diligence processes on collaborative research partners without a clear view of current threats.
A swift and coordinated response between the higher education sector and the UK Government is required, it argues, offering 13 recommendations to help government and academia build resilience around the AI research ecosystem.
This includes measures such as regular advice on the international institutions deemed high risk for funding agreements and collaborations, UKRI to provide grant funding opportunities for research security activities, and for pre-publication risk assessments for AI research to be standardised across major journals and publishing houses.
The report’s authors also want all academic institutions to be required to deliver National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) accredited research training to new staff and postgraduate research students as a prerequisite for grant funding, among the other recommendations.
Speaking on the new report and what needs to change moving forward, Megan Hughes, who serves as research associate at The Alan Turing Institute and is lead author of the research, commented: “Furthering AI research is rightly a top priority for the UK, but the accompanying security risks cannot be ignored as the world around us grows ever more volatile.
“Academia and the government must commit to and support this long overdue culture change to strike the right balance between academic freedom and protecting this vital asset.”
English rail passengers can now see how reliable their local train services are, thanks to performance data going live at over 1,700 stations from today.
The data, which is broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station displayed via digital screens. Where screens aren’t possible, passengers can scan a QR code to see the data online.
The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance.
The UK Government hopes that these changes will help to hold operators to account, encouraging them to drive efficiency and productivity, deliver better connectivity, and provide more value for money for passengers.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability,” said transport secretary Heidi Alexander.
“These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations.
“Through fundamental rail reform, we’re sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality – putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this government’s Plan for Change.”
Public frustration around train punctuality, cancellations, and prices is evident across the UK—and Scotland is no exception.
According to a poll published by The Herald earlier this year, just one fifth of people think ScotRail is good value for money.
However, it also found that of the operators that serve Scotland, ScotRail had the highest percentage of trains that arrive on time (69.8%) in 2023-24 when compared to the Caledonian Sleeper, LNER, TransPennine Express, and Avanti West Coast.
Further, when it comes to train cancellations ScotRail had just 2.3% cancellations in 2023-24, the lowest score in Scotland, and the third lowest across the whole of the UK beaten only by Greater Anglia and Southeastern.
But could having statistical data physically displayed at each Scottish station improve these percentages further, and perhaps change how the public feel about operators in Scotland, not least ScotRail?
Digg, the news aggregator which originally launched in the early 2000s, is set to be rebooted after being acquired by Kevin Rose, the co-founder of Digg, alongside Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit.
Once industry competitors, the pair have teamed up to revive the social platform with a new vision for its future and with “humanity and connection at its core,” according to a release outlining the social media pioneers’ plans.
First launched in 2004, Digg users could either “digg” (or upvote) content, as well as “bury” (or downvote), helping to shape what trended online. In its prime, the site was regarded as “the homepage of the internet,” and attracted 40 million monthly unique visitors.
However, in 2012, co-founder Rose sold Digg to Betaworks, the product-focused, seed-stage venture capital fund, while its most valuable assets—which include patents—were acquired by LinkedIn.
Now, backed by True Ventures (Fitbit, Peloton, Ring, among other big name tech companies) where Rose is a partner, and Seven Seven Six (Stoke Space, Mr. Beast Industries, etc.), founded by Ohanian, the site is to take on a new lease of life—and enhanced by artificial intelligence.
Digg aims to set itself apart from other platforms in a heavily contested social media landscape by “focusing on AI innovations designed to enhance the user experience and build a human-centered alternative, one that prioritizes transparency, rewards human effort, and fosters enriching discussions.”
Speaking on the acquisition and rebooting of Digg, and the role AI will play, Rose said that “At various times over the years I had been approached to repurchase Digg; it never felt right. The technologies to solve our biggest pain points didn’t exist.”
“Just recently we’ve hit an inflection point where AI can become a helpful co-pilot to users and moderators, not replacing human conversation, but rather augmenting it, allowing users to dig deeper, while at the same time removing a lot of the repetitive burden for community moderators,” he continued.
“With Alexis on board, we bring a shared history, a deep respect for online communities, and a new perspective on what the internet needs today. Our goal isn’t just to honor Digg’s legacy as a trusted news source and discussion hub, but to evolve it.
“We believe users and moderators should have more control, transparency, and ownership over the communities they work so hard to build.”
Ohanian added that “Online communities thrive when there’s a balance between technology and human judgment. We’re bringing Digg back to ensure that balance exists.”
“Kevin and I are here to build something better than what social platforms are offering today,” he continued.
“AI should handle the grunt work in the background while humans focus on what they do best: building real connections. No one dreams of spending their day hunting down spam or playing content police – they want to create, connect, and build thriving communities.
“I’m all in on this chapter.”
Invites for the new version of Digg will be rolling out in the coming weeks, and sign ups for early access can be made here.
As the retirement date for copper telephone infrastructure draws near, BT is urging all UK companies to switch to more robust, reliable digital networks by the end of 2025.
The UK’s traditional copper telephone infrastructure is set to be retired by the end of January 2027, and BT warns that firms failing to migrate sooner will face increased outages as the ageing network becomes more fragile.
Ofcom’s recent Connected Nations report highlighted that the number of incidents on the legacy Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) increased by 45% last year.
BT’s own national survey found that one in five (22%) still define themselves as “analogue,” and relying heavily on traditional or 20th century technologies.
By contrast, four in five (80%) that have invested in new technology say it has given them a competitive advantage, with 79% saying it has helped them to find new customers.
The study also shows attitudes towards tech have shifted over decades as businesses adjust to the impact of era-defining tools and upgrades.
One in seven (14%) of small business leaders admit they’d been sceptical or resistant to taking their business online when the internet took off in the 1990s, with 18% saying the same about social media a decade later, and 11% dragging their feet during the advent of the personal computer in the 70s and 80s.
Better digital connectivity, alongside tools like social media, has laid the foundations for startups and scale-ups across the UK in recent years, with almost three quarters (73%) of those running a business saying they couldn’t do so without reliable broadband and mobile connectivity.
BT has warned that organisations that fail to make the switch to newer digital networks could risk missing out on the productivity gains of workplace advancements like AI and augmented reality, which are reliant on faster, higher-bandwidth, future-proofed connectivity.
The move away from the PSTN and onto more reliable digital infrastructure, like full-fibre networks, is a once-in-a-generation, industry-wide programme, recognised as a necessary step by Ofcom and the government.
Kerry Small, who serves as BT’s Chief Operating Officer – Business, commented: “The UK’s analogue copper telephone network has a proud history, but it’s no longer up to the task for businesses.
“It’s simply too risky to build the economy on a shaky foundation, and we’re calling on all businesses to move before the end of 2025 — well ahead of the switch-off.
“Analogue companies making the move now can benefit from rock-solid digital connectivity to help keep them in business for years to come.”
UK artificial intelligence leader and unicorn Quantexa has announced today that it’s completed a USD $175 million (£136m~) Series F investment round.
Following this latest round, the British tech company has now been valued at USD $2.6 billion (£2bn~).
The round was led by Teachers’ Venture Growth (TVG), which is part of the CAD $255bn international investor Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, with existing investors participating, including British Patient Capital.
Founded in 2016, Quantexa is an AI software company pioneering “Decision Intelligence” (DI) to help organisations make trusted operational decisions around major challenges, with data, thanks to its platform.
The firm, which achieved unicorn status in 2023, said that following the investment round it’ll deepen its presence in North America, pursue selected mergers and acquisitions opportunities, and elevate experiences for existing clients.
As part of the funding, Ara Yeromian, who serves as managing director at TVG, will join Quantexa’s board, which includes representation from existing investors (Warburg Pincus, Dawn Capital, BNY, Evolution Equity Partners, AlbionVC, and HSBC).
This Series F investment comes months after Quantexa achieved Centaur status, joining a group of SaaS businesses recognised for surpassing USD $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
Founder and CEO of Quantexa, Vishal Marria, said: “AI is a once-in-a-generation technology transforming industries, redefining operations, and creating entirely new processes.
“From day one, Quantexa has been at the forefront of this revolution, helping enterprises create trusted, curated data to unlock AI’s full potential.
“This latest investment reflects investors’ embracing our vision and committing to join our journey as we accelerate innovation, platform deployments, and amplify the value we deliver to clients and the broader ecosystem.
“With the continued support of our investors, now including TVG, we are poised to push the boundaries of AI by harnessing the power of trusted data, reinforcing our leadership in this rapidly evolving landscape.”
Around this time last year, DIGIT staff writer Elizabeth Greenberg interviewed Quantexa CTO Jamie Hutton on AI, fraud detection and prevention, and the company’s advancing work.
Technological research and consulting firm Gartner has published its top data and analytics (D&A) trends for 2025.
“D&A is going from the domain of the few, to ubiquity,” said Gareth Herschel, who serves as VP analyst at Gartner.
“At the same time D&A leaders are under pressure not to do more with less, but to do a lot more with a lot more, and that can be even more challenging because the stakes are being raised.
“There are certain trends that will help D&A leaders meet the pressures, expectations and demands they are facing.”
The firm’s analysts presented the top D&A trends that IT leaders must navigate and incorporate into their D&A strategy at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit in Orlando.
The trends are as follows:
1. Highly Consumable Data Products
D&A leaders, to capitalise on highly consumable data products, should focus on business-critical use cases, correlating and scaling products to alleviate data delivery challenges, the research firm advised.
Prioritising the delivery of reusable and composeable minimum viable data products is essential, allowing teams to enhance them over time.
D&A leaders must also come to a consensus on key performance indicators between producing and consuming teams, which is vital for measuring data product success.
2. Metadata Management Solutions
Effective metadata management begins with technical metadata, and then expanding to include business metadata for enhanced context.
By incorporating metadata types, organisations can enable data catalogues, data lineage, and AI-driven use cases, the consulting firm noted, further stating that selecting tools that facilitate automated discovery and analysis of metadata is imperative.
3. Multimodal Data Fabric
Building a robust data management practice involves capturing and analysing metadata across the entire data pipeline.
Insights and automations from the data fabric support orchestration demands, improve operational excellence through DataOps, and enable data products.
4. Synthetic Data
Identifying areas where data is missing, incomplete, or costly to obtain is crucial for advancing AI initiatives.
Synthetic data, either as variations of original data or replacements for sensitive data, ensures data privacy while facilitating AI development.
5. Agentics Analytics
Automatic closed-loop business outcomes with AI agents for data analysis is, according to Gartner, transformative.
Piloting use cases that connect insights to natural language interfaces and evaluating vendor roadmaps for digital workplace application integration are recommended.
Establishing governance minimises errors and hallucinations, while assessing data readiness through AI-ready data principles is essential.
AI agents are valuable for ad hoc, flexible, or complex adaptive automation needs.
Beyond relying solely on large language models (LLMs), other analytics and AI forms are necessary.
Gartner stated that D&A leaders should enable AI agents to access and share data across applications seamlessly.
7. Small Language Models
Consideration of small language models over large language models is advised for more accurate, contextually appropriate AI outputs within specific domains.
Providing data for retrieval of augmented generation or fine-tuning custom domain models is recommended, especially for on-premises use to handle sensitive data and reduce compute resources and costs.
8. Composite AI
Leveraging multiple AI techniques enhances AI’s impact and reliability.
The research firm suggested that D&A teams should diversify beyond GenAI or LLMs, incorporating data science, machine learning, knowledge graphs, and optimisation for comprehensive AI solutions.
9. Decision Intelligence Platforms
Transitioning from a data-driven to a decision-centric vision is crucial, said Gartner.
Prioritising urgent business decisions for modelling, aligning decision intelligence (DI) practices, and evaluating DI platforms are recommended steps.
Rediscovering data science techniques and addressing ethics, legal, and compliance aspects of decision automation are essential for success.
The UK Government has announced that a new defence innovation body to boost military technology is set to be launched.
The chancellor, defence secretary, and business secretary have now confirmed that a new UK defence innovation organisation will work with innovative firms to get cutting-edge military technology into the hands of British troops more rapidly, and also grow high-tech British businesses in the defence tech ecosystem.
Developed as part of Defence Reform—the biggest overhaul of defence for more than 50 years—the new body aims to simplify and streamline the innovation within the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The government said the body will take this new approach by “moving quickly and decisively, using different ways of contracting to enable UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly by setting out a clear pathway, working with the government, from initial production to manufacturing at scale.”
As part of the drive, the government will also look to increase investment in defence startups and scale-up technology and capability. This will be done through mechanisms including the National Security Strategic Investment Fund, as well as working with the venture capital and investment community.
The new unit will be launched at the Spring Statement towards the end of the month.
Defence secretary John Healey commented: “The world is changing, and we are changing defence. We will back the high-growth, high-tech UK defence firms of the future, to boost our national security and make defence an engine for growth.
“We will make the UK a defence innovation leader, funding and supporting firms of all sizes to take state-of-the-art technology from the drawing board to the production line, and into the hands of our Armed Forces.
“Defence has a crucial role to play in economic growth across the UK – built on the foundation of the largest sustained funding increase since the Cold War – to support thousands of highly skilled jobs.”
Peter Kyle, the UK’s science and tech secretary, added: “Britain’s science and research expertise has always played a role in keeping us safe, and still does: from inventions like radar and codebreaking machines in the 20th century, through to innovations around drone technology and cybersecurity, today.
“We are dedicated to making sure the UK tech sector has everything it needs to continue to thrive, and to keep playing a critical role in our national security.”
Technological research and consulting firm Gartner has announced the top cybersecurity trends for 2025.
The six main trends are influenced by the evolution of generative AI (GenAI), digital decentralisation, supply chain interdependencies, regulatory change, endemic talent shortages, and a constantly evolving threat landscape.
“Security and risk management (SRM) leaders face a mix of challenges and opportunities this year, with a goal to enable transformation and embed resilience,” explained Alex Michaels, senior principal analyst at Gartner.
“Their efforts in achieving both are crucial to support their organization’s aspirations to not only innovate, but ensure their innovations are secure and sustainable in a fast-changing digital world.”
The trends are as follows:
1. Managing Machine Identities
The increasing adoption of GenAI, cloud services, automation, and DevOps practices has led to the prolific use of machine accounts and credentials for physical devices and software workloads, the research firm noted.
However, if left uncontrolled and unmanaged, machine identifies can significantly expand an organisation’s attack surface.
According to Gartner, SRM leaders are under pressure to build a strategy to implement robust machine identity and access management (IAM) to protect against attacks, but it must be a coordinated enterprise-wide effort.
A Gartner survey of 335 IAM leaders, conducted between August and October 2024, found that IAM teams are only responsible for 44% of an organisation’s machine identities.
2. GenAI Driving Data Security Programmes
Most security efforts and financial resources are traditionally focused on protecting structured data such as databases. But with the rise of GenAI, it’s transforming data security programmes, shifting focus to protect unstructured data—text, images, and videos.
“Many organizations have completely reoriented their investment strategies, which has significant implications for large language model (LLM) training, data deployment and inference processes,” said Michaels.
“Ultimately, this shift underscores the changing priorities that leaders must address as they communicate the impact of GenAI on their programs.”
3. Optimising Cybersecurity Technology
According to a Gartner survey of 162 large enterprises, conducted between August and October 2024, organisations use an average of 45 cybersecurity tools.
With over 3,000 vendors in the cyber space, SRM leaders need to optimise their toolsets to build more efficient and effective security programmes, Gartner suggested.
The firm recommends aiming for a balance that procurement, security architects, security engineers, and other stakeholders are satisfied with to maintain the right security posture.
To achieve this, SRM leaders should consolidate and validate core security controls and focus on architecture that enhances portability of data.
Threat modelling and organisational technology drivers such as AI adoption can also be used to assess advanced needs.
4. Being Increasingly Tactical with AI
Gartner highlighted that SRM leaders are facing mixed results with their AI implementations, leading them to reprioritise their initiatives and focus on narrower use cases with direct, measurable impacts.
These more tactical implementations align AI practices and tools with existing metrics, fit them into existing initiatives, and enhance visibility of the real value of AI investments.
“SRM leaders now have clear responsibilities to secure third-party AI consumption, protect enterprise AI applications and improve cybersecurity with AI,” noted Michaels.
“By focusing on more tactical, demonstrably beneficial improvements, they can minimize the risks for their cybersecurity programs and can more easily demonstrate progress.”
5. Extending Security Behaviour and Culture Programme Value
Security behaviour and culture programmes (SBCPs) have reached an inflection point for most organisations, the research firm said, with effective leaders recognising the value these programmes bring to improve their cybersecurity posture.
According to Gartner, one of the largest drivers of change in these programmes is GenAI. Enterprises combining the tech with an integrated, platforms-based architecture in SBCPs will experience 40% fewer employee-driven cybersecurity incidents by 2026.
This trend is gaining traction due to increasing recognition that both good and bad human behaviour are critical components of cybersecurity.
As a result, cultural- and behaviour-focused activities have become a prominent approach to address cyber-risk comprehension and ownership at the human level.
6. Addressing Cyber Burnout
Gartner highlighted that SRM leader and security team burnout is a key concern for an industry already impacted by a systemic skills shortage.
Pervasive stress stems from relentless demands associated with securing highly-complex organisations in constantly changing threat, regulatory, and business environments, with limited authority, executive support, and resources.
“Cybersecurity burnout and its organizational impact must be recognized and addressed to ensure cybersecurity program effectiveness,” said Michaels.
“The most effective SRM leaders are not only prioritizing their own stress management, they are investing in teamwide wellbeing initiatives that demonstrably improve personal resilience.”
According to Bank of Scotland’s latest Business Barometer survey, business confidence in Scotland rose 11 points during February to 53%, marking a six-month high.
While firms in Scotland reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down three points to 50%, their optimism in the economy rose 23 points to 55%.
Taken together, this results in a headline confidence reading of 53% (versus 42% in January), which is the highest level recorded in the country since August 2024.
Looking ahead at the next six months, Scottish businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team, i.e. through training (50%), introducing new technologies such as AI and automation (42%), and investing in sustainability (33%).
When it comes to the UK as a whole, UK business confidence rose 12 points in February to 49%, which is also its highest level since August 2024.
Firms’ optimism in their own trading prospects increased six points to 57%, while their confidence in the wider economy rose 18 points to 42%.
The North East of England was the most confident UK nation or region in February (69%), followed by the North West and East of England, both at 61%.
Speaking on the Scottish results, Martyn Kendrick, Scotland director at Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking, said: “It’s encouraging to see Scottish business confidence rising again – not only to the highest level since August last year, but also ahead of the UK average.
“Equally promising is that Scottish businesses are leading the country when it comes to integrating sustainability into their growth strategies – with more having it as part of their six-month plans than anywhere else in the UK.
“Businesses are increasingly recognising that renewable practices aren’t just good for the planet, they’re also a smart business decision, with sustainability and growth going hand in hand.
“We’ll continue to support Scottish firms as they look to make the most of new opportunities, including providing specialist solutions to enable investments in more sustainable business practices.”
The Bank of Scotland’s Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly and which has been running since 2002, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.
Converged Communication Solutions, the Aberdeen-based IT firm, has announced it’s acquired fellow Aberdeen firm IFB for an undisclosed sum.
The move brings together the well-known Scottish tech companies, and the two largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the northeastern city.
Founded nearly 30 years ago, IFB has built a reputation for delivering connectivity and IT solutions.
Converged, founded as an ISP, has grown to become a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) capable of being a single supplier of end-to-end services with a broader portfolio of connectivity, telephone, IT, and cybersecurity services.
By incorporating IFB into the Converged Group, the aim is to create a stronger, more diversified business that will enhance service offerings for all of the Group’s customers. It also marks the third acquisition for Converged within the span of two years.
Commenting, CTO of Converged Communication Solutions, Neil Christie, said: “This acquisition is a natural fit, uniting two local businesses with a shared passion for using digital technology to drive business success.
“IFB’s expertise in providing connectivity solutions perfectly complements our enhanced business offering, meaning customers will benefit from an even greater range of services.
“Additionally, this move expands our market share and brings our combined turnover closer to £10 million.
“We are delighted to welcome the IFB team into the Converged family and look forward to delivering the same high-quality services our customers expect.”
Graeme Gordon, CEO of IFB, reflected on the transition and the exciting opportunities ahead: “Co-founded by Chairman, John Michie, IFB has been at the forefront of delivering innovative connectivity and IT solutions to businesses for nearly three decades.
“Joining forces with Converged allows us to take our service offering to the next level, giving our customers access to an even broader portfolio of solutions. In addition, Converged shares our values of reliability, security, and customer focus, making this an excellent match for our future.
“Joining the Converged Group of companies is a great outcome for IFB, our team, and, most importantly, our customers, who can be reassured that it is business as usual.”
All of IFB’s 15 employees will join Converged, with the team relocating to the firm’s headquarters at Spires Business Centre.
The acquisition brings the total headcount of the Converged Group to 63.
Canalys, the tech market analysis firm, has found that spending on global cloud infrastructure services rose 20% last year, up from $267.7 billion (£211bn~) in 2023, to $321.3bn (£254bn~) in 2024. Further, in Q4 2024, spending also rose 20% year-on-year to $86bn (£68bn~).
A key driver for the growth was the expansion of AI models, which significantly accelerated cloud adoption, noted the research firm. By the second half of last year, the top cloud vendors reported positive returns on AI investments, with AI applications having a notable impact on their overall cloud business performance.
In terms of how the leading cloud providers fared last quarter, the ranking of the top three vendors—AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—remained unchanged from Q3 2024, with their combined market share accounting for 64% of global cloud spending.
Market leader AWS maintained an annual growth rate of 19%, which was consistent with the prior quarter. Canalys stated that Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud had a slight decline on their year-on-year growth rates compared with the previous quarter, however. The research firm said this slowdown was primarily due to strong AI-driven demand outpacing supply, as the leading cloud providers reported that growth remained constrained by limited capacity, creating a tight supply-demand balance.
With AI becoming more and more efficient and widely adopted, demand is expected to grow exponentially. Cloud hyperscalers are making significant investments to grow AI model training, deployment, and cloud-based applications globally, the research firm explained.
Amid plans from cloud hyperscalers to further expand investments in cloud and AI infrastructure to keep pace with rising demand, Canalys has forecasted that global cloud infrastructure services spending will continue to grow—by around 19% in 2025.
Speaking on this, Yi Zhang, analyst at Canalys, said: “Cloud hyperscalers are investing at an unprecedented rate.” Zhang continued: “The race is no longer just about offering the best AI services—it’s about growing fast while ensuring financial sustainability and long-term competitiveness.”
According to a new survey from Gartner, the technological research and consulting firm, 30% of chief data and analytics officers (CDAOs) said their top challenge is the inability to measure data, analytics, and AI impact on business outcomes.
This headline statistic comes from Gartner’s annual Chief Data & Analytics Officer Agenda Survey, conducted from September through November 2024 among just over 500 global data and analytics executives.
“There is a massive value vibe around data, where many organizations talk about the value of data, desire to be data-driven, etc., but there are few who can substantiate it,” said Michael Gabbard, senior director analyst at Gartner, on the findings. “Often, organizations that regularly align to data themes outperform their peers.”
The survey uncovered that, for the overwhelming majority (more than 90%), value- and outcome-focused areas of the data and analytics (D&A) leader’s role have become their main remit over the past 12 to 18 months, and will continue to be a concern going forward.
That said, only 22% of the surveyed organisations have defined, tracked, and communicated business impact metrics for the bulk of their D&A use case.
“Organizations are increasingly prioritizing the development of a robust D&As strategy to enhance decision making and operational efficiency and this falls to D&A leaders,” Gabbard noted.
“CDAOs must accelerate data-driven and decision-centric vision by spotting important trends early to make proactive, informed choices about D&A strategy and building operational context around these drivers.”
The research firm’s survey also found that, for 91% of CDAOs, creating an actionable D&A strategy is a primary responsibility for them.
“We found that while creating an actionable D&A strategy is a primary responsibility for these CDAOs, more than one-third of them do not identify establishing and evolving the operating model as a primary responsibility,” concluded Gabbard. “There is a perennial gap between planning and execution for D&A leaders.”
The UK Government is introducing stricter rules for online retailers selling knives, along with tougher penalties for failing to enforce the measures.
Following recent tragedies where the unlicensed sale of these weapons online has led to young people being killed, retailers will be required to report any bulk or suspicious purchases of knives on their digital platforms to police, and help prevent illegal re-sales happening across social media accounts.
The government is also increasing the sentence for selling weapons to under 18s from six months to up to two years prison time, which could apply to an individual who has processed the sale, or a CEO of the company.
Further, a new offence of possessing an offensive weapon with intent for violence will be introduced in the Crime and Policing Bill, which will come with a prison sentence of up to four years in prison.
The new measures, collectively known as “Ronan’s Law,” are in honour of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022 aged 16 in a case of mistaken identity near his Wolverhampton home.
Ronan’s killers, also teenagers, illegally bought weapons online and collected them from the Post Office on the day of the attack, with no age or identity verifications taking place. It was later revealed that one of Ronan’s killers had bought more than 20 knives online, including by using his mother’s ID.
The measures to close loopholes in the online sale of knives deliver on a UK Government manifesto commitment to introduce Ronan’s Law, and are the result of tireless campaigning by Ronan’s mother Pooja and sister Nikita to restrict young people’s access to weapons online.
“It is horrifying how easy it is for young people to get hold of knives online even though children’s lives are being lost, and families and communities are left devastated as a result,” said home secretary Yvette Cooper.
“Not enough has been done to tackle the online market over recent years which is why we made it an urgent priority in our manifesto and the measures today will be underpinned by investment for a new dedicated police unit to go after those who are breaking the law and putting children and teenagers’ lives at risk.
“We are honouring our commitment to introduce Ronan’s Law in memory of Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed in 2022. I am so grateful to the Kanda family for their endless perseverance in ensuring governments take the right actions to protect young people from further tragedy.
“This government has set an ambitious mission for the country to halve knife crime over the next decade and we will pursue every possible avenue to save young lives.”
The UK government said that tackling the online space is a core part of its plan for change.
It’s already announced that it will introduce significant fines in the region of £10,000 for tech executives who fail to remove illegal knife crime content from their platforms, and a mandatory two-step verification system for all retailers selling knives online.
This verification system will require customers to submit photo ID at the point of sale and again at the point of delivery. In addition, delivery companies will only be able to deliver a bladed article to the same person who purchased it.
In the spring, the Home Office also intends to launch a consultation into a registration scheme for retailers in order to sell knives online.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the lead public body for the country’s historic environment, has launched a new digital portal containing over three million records for people to dig into Scotland’s captivating past.
The website, trove.scot, has brought together millions of HES’s collections of information, images, video, spatial data, and archival material in one easy-to-access place for the first time.
From standing stones to skate parks, trove.scot covers over 5,000 years of history, combining a catalogue of Scotland’s archaeology and built heritage, designation records of Scotland’s most important historic sites and buildings, educational and archival images and media, and more.
Site functionalities such as filters, keywords, and map searches will help the likes of historians, heritage professionals, hobbyists, and educators alike to unearth a range of detail from HES’s different sources in a single search.
“We are excited to be bringing heritage even closer to people’s everyday lives with this new platform,” said Katerina Brown, who serves as chief executive of HES.
“trove.scot will make it easier to learn about the heritage and historic environment that surrounds you, whether that is the listed buildings on your street or archive images of historic events that shaped communities.
“trove.scot marks one of the largest investments in our programme to improve and enhance digital access to information on the historic environment, and increase the number and diversity of people who engage with Scotland’s history and heritage.
“We hope that by making the vast store of information we hold more accessible, trove.scot will encourage more people to dig into Scotland’s past and see what they can discover with the new platform.
“Of course, the launch is just the beginning, and we’ll continue working hard behind the scenes to bring more exciting innovations to service.”
The new digital portal has been made possible with funding from the Historic Scotland Foundation, which aims to promote and advance the work of Historic Environment Scotland for the public benefit.
According to Gartner, chief financial officers (CFOs) are planning significant technology budget boosts—despite ongoing economic and geopolitical disruption—viewing digital investments as crucial for growth and efficiency.
A recent survey conducted by the research and consulting firm of 300 CFOs found that 77% of respondents plan to boost spending in the technology category. What’s more, nearly half (47%) intend to increase spending by 10% or more this year compared to 2024.
“Investing in technology is no longer a choice but a necessity for companies aiming to maintain a competitive edge,” explained Randeep Rathindran, who serves as distinguished VP, research, in the Gartner finance practice.
“The continued focus on technology aligns with developments in traditional and generative AI, which promise to drive new offerings, enhance decision-making, and boost productivity,” he noted.
Employee Compensation Spend Falling?
Inversely, spending on staff compensation is trending downwards, with 61% of CFOs planning to increase average employee compensation in 2025, compared with 71% last year and 86% the year prior.
Further, the proportion of CFOs planning to boost average employee compensation by 10% or more fell from 16% in 2023 to 11% in 2025. While 70% of respondents planned increases of 4% to 9% in 2023, only around 50% are planning the same amount in 2025.
“Although the cooling labour market gives organisations more negotiating power on compensation, CFOs should remain sensitised to the potential risks of attrition and low engagement as prices for household necessities remain stubbornly high,” advised Rathindran.
Capitalising on Innovation and Efficiency
Most sectors are prioritising technology spending in 2025. In the retail sector, cost of goods sold (COGS) and compensation are likely to see increases as organisations aim to enhance product quality and customer interactions.
Meanwhile, in the banking sector, compensation and external services are also prioritised to attract technical talent and outsource non-strategic work.
“The consistent increase in technology budgets across sectors highlights the ongoing strategic shift towards digital transformation as a driver of innovation and efficiency,” said Rathindran.
A new AI system, dubbed “Knife Hunter,” has been developed by the University of Surrey in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police to help combat UK knife crime.
The system, which is believed to be the world’s first AI-based knife crime analysis system, allows police officers to identify weapons that are found during stops, that are seized, or are recovered from crime scenes.
With tens of thousands of knives recovered annually in the UK, the system enables police to log the weapons, trace their origins, and monitor geographical trends. Further, Knife Hunter stores data and generates reports on knife crime patterns.
At the core of the system is ACTNET, a cutting-edge recognition network developed by Professor Miroslaw Bober, project lead from the University of Surrey’s Institute for People-Centred AI, and his team.
Trained on a dataset containing over 25,000 images of knives spanning 550 differing knife types, the researchers said that the advanced system excels in identifying even the most subtle distinguishing features of various weapons, regardless of viewing angle, lighting conditions, or partial occlusions.
The system’s effectiveness in real-world operations was validated during UK-wide trials, conducted as part of the police’s Spectre operation.
Professor Bober and his team are continuing to work with the Met Police to deliver a new product that can be used by any police force, with an overview of how the Knife Hunter system works, the leads it can provide, and how to spot crime trends.
“For the past three years, we’ve partnered with the Metropolitan Police to develop a system that we believe could revolutionise how forces across the country tackle knife crime in the not-too-distant future,” said Professor Bober.
“Knife Hunter transforms the way police process and analyse images and videos, doing it faster and more efficiently. More importantly, it’s a major step forward in helping uncover the origins of weapons in our communities.
“Looking ahead, we’re excited about the potential for Knife Hunter and similar tools to work hand-in-hand with Police and local communities to create safer streets for everyone.”
According to Gartner, the technological consulting and research company, 10% of sales associates will save enough time with AI to seek “overemployment”—covertly working multiple jobs—by 2028.
The deployment and use of AI in sales will result in more sellers looking to engage in additional work outside their primary role due to feed capacity from AI automation, the research firm said.
Its survey of nearly 3,500 global employees, conducted in September of last year, discovered that 41% of sellers at least somewhat agree that new technology has freed up their capacity by automating manual, repetitive tasks.
“It is important for chief sales officers (CSOs) to be aware that some of their top talent is no longer engaged, and CSOs must implement new incentive structures before seller engagement drops and talent begins to leave,” said Alyssa Cruz, who serves as senior principal analyst in the Gartner sales practice.
“CSOs may need to revise compensation plans to remove or expand both hard and soft commission caps,” Cruz continued. “This tactic will help prevent sellers from perceiving diminishing returns on their efforts.”
The research firm’s predictions for what’s to come in the near-future also includes the forecast that, through 2028, around 30% of new sellers entering the workforce will experience a gap in critical social sales skills due to an overreliance on AI technologies.
Gartner noted that, as sales organisations increase interest and dependence on AI-enabled tech, there’ll be a rapid decline in sellers’ analytical—as well as social—skills, which are requisites for relationship building with customers.
Addressing the widening gap in social sales capabilities will require organisations to commit substantial resources to training programmes centred on fundamental interpersonal skills, including relationship building, active listening, empathy, and critical thinking.
Success in this evolving, technological landscape will demand a fundamental culture shift toward human-centric approaches that recognise the irreplaceable value of authentic, human connections in building trust and sustaining client relationships, the firm advised.
According to a new children’s manifesto, children and young people want better education around artificial intelligence to improve understanding and maximise its use.
The newly-published manifesto has been created following the world’s first Children’s AI Summit, organised by national data and AI institute The Alan Turing Institute alongside Queen Mary, University of London.
The report, which highlights the ideas and views from the 150 children who attended the summit, shows their concerns and thoughts on AI are centred on the three key areas of: education, the environment, and health and wellbeing.
For instance, they would like AI to be used as a tool for supporting education, including personalised learning, helping children to learn in ways that work for them. However, they’re conscious that an over reliance could impact key skills around creativity and problem solving.
The children would also like AI harnessed to advance scientific research, and especially around the environment. That said, they’re concerned about its negative impact on the environment—and want leaders to commit to clean energy sources for the powering of AI.
Further, they want AI to be used to help ensure the safety of children both online and offline. For example, utilising AI to detect signs of cyberbullying. They also think it should be developed to make healthcare and medicine better, and help support children and young people with their mental health.
Looking forward, they want adults to think about the experiences and needs of children and put measures in place to make sure AI is safe for children, and laws to guarantee that it’s developed and used ethically.
“Children and young people continue to demonstrate a strong understanding of how AI could be used for good, as well as the risks it can pose to their safety and wellbeing,” said Dr Mhairi Aitken, senior ethics fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. Aitken is presenting the manifesto at the Paris AI Action Summit today alongside a young person who attended the Children’s AI Summit.
“But until today, their voices have not been part of crucial discussions about the creation of AI policy and regulations.
“That’s why we’re so pleased and proud to be bringing their views to the Paris AI Action Summit today. We hope that this manifesto will help decision makers better understand the unique challenges they face and highlight the importance of listening to their views.”
Professor Colin Bailey CBE, president and principal of Queen Mary University of London, further commented: “As with all emerging technologies, it’s important that policies and regulations are developed which support the safe and ethical use of AI.
“It’s also vital that the voices of all impacted by the use of this technology are heard and considered when developing these policy regulations. For too long the voices of children, whose education, careers and lives will be most impacted by AI, have been left out of conversations regarding the use of AI. This has to change!
“That’s why I’m so proud Queen Mary University has partnered with The Alan Turing Institute to put children’s voices at the heart of discussions about how AI impacts their lives, today and in the future.”
Aberdeen researchers will create a digital twin of Arctic islands to produce and monitor real-time information on how such a critical area is being impacted by climate change.
Following funding from the European Space Agency (ESA), Aberdeen will lead the development of a real-time digital replica for the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard, which is said to be warming six times faster than the global average.
Svalbard is one of the areas where the visible consequences of climate change can be seen most clearly. It lies at the boundary between the warm Atlantic and cold Polar region, therefore even a small change in temperature can have a dramatic impact.
The warming seen in recent years has shifted this boundary, and now Svalbard is responding much faster than anticipated to climate change. But understanding this requires greater understanding of the interconnections between different environments such as glaciers, sea ice, snow, and weather that cannot be done with current tools.
The creation of the digital twin, called SvalbardDT, and designed to behave as closely as possible to its real-word counterpart, will enable changes to be monitored in real time. It also forms part of ESA’s goal to create a digital twin of the Earth, called Destination Earth.
Aberdeen researchers, working in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, Swansea University, Uppsala University, the Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE), the Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS), and EarthWave will develop real-time models of Svalbard’s ice and snow in order to generate more up-to-date information on their state.
“Svalbard is really important in our understanding of climate change impacts on the fragile Arctic as it is a location where we have seen accelerated warming,” said glaciologist Dr. William Harcourt, who’s from the University of Aberdeen and will lead the project.
“The creation of its digital twin is a major step forward in understanding the changes – and importantly the speed of change – happening there.
“Having a digital twin will enable us to see what is happening in real time, from anywhere in the world.
“Unlike isolated field campaigns that reflect data at one point in time and rely on new funding and logistical support to collect, we will use satellite data and develop real-time models of Svalbard’s snow and ice.
“The project will develop an end-to-end workflow to ingest data from satellites into Artificial Intelligence (AI) models and produce real-time data cubes describing Svalbard’s cryosphere.”
400,00 Euros, or 310,000 Pounds, has been allocated by the European Space Agency towards the Svalbard project.
According to the latest Scottish Business Monitor from the Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish businesses are increasingly pessimistic about their outlook for the coming year.
The survey, which was conducted between December 2024 and January 2025, and uncovered findings from more than 300 Scots firms, revealed that businesses are encountering challenges from multiple angles.
These include having to navigate a slowing economy, as well as the policy changes announced in both UK and Scottish Government Budgets that are expected to have significant impact on these businesses.
Despite easing headline inflation rates, over eight in 10 firms surveyed reported higher total operating costs in the last quarter of 2024.
While borrowing costs are falling gradually, just 13% of businesses indicated higher new capital investment in the last three months of the year relative to the third quarter. The Institute said this is unlikely to help longstanding concerns regarding Scotland’s productivity.
The latest survey also found that almost eight in 10 businesses indicated higher employee costs in the last three months of 2024, and are expecting higher employee costs to persist.
Regarding policy change, the recent employer National Insurance Contributions changes are expected to heavily impact business planning for the upcoming year. Seven in 10 businesses stated that these changes will have a significant impact on their operations in 2025.
Looking forward, three-quarters expect Scottish economic growth to remain weak or very weak in 2025. Respondents also indicated a strong desire for greater economic clarity, with nine in 10 businesses suggesting economic uncertainty is the most important over the first three months of 2025.
Speaking on the findings, Sanjam Suri, knowledge exchange fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute, said: “The survey results in the third quarter of 2024 indicate that Scottish businesses were showing cautious signs of optimism.
“However, the last three months of 2024 coincided with a weakening economy coupled with policy changes – especially employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are weighing on the minds of businesses as they begin 2025.
“Businesses have weathered a lot of challenges since the pandemic – spiking energy costs, high borrowing costs and inflation.
“Businesses will plan for upcoming NIC changes in their own unique ways. We will see over the rest of the year how the impact of NICs and other employment related changes crystallises into 2025. We will be surveying business sentiment again to get a better sense of how these dynamics evolve as the year progresses.”
The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that nearly 700,000 women across the country will take part in a “world-leading” trial to test how AI tools can be used to catch breast cancer cases earlier.
As the government ramps up use of new technology across the board, 30 testing sites across the country will be enhanced with new AI technologies, ready to invite women already booked in for routine screenings on the NHS to take part.
The technology will assist radiologists with screening patients to identify changes in breast tissue that show possible signs of cancer, who will be referred for further investigations if required.
As it stands, two specialists are needed per mammogram screening. With AI, however, just one is necessary to complete the same screening process safely and efficiently. If the trial proves to be successful, it could free up radiologists and other specialists to see more patients, cut waiting lists, and save more lives.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, with around 55,000 people being diagnosed with the disease every year in the UK. Currently, women between the ages 50 and 71 are invited to be screened every three years to help detect cases. This equates to around 2.1 million breast cancer screens carried out by the programme annually.
The announcement of the trial comes as cancer experts, people living with cancer, and medical professionals are invited to help shape the development of a new National Cancer Plan via the launch of a call for evidence, being announced later today by the health and social care secretary at an event hosted by Macmillan Cancer Support to mark World Cancer Day.
Dubbed “EDITH” (Early Detection using Information Technology in Health), the trial is backed by £11 million in government support via the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Professor Lucy Chappell, who serves as chief scientific adviser at the DHSC, said: “This landmark trial could lead to a significant step forward in the early detection of breast cancer, offering women faster, more accurate diagnoses when it matters most.
“It is another example of how NIHR research, shaped and funded by the public, is crucial for rigorously testing world-leading new technologies, such as AI, that can potentially save lives while reducing the burden on the NHS.”
The announcement also follows a recent investigation from Lord Darzi, director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College. The investigation found that someone in the UK dies from cancer every four minutes, and that cancer survival in this country is worse for some cancers than some similar nations.
Health and social care secretary of state Wes Streeting further commented: “As a cancer survivor, I feel like one of the lucky ones.
“With record numbers of people diagnosed with cancer, and Lord Darzi finding that cancer survival is worse in this country than our peers, I know that urgent action is needed to save lives and improve patient care.
“That’s why for World Cancer Day, I am committed to publishing a dedicated National Cancer Plan this year, to unleash Britain’s potential as a world-leader in saving lives from this deadly disease and make the NHS fit for the future through our Plan for Change.”
According to preliminary results from Gartner, the technological research and consulting company, global semiconductor revenue in 2024 totalled $626 billion (£508bn~), marking a rise of 18.1% over 2023.
“Graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI processors used in data center applications (servers and accelerator cards) were the key drivers for the chip sector in 2024,” explained George Brocklehurst, VP analyst at the research firm, on what caused the increase.
“The rising demand for AI and generative AI (GenAI) workloads led data centers to become the second-largest market for semiconductors in 2024, behind smartphones,” he added. “Data center semiconductor revenue totaled $112 billion in 2024, up from $64.8 billion in 2023.”
How Did Semiconductor Companies Rank?
Gartner highlighted that nine out of the top 10 semiconductor vendors recorded revenue growth last year, and only eight of the top 25 vendors posted revenue decline in 2024.
The positive performance of the overall market did impact the ranking of several semiconductor vendors, however.
When it comes to the top semiconductor vendors by revenue in Gartner’s rankings, Samsung Electronics reclaimed the number one spot from Intel, and extended its lead over the company in 2024 driven by a strong rebound in memory device prices. It totalled $66.5bn (£54bn~) in revenue in 2024.
Intel moved to second position, bringing in $49.1bn (£40bn~) in revenue last year, though Gartner noted that its semiconductor revenue was flat at 0.1% growth in 2024.
Nvidia continued to perform exceptionally well, increasing its semiconductor revenue by 84% in 2024, to total $46bn (£37.3bn~). It moved up two spots in the rankings to secure third position due to the strength of its AI business.
Following Nvidia is SK hynix, then Qualcomm, Micron Technology, Broadcom, AMD, Apple, and Infineon Technologies as the top 10 for 2024.
Memory Revenue in 2024
Gartner’s research also highlighted that memory revenue recorded 71.8% revenue growth in 2024. Memory’s share as a percentage of total semiconductor sales increased to 25.2% last year as well.
DRAM (dynamic random access memory) revenue improved 75.4% in 2024, while NAND (NOT AND) revenue increased 75.7% year-over-year. HBM (high-bandwith memory) production contributed significantly to the revenue for DRAM vendors, Gartner said, with HBM revenue representing 13.6% of total DRAM revenue in 2024.
Non-memory revenue increased 6.9% in 2024. Non-memory also accounted for 74.8% of total semiconductor revenue last year.
“Memory and AI semiconductors will drive near-term growth, with HBM projected to account for an increasing share of DRAM revenue, reaching 19.2% in 2025,” said Brocklehurst. “HBM revenue is estimated to increase 66.3% in 2025, reaching $19.8 billion.”
Scottish EDGE, the businessfunding competition, has joined forces with Techscaler and Scottish Enterprise to help drive economic change in Scotland with the introduction of two new awards.
Businesses looking to make a positive impact on Scotland’s economy could be in the running for up to £150,000 in support thanks to the new Mission EDGE Award, funded by Scottish Enterprise.
The new award debuts as part of the 25th round of Scottish EDGE Awards, which are now open, and offers a total prize pot of £1.5 million to applicants.
The introduction of the Mission EDGE Award has been designed to reflect Scottish Enterprise’s focus on driving change in Scotland’s economic performance by concentrating their expertise on three priority areas.
These “missions” are to create an internationally competitive energy industry in Scotland, to scale the impact of Scotland’s strengths into high-growth industries of the future, and to drive capital investment to deliver a step change in Scotland’s productivity.
A new, Techscaler-supported Young EDGE Award has also been introduced. Techscaler, the Scottish Government-backed programme designed to create, develop, and scale tech startups, is supporting this award to recognise and reward exceptional young talent in the tech sector.
The award itself offers a £15,000 prize to the top technology-focused business in the category for founders under the age of 30.
“Innovation is at the very heart of our economy,” commented deputy first minister, Kate Forbes. “We have the talent, the skills and the facilities to make Scotland one of Europe’s fastest-growing start-up economies and our Techscaler programme is central to that.
“The new Techscaler Young EDGE Award will help to underpin our commitment to fostering and nurturing Scotland’s young and vibrant tech entrepreneurs as we develop our pipeline of future innovators.”
Jane Martin, Scottish Enterprise’s managing director of innovation and investment, also remarked: “Scottish Enterprise’s mission-led approach means we are targeting our support where it can really help deliver transformational change for Scotland’s economy.
“We’re excited to provide this funding to businesses in collaboration with Scottish EDGE, powering our drive forward in creating a world-leading energy transition sector, delivering a step-change in Scotland’s productivity through driving increased capital investment, and scaling innovation in the high growth industries of the future.”
So far, Scottish EDGE has supported 663 businesses, provided over £28 million in grants and loans, helped create 4,172 jobs, and boosted the turnover of companies by £763 million.
Applications for round 25 of Scottish EDGE Awards will be accepted until the 27th February. The live final is scheduled for 9th May.
Orbex, the Highlands-based orbital launch services company, has secured £20 million in funding from the UK Government as part of its ongoing Series D fundraising round.
UK tech secretary Peter Kyle confirmed the investment today at Brussels’ European Space Conference. The investment will help to accelerate further development of Orbex’s Prime rocket—its 19-metre long, two-stage rocket designed to transport small satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
The rocket is poised to become the first in a new generation of “ultra green” launch systems, powered by renewable bi-propane fuel, significantly cutting carbon emissions compared to other similarly-sized rockets that are being developed elsewhere.
The cutting-edge rocket is set to take off from late 2025 at the SaxaVord spaceport on Unst, in the Shetland Islands. It’s one of two licensed vertical launch spaceports currently in Europe.
“By investing £20 million in this rocket launch, we are not only helping the country to become a leading destination for small satellite launches in Europe but bringing highly skilled jobs and investment to communities and organisations across the UK, as part of our Plan for Change,” said the tech secretary.
“Supporting Orbex’s launch will also turbocharge the country’s position in the space sector and inspire our next generation of space professionals, who will be able to design, test, build and launch British rockets, carrying British satellites, from British soil.”
Phillip Chambers, who serves as CEO of Orbex, also remarked: “This first of a kind investment by the UK government demonstrates its confidence in the UK’s space rocket manufacturing and launch sector and is an exciting start to the opening of our Series D fundraising.
“We are entering the final preparations to deliver the most flexible and environmentally sustainable launch services to the global satellite industry.
“This investment paves the way not only for us to launch our first rocket this year but also to develop a larger rocket to enable us to compete in the European Launcher Challenge. These development goals are crucial to our longer-term development.”
In addition to the UK Government’s funding, the rocket firm has also received investment from the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), Octopus Ventures, and private investor Sohaib Abbasi.
The announcement of the funding follows the recent news that Orbex appointed Andy Bradford to serve as the rocket firm’s chief technology officer (CTO).
Bradford has brought over two decades of experience in the space industry, with specialism in small satellite and launch operations. He previously led UK Launch Services Ltd (UKLSL) as CEO, and spent over 10 years in various senior technical and project roles, including director of engineering with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL).
New records published by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology shows councils across the UK are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to support local citizens.
The data reveals that AI is being used to identify when a pensioner has had a fall, to stop people from going into rent arrears, to map which houses need loft insulation, and to help citizens search for jobs in social care, among other use cases.
The London Borough of Sutton, for instance, is utilising AI-enabled fridge sensors and connected kettles to detect changes in the daily routines of vulnerable people which could indicate a decline in health and lead to a fall.
Helping people who would otherwise need additional care, the tech uses sensors to spot changes in behaviour, like missed meals, a skipped cup of tea, or whether a door has been left open for too long, before AI analysis is used to detect whether something might be wrong. An alert is then sent to close family members or carers so they can stop by to check on how they are and offer additional support if needed.
Details of the technology, which was developed by tech company The Access Group and Medequip Connect, have been released today alongside nine other public sector organisations setting out how they use AI and algorithmic tools.
The publication of these records follows technology secretary Peter Kyle setting out a blueprint for how his department aims to help the public sector use tech to transform public services, targeting £45 in potential productivity savings.
The plan will see a new team, housed in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), cut across barriers to join up public services, including those provided by local councils so people don’t have to tell dozens of organisations the same thing.
It’s been said that the team will first start by looking at services used by people with long-term health conditions across organisations like the NHS, the Department for Work and Pensions, local councils, and more.
Speaking from a trip to see the tech-enabled care solution in Sutton, AI and digital government minister Feryal Clark said: “AI has immense potential to make our lives easier and improve public service.
“The technology we are together sharing with the public today includes shining examples of innovation that does everything from speeding up crucial applications for bigger bins, to helping people live independently.
“Being transparent with the detail of how we are putting AI to work in public services is crucial to our plans to use technology to improve public services, which is a key part of our Plan for Change.”
The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI, has named its new CEO.
Following a nationwide recruitment campaign, it’s been confirmed that Heather Thomson has been appointed as the latest leader of The Data Lab after taking on the interim CEO role last year.
Thomson first joined The Data Lab in 2018, leading the £8 million data and AI skills programme before stepping up to the executive team in 2021.
She was most recently appointed to the role of interim CEO to lead The Data Lab’s transition to the new 10-year National Innovation Centre Programme following Brian Hills’ departure in April 2024.
In her new role, Thomson will be responsible for leading the innovation centre’s 30+ strong team, as well as facilitating connections and collaborations across all sectors to drive innovation and address the demand for skills—supporting academic, public sector, and business communities in Scotland.
“My appointment to the role of CEO is a huge privilege, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the team as we continue to promote cross-sector growth, collaboration, and innovation in Scotland through the responsible use of data and AI,” Thomson commented.
“Our online community of over 6,000 members across 80 countries is a testament to the power of collective action. I look forward to continuing to build on our success in creating new opportunities for individuals and organisations alike.
“As technology continues to advance at an unprecedented rate, this is a pivotal time as both the Scottish and UK Governments address the actions required to ensure that, as a nation, we are not left behind.
“Together, we will work to ensure that digital, data, and AI literacy is accessible to all, helping to position Scotland as a leader in responsible innovation that empowers everyone to thrive.”
Les Bayne, chair of The Data Lab, added: “Heather’s leadership has been a driving force in the evolution of The Data Lab, cultivating collaborations between academia and industry, growing talent and driving innovation through skills and education.
“Thanks to Heather’s contribution, we’re in a strong position to continue this work over the next decade.
“Heather’s appointment is well deserved, and I look forward to working closely with her as we develop our plans to transform the use of data and AI, enabling innovation, fostering connections and enhancing skills to improve lives and drive economic growth in Scotland and beyond.”
New data has shown that businesses in Scotland, alongside many other regions of the UK, saw further rises in signs of financial distress in Q4 2024.
According to business rescue and recovery specialist Begbies Traynor, whose Red Flag Alert has measured and reported corporate financial distress since 2004, “critical” instances of financial distress rose by a massive 56.5% from Q3 to 2,353 in Q4. This is 6.3% higher than the UK average rise of 50.2%.
The latest data also revealed that in Q4 2024, there was a 25.4% increase in levels of Scots business suffering from “significant” financial distress compared with Q4 2023. This figure is around 4% higher than the UK average year-on-year rise of 21.3%.
This latter type of distress, which refers to deterioration in key financial ratios and indicators like working capital and retained profits, was recorded in 32,696 instances in Scotland. Meanwhile, across the wider UK, there were more than 654,000 instances of business financial distress, and a marginally slower quarter-on-quarter rise of 3.5%.
Industry-wise, almost every sector in Scotland saw rises in critical distress compared with the previous three-month period, with utilities being one of the sectors to see the highest rises. Professional services, meanwhile, was one of the most affected sectors to experience significant financial distress compared to the prior quarter.
Commenting on the findings, Ken Pattullo, who serves as managing partner for Begbies Traynor in Scotland, said: “The huge jump in critical distress compared to last quarter hides a slight fall in that measure year on year, and can in part be attributed to seasonal peaks and troughs.
“However, the data for significant distress levels tends to predict future critical distress some months later, and is something of an early warning of widespread impact to come.
“Yet another quarter of increased distress is compounded by the imminent impact of the Autumn budget and increased associated costs for business.
“There is evidence that cost inflation, although lower than a year ago, is still trickling through the supply chain, and layer on top of that the additional costs of employing staff from April 2025 and things look fairly grim for the second half of the year.
Mr Pattullo continued: “It’s clear that with so many businesses carrying so much debt the unwelcome additional cost burden that resulted for many employers in the recent budget could well be the straw that broke the camel’s back for many Scottish firms.”
Openreach’s new fibre network, so Scottish homes and businesses can connect to ultrafast, reliable broadband, has now reached half of the country.
The telecoms infrastructure company has spent more than £435 million on full fibre links for Scotland so far—with nearly 1.5 million properties able to upgrade and take-up at 38%, which is ahead of the UK average as a whole.
Openreach noted that around 30% of the new fibre footprint is in rural areas, with around 100,000 of the hardest-to-reach properties upgraded through Openreach work with the Scottish Government and other public sector partners.
Islanders in the Scottish islands of Tiree, Iona, and Mull are among the latest to be connected through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% rollout, the programme helping to provide broadband access across the country.
Work is continuing in numerous cities, towns, and villages including Inverness, Perth, Helensborough, and Castle Douglas, with Openreach’s commercial builds set to start in the island capitals of Lerwick, Kirkwall, and Stornoway this year.
New research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research shows the fibre rollout could deliver a £4.38 billion boost to the Scottish economy by 2029, and attract around 27,000 new residents to Scotland, mostly in lower-density regions.
Speaking on the milestone, Scottish Government minister for business, Richard Lochhead, said: “This is a significant milestone in the mission to deliver faster, more reliable broadband to homes and businesses across Scotland.
“In today’s world, fast, reliable broadband isn’t just a convenience – it’s a necessity for many individuals and businesses. That’s why we’re committed to extending coverage through public sector investment while continuing to encourage commercial build.
“We will continue to work with Openreach to deliver access to faster broadband where it is needed most – in rural and island communities – through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% programme, which has benefitted from more than £600 million of Scottish Government investment.”
Kate Milligan, Openreach’s chief commercial officer and chair of its Scotland Board, also commented: “Fast, reliable connectivity is a game-changer in every part of Scotland. It fuels economic growth and can support the redistribution of economic activity to less populated areas.
“This is quite simply one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades Scotland will see this century. We’re paving the way to future job creation, remote work, digital learning, and innovative healthcare access.
“We’re proud of the progress our engineers have made – and there’s lots more still to come.”
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out plans today to “take up this great new technological era to modernise our education system, back our teachers and deliver for our children.”
Delivering a keynote address at edtech event The Bett Show in London, the minister will tell the delegation how teaching will be “revolutionised” by the way the sector engages with tech at each stage.
From knowing what tech to buy through to teacher training and classroom usage, the education secretary will lay out a raft of new measures to help drive rising standards in education and cut costly- and time-consuming processes via technology.
“The world of even five years ago is gone forever, now we must seize the opportunities of the future,” Phillipson is expected to say today.
“We can hope for a brighter future for our children – delivered by a digital revolution in education.
“I will take up this great new technological era to modernise our education system, to back our teachers and to deliver better life chances for our children across the country.”
What Does the Department for Education Have In Store?
To be discussed is the “Plan Technology for Your Schools” service, which aims to help schools prioritise where to invest tech, based on a personalised assessment of their needs.
The Department for Education has already outlined that the service focuses on essential technology and ensures that schools are compliant with digital standards.
This is in addition to a new “EdTech Evidence Board.” The pilot will be delivered by the Chartered College of Teaching to explore how to effectively build evidence of AI products that work well, helping education settings feel confident that they’re choosing products that work well for them and for their classrooms.
Amid the continuing advancement of AI, it will also be announced today that leading global tech firms have jointly committed to making AI tools for education safer by design.
Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, and Adobe are among the firms who have developed a set of expectations AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use.
The “AI Product Safety Expectations in Education” framework sets out clear technical safeguards, including prioritising child-centred design and enhanced filtering of harmful content.
The education department has already noted that it “represents the most detailed set of safety expectations for AI in education anywhere in the world.”
The conference will also hear how the department plans to use tech to improve outcomes for vulnerable pupils: For the first time, all new teachers will be trained on the effective use of assistive technology to support children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Evidence shows that using readily-available, low-cost technology such as dictation tools or text-to-speech software is a key part of high-quality teaching for SEND pupils.
That said, only 13% of teachers received training on accessibility features between 2021 and 2023.
A pilot of the assistive technology training in mainstream schools however found “staggering benefits,” with over eight out of ten teachers and school staff surveyed saying their students’ independence, confidence, and engagement improved.
Additional measures are set to be announced by the education secretary later today.
Today’s announcement closely follows the government announcing sweeping changes to harness the benefits of tech to transform public services, using new technologies to “usher in a decade of renewal and saving the taxpayer billions in efficiency savings.”
University of Glasgow researchers are to lead a new £4 million project which explores the potential of utilising “neurobots” to help treat epilepsy.
The project, dubbed NEUROBOT, is being funded by ARIA, an R&D funding agency launched to unlock technological breakthroughs. ARIA was created by an Act of Parliament and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology.
Over the next four years, the NEUROBOT team will work to develop advanced, injectable neural robots—or “neurobots”—to deliver a treatment called “closed-loop neuromodulation” as an epilepsy treatment.
Closed-loop neuromodulation monitors brain activity and provides electrical stimulation to help treat epileptic seizures when they occur. Neuromodulation can also help seizures from happening at all.
Made from advanced nanomaterials, the neurobots will provide precisely-targeted neural stimulation, as well as deliver drugs to patients via newly-developed bioactive coatings and encapsulants.
This type of technology ultimately addresses the limitations of traditional deep brain stimulation and recording, which uses electrodes implanted in brain tissue and can disrupt brain function and cause side effects.
The team’s broader vision is to revolutionise neuromodulation therapies by using innovative materials and AI-driven control to create individualised, adaptive treatments that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
Leading the project team will be Professor Hadi Heidari of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering. NEUROBITE Technologies, a spinout from the University of Glasgow by PhD student Maria Cerezo-Sanchez, is also lending support to the project, as is partners at the Universities of Exeter, Manchester, Newcastle, and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Italy.
Speaking on the project, Professor Heidari said: “We’re pleased and proud to have received this funding from ARIA’s Precision Neurotechnologies programme. It will enable us to build on previous breakthrough research collaborations between the partners on the potential for neurobots to treat epilepsy more effectively and less invasively.
“The project will benefit from access to the University of Glasgow’s world-leading James Watt Nanofabrication Centre to develop our prototype neurobots.
“Our team comprises experts from a diverse range of fields, including nanotechnology, neurobiology, and biomedical engineering, with backgrounds in developing advanced microelectronics, neuromodulation techniques, and biocompatible materials.
“Each partner brings unique expertise, ensuring a comprehensive approach to the NEUROBOT project and enhancing our capacity for successful research and development in precision neuromodulation therapies.”
According to a new report set to be published this Tuesday, citizens and workers alike are being hindered by the use of archaic technology in the public sector.
Taxpayer-funded services, from local councils to the NHS, are missing out on £45 billion in productivity savings due to dependence on old and outdated tech, the UK Government has said ahead of the report’s publication.
The findings will show that nearly half of public services are unable to be accessed by people online, over one-in-four digital systems used by central government are outdated, and that a growing number of these outdated systems are “red-rated” for reliability and security risk.
To tackle the “shocking state the previous government left public technology,” tech secretary Peter Kyle will use digital tools and AI to overhaul public sector technology in a bid to save money and treat people with respect, the government noted.
For instance, patients with long-term health conditions can be forced to communicate with over 40 different services to access the care and support they need and are entitled to, with these different public bodies rarely sharing information, leaving people needing to repeat themselves over and over.
Kyle will set out a wholesale reshaping of how services use technology, reaching across local government, the NHS, and more, as to modernise the state.
The specific, to-be-announced changes could save taxpayers “billions,” the government pointed out, by making public services more productive, as well as freeing up public servants and doctors to spend more time helping people.
The changes also aim to make it easier for people to access government services and drive economic growth by supporting businesses to get approvals they need more quickly, delivering on multiple aims of the government’s Plan for Change.
Kyle himself commented: “Technology that sits at the foundation of our country has been left to wither and decay under the hands of the previous government, too often grinding to a halt and stalling essential public services – racking up a huge bill for the taxpayer.
“It doesn’t have to be this way – and it won’t be with our Plan for Change. There is a £45 billion jackpot for the public sector if we get technology adoption right, that’s twice the size of the black hole we faced when we took office, and it’s not an opportunity we can let pass us by.
“The new findings are also expected to show government departments have been pushed towards bringing in contractors and consultants to complete basic technological tasks instead of full-time staff.
“This trend was driven by weak salaries and headcount restrictions that stopped departments. This is despite them costing three times more than civil servants and eating up £14.5 billion in taxpayer money a year.”
The announcement of these changes come around a week after prime minister Starmer unveiled a 50-point action plan to “turbocharge” UK AI, called the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
The new changes are to deliver on key recommendations of the plan by transforming citizens’ experience of government services, improving productivity, and strengthening the foundations for how data is used.
Gartner, the tech research and consulting firm, has outlined how certain technologies and geopolitical shifts will shape the automotive sector in the coming year, amid pressure on emissions and intense growth in non-Western markets.
“Software and electrification will remain the two main drivers of the automotive sector’s transformation,” explained Pedro Pacheco, VP analyst at Gartner.
“However, in 2025, automakers will face uncertainties regarding emission regulations and growing trade tensions between China and the West, particularly in the electric vehicle (EV) market.”
The evolving political landscape in the U.S. and EU is reopening the discussion on vehicle emission regulations, producing uncertainty for the automotive industry. As a result, some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) may be reluctant to put EVs at the centre of their strategy, the consulting firm noted.
That said, it estimates that shipments of EVs (including cars, buses, vans, and heavy trucks) will grow 17% in 2025. By 2030, Gartner predicts more than 50% of all vehicle models marketed by automakers will be EVs.
CASE Adoption Slowed by Geopolitics
Trade barriers set by the U.S. and EU on Chinese EVs will slow the adoption of connectivity, autonomy, software, and electrification (CASE) in these regions, Gartner highlighted. This is because, on average, Chinese EVs are the most advanced type of vehicles in these areas.
Specifically, automakers from China have a competitive edge in software and electrification, supported by vertical integration and efficient development, enabling them to offer more advanced, affordable EVs. Increasing trade barriers may diminish this advantage, however, limiting the variety of competitive EV products for consumers.
“Drone manufacturers and Chinese telecommunication companies are already feeling the impact of international sanctions, and robots are likely to follow,” said Bill Ray, who serves as distinguished VP at Gartner.
“The ubiquity of intelligent, updatable software, remotely accessible cameras and the integration of data gathering into the automotive business model make it inevitable that geopolitics will fragment the market and, therefore, slow adoption.”
OEMs Expand Software Partnerships
Legacy OEMs have struggled to advance their in-house software capabilities, the research firm outlined.
As a result, many have made agreements with Chinese OEMs to acquire their vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture, thereby increasing their reliance on the software and hardware capabilities of EV makers from China.
OEM Plant Closures Prompted by Overcapacity
Gartner noted that, for years, production overcapacity has been a challenge for several European and North American car factories alike. The recent increase in import tariffs on Chinese EVs imposed by the U.S. and the EU is likely to exacerbate this issue, too.
In response, Chinese automakers may set up factories in Europe and the US, the research firm said, or in free-trade partners like Morocco or Turkey, as to maintain competitive pricing.
Gartner expects this situation to most likely lead to several automotive factories with low utilisation to close or be sold to other automakers. In turn, this will create a domino effect, leading to the closure of supplier factories.
This will then redefine the car manufacturing map of the U.S. and Europe, the consulting firm explained, making low-cost countries the major hubs in automotive production capacity and supply chain.
The UK Government has announced that those developing cutting-edge fusion energy have received a record £410 million in investment, helping to kickstart economic growth as per the government’s Plan for Change.
The research and development funding will support the rapid development of the UK fusion energy sector—which aims to provide secure, clean, and unlimited energy in the future—over the 2025 to 2026 period.
This includes initiatives like Fusion Futures, a suite of measures aimed at building fusion capability, including skills development; repurposing JET, the old fusion machine at Culham in Oxfordshire; supporting the UK Atomic Energy Authority’s existing research, innovation, and facilities; and working towards STEP, a world-leading prototype powerplant.
Industry leaders have been shortlisted by delivery body UK Industrial Fusion Solutions (UKIFS) to help construct STEP, short for Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production, at a former coal power plant in Nottinghamshire.
Five construction and engineering bids have progressed to the next round of the UKIFS competition to deliver the prototype fusion energy plant by 2040, driving progress towards the commercialisation of fusion in the UK.
The creation of fusion uses the same process that powers the sun by combining two forms of hydrogen and heating them at extreme temperatures, releasing vast amounts of energy.
This new funding supporting fusion R&D follows the announcement at the Autumn Budget 2024 of “significant support in 2025-26 for UK fusion energy research.”
Ed Miliband, who serves as energy secretary, commented: “After scientists first theorised over 70 years ago that it could be possible, we are now within grasping distance of unlocking the power of the sun and providing families with secure, clean, unlimited energy.
“Britain is at the forefront of this global race to deliver fusion, and today’s record level of funding will provide investment and economic growth through our Plan for Change, delivering on net zero and creating the clean energy of the future.”
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, the CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, also said: “I am delighted by the strong support from government to delivering fusion as a safe, sustainable energy of the future, and to anchor this exciting new industry in the UK.”
AI-powered enterprise video communications platform Synthesia has announced it has secured a $180 million (£147m~) Series D funding round.
This latest funding round brings the London-based tech company’s total capital raised to over $330m (£270m~), valuing the firm at $2.1bn (£1.7bn~).
According to Dealroom, this means that Synthesia is now the largest generative AI media company in the UK by valuation, and the second largest in the overall AI category.
The latest round in the company, whose platform lets users create custom and incredibly life-like AI avatars for corporate video communications and materials, was led by American investment firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA).
Participation also came from existing investors including Google Ventures, MMC Ventures and FirstMark, and new backers such as WiL (World Innovation Lab), Atlassian Ventures, and PSP Growth.
The AI firm said that the new milestone will fuel its next phase of growth, helping to support product development and talent growth, and expand its AI-powered video platform to meet the needs of several international markets, including Japan and North America.
As it stands, the company has offices in seven countries around the globe, with customers across many markets and industries, and generating just over half of its revenue from the United States.
Speaking on the funding, CEO and co-founder of Synthesia, Victor Riparbelli, said: “This new investment will help us develop a new generation of AI-powered video experiences that are interactive, real-time, and personalised, offering possibilities we could have only imagined when we founded the company in 2017.
“I’m excited to bring these experiences to our over 60,000 customers, which range from the world’s largest brands to thousands of small businesses that use Synthesia to communicate internally and externally with unmatched engagement and efficiency.”
The UK Government’s science, innovation, and technology secretary Peter Kyle further added: “Synthesia’s latest investment is a powerful demonstration of how our Plan for Change is encouraging innovation and driving growth in the UK’s thriving AI sector.
“This funding showcases the confidence investors have in British tech, especially following our newly announced blueprint for AI, and highlights the global leadership of UK-based companies in pioneering generative AI innovations.
“Synthesia’s success story underscores how the UK remains the ideal place for companies to grow, thrive and lead the next chapter of the digital revolution.”
As both technology and the world of work continues to shift and advance, research firm Gartner has released the seven workplace tech predictions that HR leaders will need to take action on in 2025—and beyond—to ensure organisational competitiveness, talent retention, and the clinching of desired business outcomes.
Speaking on the new predictions and how they fall under three broad categories, Emily Rose McRae, who serves as senior director analyst in the Gartner HR practice, said: “This year’s predictions address three key challenges executives must tackle in 2025: New demands for a future-ready workforce, the evolving role of managers and leaders and emerging talent risks to organizational strategy.”
New Demands for a Future-ready Workforce
1. Embrace Collective Intelligence via Technology
In 2025, the largest-ever proportion of the global workforce will reach retirement age, draining organisations of their most experienced employees at an accelerated rate, Gartner said.
Simultaneously, technology has upended the relationship between expert and novice employees across industries. Employees also report a lack of hands-on training; a May 2024 Gartner survey of 3,375 employees found that six in 10 said they aren’t getting the on-the-job coaching they need to support their core job skills.
To address this threat to the expertise pipeline, Gartner advocates for organisations to begin embracing collective intelligence: technology-supported capabilities to ensure that knowledge can easily flow between experts who have skills and novice employees who need skills.
2. Organisational Redesign to Prepare for Tech Innovation
CEOs are focused on growth in 2025 with many citing technology—and AI specifically—as a significant facilitator. While generative AI solutions have not delivered on their promised productivity impact yet, the research firm said, the lacklustre results have shown the inherent and intractable barriers of current organisational structures to the adoption of new technological innovation.
This year, executives will make substantive changes to how their organisations operate, creating flatter, less hierarchical companies, centralising corporate functions to reduce duplicative work and create consistency, and investing in agile learning practices for fusion teams.
3. Experiment with Nudgetech
The current and future workforce comes with a wide array of cultural norms and increasingly varied expectations around communication, many of which are not compatible, Gartner explained. Conflict among employees is escalating and, along with a growing professional communication gap, is preventing collaboration and innovation.
To restore effective collaboration and cohesion, leading companies should experiment with nudgetech, an emerging set of AI-powered tools, in 2025. For example, companies can utilise AI to prompt employees to use email rather than text based on a particular client’s preferences, remind managers of their direct reports’ working styles, or generate custom communication tips.
“By offering hyper-personalized nudges with clear explanations for why the changes are recommended, nudgetech creates a double benefit of improved communication and increased behavior change,” said Kaelyn Lowmaster, director in the Gartner HR practice.
Evolving Role of Leaders and Managers
4. Embrace Bots that Assist in Management
The use of AI in performance management continues to be debated, but demand for AI in performance management is coming from an unexpected place—employees. An October 2024 Gartner survey of nearly 3,500 employees found that 87% of employees think that algorithms could give fairer feedback than their managers right now. A June 2024 Gartner survey of more than 3,300 employees revealed that 57% believe humans are more biased than AI when it comes to making compensation decisions.
In addition to injecting increased objectivity into the workplace when done right, companies that leverage automated technology can take some challenging tasks off managers’ plates. Managers will still finalise major decisions, as the human in the loop verifying and validating the bots’ recommendations. For more everyday activities such as in-the-moment performance feedback, bots are likely to take on an increasing share of managers’ tasks.
5. Implement Guidelines Around AI-generated Work
Gartner stated that AI companies are actively marketing their tools as a workplace competency filter—a way for employees to make their efforts appear highly productive and impactful to their managers and colleagues.
Organisations, therefore, will need to determine new ways to define and reward high performance as it becomes harder to differentiate employees whose work quality stems from their own efforts from those who are reliant on AI. HR will need to develop clear guidelines on the AI-generated work that is and is not acceptable. They must train managers to recognise when employees are relying too much on AI and to intervene appropriately, the research firm advocated.
6. Help Prioritise AI Deployments with an Employee-centric Lens
AI-first organisations are making organisational and strategic changes based on the short-term, next-quarter potential for GenAI while discounting long-term considerations, noted Gartner. These neglected longer-term effects can include increased work friction, the need for new role design and workflows, barriers to adoption, and more.
This year, progressive organisations will instead take an employee-centric lens that puts people at the center and technology features second. Using this lens, HR leaders can help leaders prioritise AI deployments and execute implementations successfully based on what employees need to be more productive and innovative. When companies take a human-first approach to AI, employees are 1.5 times more likely to be high performers and 2.3 times more likely to be highly engaged, said the research firm.
7. Co-create AI Strategies and Values with Employees
In the absence of organisational, government, or vendor action, employees are stepping up to shape the norms of human-technology collaboration themselves, explained Gartner.
This year, organisations will see continued employee activism driving the adoption of Responsible AI principles. Progressive companies will embrace this, co-creating their AI strategy and values with employees, including crowdsourcing AI use cases directly from employees before deciding which capabilities to pilot and incorporating multiple avenues for collecting and evaluating employee feedback.
The UK Government has said that artificial intelligence will be “unleashed” across the country to deliver a decade of national renewal under a new plan announced today (January 13).
Unveiling details of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, Prime Minister Kier Starmer stated AI can transform the lives of working people, for instance to speed up planning consultations to get Britain building, help drive down admin for teachers so they can focus on teaching, and feed AI through cameras to spot potholes and help improve roads.
The new AI Opportunities Action Plan takes forward all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford CBE, the co-founder of tech talent investment company Entrepreneur First and co-leader of the first AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in 2023.
Key changes include creating new AI Growth Zones to speed up planning proposals and build more AI infrastructure, with the first of these being Culham in Oxfordshire.
Increasing public compute capacity by twentyfold to access the processing power needed to fully embrace this kind of technology is another major component of the plan, with work on this to start “immediately” by building a new supercomputer.
A new National Data Library will also be established under the AI Opportunities Action Plan, with the aim to safely and securely unlock the value of public data and support AI development.
Further, a new team will be set up in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to seize the opportunities of AI and build the UK’s sovereign capabilities.
The announcement comes as three major tech companies—Kyndryl, Nscale, and Vantage Data Centres—commit to £14 billion investment in the UK to build the infrastructure required to harness the potential of AI, and deliver over 13,000 jobs in the UK.
This is on top of the £25 billion in investment announced at the International Investment Summit last year.
Speaking on AI’s potential and this new plan to capitalise on it, Prime Minister Kier Starmer said: “Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.
“But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race.
“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.
“That’s the change this government is delivering.”
The Action Plan is at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy, the UK Government noted, and is the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, which is to be published in the coming months.
Commenting on the Plan’s implications for Scotland, Heather Thomson, Interim CEO of The Data Lab, said: “The investment in AI in today’s AI Action Plan is hugely welcomed. Following the comment by Richard Lochead, MSP, on the opportunity of AI for Scotland, we wholeheartedly agree that Scotland is already well-placed to deliver on this with significant potential to benefit society for all and grow the economy.
“We see daily how AI can benefit all sectors, from health and social care to construction. The commitment to carry out the recommendations set out in the plan is significant and will help transform lives across the UK, supporting talent development, safe AI adoption and economic growth.
“Supporting the development and diversity of talent in AI is an important step to help meet the increasing demand for these skills. The creation of AI Growth Zones will also fuel innovation and growth and bringing these zones to Scotland would ensure new and innovative ideas continue to flourish.”
According to a new report, the UK is the second highest-paying IT market in Europe, beaten only by Switzerland and ahead of countries like Germany and the Netherlands.
The report, European Transparent IT Job Market Report 2024, also discovered that London, Belfast, Cambridge, Birmingham, and Manchester were the foremost leading UK locations when it comes to IT remuneration, with the average London salary being £67,800, and the top 10% of salaries there exceeding £105,000.
Meanwhile, Southampton, Cardiff, Bradford, Liverpool, and Brighton were the lowest for pay. Brighton came last place in the UK’s rankings, with the average IT salary being £41,200 while the top 10% of salaries there exceed £55,000.
The major Scottish cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow were middle of the pack, the report found. The average IT industry salary in the Scots capital was £49,700, and in Glasgow £48,800. The highest 10% of salaries in Edinburgh exceed £70,000, while for Glasgow the figure is slightly lower at £65,000 and above.
Interestingly, the data also uncovered that Golang, Python, Java, C/C++, and DevOps were among the highest-paying technologies, languages, and skills that are sought after. In comparison, PHP and QA jobs typically offer lower compensation.
In terms of key stats regarding Europe as a whole, the report highlighted that 93% of IT industry respondents can work remotely at least one day a week, while 45% of people had the option to work fully remote at their jobs. However, for almost half of respondents who work remotely, there’s the downside that remote work can lead to a sense of disconnection from co-workers.
When looking for a new role, the majority of respondents saw the possibility of remote work, in addition to salary, as the most appealing aspects. Only 5% said that the reputation of a company was at the front of mind when looking for new opportunities.
SwissDevJobs—which also owns IT jobs boards for other continental countries as well as the UK-oriented platform, DevITJobs.co.uk—analysed data from over 18,000 job offers on its platform to create the report. It also surveyed IT specialists within its online community.
An integrated housing and care tech project supporting retirees will be delivered in South Lanarkshire, following Glasgow-based tech company Archangel securing a share of a £600,000 funding round from the UK Government.
Partnering with the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) and Bield Housing & Care, the new project aims to cover around 25 homes within a Biggar retirement housing development, placing unobtrusive sensors to monitor property and wellbeing conditions such as temperature, humidity, and motion.
The data will then be sent to the Glasgow tech company’s ambient assisted living (AAL) technology platform and be automatically monitored around the clock so that if any issues arise affecting tenants or their living conditions, they can be quickly responded to.
The sensors themselves are connected to Angelnet, a connectivity network that includes broadband, mobile, and LoRaWAN (wireless low power long range wide area network).
The “Evaluating care delivery in rural settings” project is one of eleven digital health- and tech-focused projects from the Glasgow City region to have received investment from the latest round of the UK’s Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) 5G Innovation Regions (5GIR) funding vehicle.
Speaking on the benefits of opening up data, Archangel’s CEO and founder Tom Morton said: “Data related to social housing, health, care and wellbeing is currently fragmented across multiple vendor systems and siloed datasets.
“This disjointed approach creates inefficiencies and hinders the large-scale adoption of IoT due to the costs associated with numerous single purpose systems and specialised skills required to manage them. It also weakens efforts to support integrated healthy, sustainable homes initiatives.
“This project showcases a smarter more cost-efficient approach to resolve these challenges using social housing data collection and presentation from multiple IoT (Internet of Things) devices via a unified communication infrastructure.
“It offers a single, holistic view of individuals and their home environments, allowing for collective decision-making and timely interventions.”
Janette Hughes, director of planning and performance at DHI, also added: “This is ultimately about making housing safer and more responsive to personal circumstances for communities and allowing people to live happier, longer and more secure lives in their own properties.
“It is fantastic to see a Scottish business securing this type of funding as our role as a national innovation centre is to support research and innovation into digital health to help the people of Scotland live longer, healthier lives while supporting businesses access new funding and business opportunities.”
The United States’ White House has launched a cybersecurity label, dubbed the “US Cyber Trust Mark,” for internet-connected devices.
The new cybersecurity label aims to help consumers know how products rate against security criteria established by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, and provide citizens with a better understanding of how cyber-secure the items they bring into their homes are.
The bipartisan effort has been undertaken amid worries among the American public regarding the security of smart devices—which include the likes of light bulbs to baby monitors. DIGIT recently reported on findings that during the first half of last year, Internet of Things (IoT)-based threats dramatically rose, seeing a 107% rise in attacks, according to SonicWall.
The hope is that the new, voluntary cybersecurity labelling programme will not only help to educate and inform consumers across the country, but also incentivise technology and electronics companies to produce devices that are more cyber-secure—similar to what “Energy Star” labels for appliances have done regarding energy efficiency.
Speaking on the initiative, Justin Brookman, who serves as director of technology policy at nonprofit consumer organisation Consumer Reports, said: “Consumer Reports is eager to see this program deliver a meaningful U.S. Cyber Trust Mark that lets consumers know their connected devices meet fundamental cybersecurity standards.
“The mark will also inform consumers whether or not a company plans to stand behind the product with software updates and for how long. While voluntary, Consumer Reports hopes that manufacturers will apply for this mark, and that consumers will look for it when it becomes available.”
Amazon vice president Steve Downer also noted the Big Tech company’s backing for the new approach, stating: “Amazon supports the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark’s goal to strengthen consumer trust in connected devices.
“We believe consumers will value seeing the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark both on product packaging and while shopping online. We look forward to collaborating with industry partners and the government on consumer education efforts and implementation strategies.”
The White House’s rollout of the label comes months after Sunak’s UK Government introduced laws for internet-connected smart devices to meet minimum-security standards.
The April 2024 laws established that manufacturers are banned from having weak, easily-guessable default passwords, like “admin” or “12345,” and that if there’s a common password, the user will be prompted to change it on start-up.
An investigation conducted by Which? showed that a home with smart devices could be exposed to more than 12,000 hacking attacks in a single week, with a total of 2,684 attempts to guess weak default passwords on just five devices.
A new, global survey conducted as part of a Scottish project has uncovered that there’s overwhelming public interest in accessing museum collections through virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) tech.
The recent survey, the largest of its kind in the world, was undertaken as part of the £5.6 million Museums in the Metaverse (MiM) project, based at the University of Glasgow’s Advanced Research Centre.
Museums in the Metaverse itself is developing an XR platform for cultural heritage collections, as well as exploring how it can transform access to museum objects held in storage. It’s estimated that around 90% of museum collections are currently held in storage.
The new survey’s findings indicated strong public enthusiasm for digital experiences, including virtual exhibitions and opportunities for greater interaction with cultural artefacts—an eagerness which has already begun to be reflected in VR arcades and virtual experiences worldwide.
In total, 79% of the survey’s respondents expressed interest in using digital technology as a whole to explore cultural collections that are currently inaccessible to the public. Meanwhile 77%—of this 52% said “definitely,” while 25% said “probably”—would be interested in using VR specifically to access collections that are unavailable.
The respondents also expressed a positive willingness to pay sentiment around virtual cultural heritage content. 38% reported being “definitely” or “probably” willing to pay for access, with 51% being “definitely” or “probably” willing to be paid for virtual experiences that they create themselves for others to enjoy.
Speaking on the telling study, Professor Murray Pittock, co-author of the report, said: “This is the largest global study on virtual museums to date, revealing not just what future audiences want but how museums can adapt to meet these demands.
“Our research reveals a clear appetite for immersive digital experiences, with people eager to interact with cultural artifacts in new and exciting ways.
“This shift in public expectations is already visible in the growing popularity of virtual reality cultural spaces globally, and our findings at Glasgow are helping chart a course for how museums can embrace this digital future.”
Fergus Bruce, co-author and research associate in digital culture and heritage economy for MiM, also remarked: “Our research here — conducted over several months and drawn from a diverse audience sample of thousands of cultural heritage enthusiasts — demonstrates that there is a clear appetite for virtual access and engagement with collections; a willingness to pay for content created using such access (on both a one-off and subscription basis); and also an interest in being paid for citizen-curated cultural experiences.
“These are important findings for any collections or custodians looking to increase the reach, impact, and sustainability of the cultural materials they hold.”
The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has unveiled details of a new “groundbreaking” quantum atomic clock that will be deployable on military operations in the next five years.
The first device of its kind to be built in the UK, the lab said that the extremely accurate clock will be a “leap forward” in improving intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance by decreasing the reliance on GPS technology, which can be disrupted and blocked by adversaries via jamming.
The applications of quantum clocks extend beyond precise timekeeping, as the clocks can also be used to secure communication systems, such as encrypted military networks, which depend on highly-synchronised timekeeping.
Additionally, they can enhance the accuracy of advanced weapon systems, like guided missiles, which rely on accurate timing to calculate trajectories and coordinate attacks.
Trialling of the clock is the first time that Dstl has tested a UK-built optical atomic clock outside of a laboratory.
The trial involved key partners including Infleqtion (UK), Aquark Technologies, HCD Research, and Imperial College London, as well as in-house technology developed at Dstl’s quantum laboratory.
The development of the innovative technology supports key components of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, aiming to strengthen the country and improve the lives of its people.
Speaking on the advancement, Maria Eagle MP, the minister for defence procurement and industry, commented: “Integrating cutting-edge technology into existing capabilities exemplifies the Government’s commitment to innovation in the defence sector, and to ensuring our Armed Forces have the best kit possible to keep us secure at home and strong abroad.
“The trialling of this emerging, groundbreaking technology could not only strengthen our operational capability, but also drive progress in industry, bolster our science sector and support high-skilled jobs.”
Commander Matt Steele, the future technology officer for the Royal Navy’s office of the chief technical officer, also said: “The Navy has been looking at quantum technologies for a number of years and it is exciting to see that the challenges of physics and engineering in this area are now no longer a scientific concept, but is now reaching the cusp of reality.”
“In the next few years, the ability to operate effectively, to survive, and to navigate and also to remain lethal with the use of quantum alongside GPS will secure operational advantage.”
Welcome to the latest edition of the DIGIT Deal Roundup.
Scotland’s tech industry witnessed numerous exciting funding and acquisition wins in November 2024, helping firms working in key industries such as energy, biotech, medtech, and many more to further innovative and grow.
To get a recap of these standout stories, read our round-up below.
Funding and Investments
Sulmara Gets £15M BGF Backing
BGF, the equity investor specialising in investments for growing companies, has announced a £15 million investment in Sulmara, the Glasgow-headquartered provider of innovative survey and inspection services to the offshore wind and energy markets.
Sulmara, founded in 2019, has grown to more than £55.8 million in annual revenue, delivering a compound annual growth rate of 61% over the last 4 years, and building a global footprint with offices in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Norwich, Houston, Singapore, and Taipei.
BGF said that its investment will go towards supporting Sulmara’s continued growth trajectory, including backing for new technologies such as uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), next-generation geophysical sensors, and advanced data products.
“BGF’s investment comes at an important moment for the company as we look to build on the success of our technology and innovation efforts to date and to accelerate their introduction to our service offerings,” said Kevin McBarron, founder and CEO of Sulmara.
The British Business Bank’s Investment Fund for Scotland has committed over £10 million of funding to smaller businesses in Scotland during its first 12 months, supporting firms across a range of sectors and specialisms to thrive and grow.
A total of 26 businesses have received support through the fund to date, involving a mix of both debt and equity funding deals to enterprises across the country. Launched in autumn 2023, the Investment Fund for Scotland aims to improve access to finance and boost the Scottish economy, with loans from £25,000 to £2 million and equity investment up to £5 million available to help small- and medium-sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
The anniversary comes as Edinburgh-based Ingenza Ltd, the biotech research business, has secured funding to double its capacity and create up to 20 new jobs. Delivered via The FSE Group, the £2 million loan will support the fit-out of new commercial premises, enabling Ingenza to double its office and lab space and meet the growing demand in the pharmaceutical research and development market.
Mark Sterritt, director of nations and regions funds at the British Business Bank, said: “Scotland has a thriving small business community, and it is fantastic to see the impact that our fund has made for so many businesses in just 12 months.”
Cytomos Secures £5M to Scale Up
Edinburgh-based biotechnology company Cytomos has secured £5 million to scale up production of its cell analysis technology.
The oversubscribed funding round was led by existing investors Archangels, and saw participation from the likes of Scottish Enterprise, the University of Edinburgh’s Old College Capital, and the British Business Bank.
Cytomos said that the investment will enable it to drive sales of its first commercial product, Celledonia™, built on its cell analysis technology platform, AuraCyt, which is “already generating significant market traction.”
David Rigterink, CEO at Cytomos, also commented: “Successfully raising £5 million within a difficult market has been a huge boost for the business. The result is testament to the team’s hard work in delivering our first commercial product with international early adopters.”
BetHog, a cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook company created by FanDuel co-founders, has announced its launch with $6 million (£4.6m~) in seed funding.
The funding was led by 6th Man Ventures (6MV), with participation from Will Ventures, Bullpen Capital, Karatage, Advancit Capital, and several angel investors including Chris Grove, partner emeritus at Eilers & Krejcik LLC, and John Hannah, co-founder of Flutter Entertainment.
Founded by serial tech entrepreneurs Nigel Eccles and Rob Jones, the BegHog platform has emerged from alpha mode with a variety of casino games, including BetHog originals as well as favourites from studios such as Pragmatic and Evolution.
“With BetHog, we plan to continue that innovation by bringing unique highly visual games to market,” said Eccles. “We see opportunities to engage users with unique play along and skill-based titles, combined with a robust VIP offering.”
A funding boost of £2.5 million has been awarded to a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, the University of Dundee, and the Forth and Tay Offshore (FTO) Cluster to improve offshore wind technology.
Now backed by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the project will leverage the expertise of those involved to help address critical challenges in offshore wind tech, fostering innovations that will drive sustainable energy solutions and further strengthen Scotland’s position as a global leader in offshore wind.
The project also looks to drive job creation, economic growth, and innovation within the renewable energy sector, benefitting regional and local economies and communities.
Professor Alasdair McDonald, chair in renewable technologies at the University of Edinburgh, expressed enthusiasm for the project: “This funding will enable us to push the boundaries of offshore wind technology, from improved design and engineering practices to enhanced environmental impact analysis.”
Scottish biotech Biotangents has announced its latest investment round, which amounted to £2.3 million for its diagnostic device aimed at detecting diseases in dairy cows.
The company claims the device is set to revolutionise the dairy farm industry as a fast on-farm, point-of-care diagnostic device to combat bovine diseases such as bovine mastitis, which is estimated to cost the global dairy farming industry around £20 billion every year, and costing the average UK dairy farm up to £25,000 per annum.
The company developed its technology due to the timeframe of existing diagnostics, which take so long that farmers resort to presumptively treating herds, predominantly with antibiotics that are estimated to be unnecessary in up to 40% of cases.
Fiona Marshall, CEO of Biotangents, said: “Biotangents is on the cusp of full market launch with a technology that leads to better herd health, much improved productivity, and significantly higher levels of sustainability.”
More than £1.9 million has been awarded by the Scottish Government to create the entrepreneurs of the future and to increase access to business careers.
Pupils will have the opportunity to learn about business from primary one to the end of high school for the first time under a new initiative to boost entrepreneurship in Scotland. This follows more than £829,000 being awarded to seven education organisations.
They include Gen+, which is designing lessons that set high school pupils real-world challenges by established entrepreneurs, focused on running aspects of a business, while the University of Strathclyde will provide activity packs that develop entrepreneurial skills in primary school children.
Deputy first minister Kate Forbes said: “These projects mean that for the first time entrepreneurship will be embedded in Scotland’s classrooms, from P1 to S6. By mainstreaming the subject we aim to give every school leaver the skills, confidence and opportunity to set up their own business.”
Glasgow-based AI firm Konversable has raised £300,000 following a successful investment round, attracting funds from a range of UK and international angel investors.
Konversable said that its AI chatbot and messaging technology allows businesses and organisations to have “smarter conversations” with their customers online using the firm’s trademarked MediaFlo system, which allows operators and customers to embed custom media, including video, audio, or images, into the chat flow.
As well as working to integrate its AI chat products with Facebook, the firm’s mission is to become the “go-to” WhatsApp API provider of choice for UK businesses.
Konversable CEO Wes Beard said: “We’re delighted with the success of this investment round and will channel these funds towards growing our global footprint and further improving our innovative range of online chat solutions within a rapidly moving AI landscape.”
Yatter, the Edinburgh-based paid advertising agency, has been acquired by ecommerce specialist Velstar just three years after formation.
The company has witnessed consistent growth since starting out in 2021, currently managing over £10 million in annual client ad spend.
A leading Scottish PPC and paid social agency, Yatter has a portfolio of 60-plus clients including Loch Lomond Group and Countrywide, employing 12 people in the capital. No jobs are under threat as a result of the agreement, which sees Yatter become the only Shopify Plus partner agency in Scotland.
Details of the deal remain undisclosed.
Yatter founder and CEO Gavin Bell, 30, said: “We have a very close alignment on values and culture and Velstarʼs impressive growth and shared vision to be the UKʼs No. 1 independent agency made them the perfect partner for Yatterʼs next chapter.”
Scottish university and college students took on the role of senior government policy advisors in a simulated cyber-attack scenario as part of an annual competition organised by the Atlantic Council, the Washington, DC-based foreign policy think tank.
For the third consecutive year, Abertay University’s cyberQuarter hosted the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, where students were tasked with leading decision making and crisis management in response to a major cyber incident.
The competition is designed to give students from diverse academic backgrounds a deeper understanding of the complex policy and strategic challenges involved in navigating trade-offs during a cyber crisis.
Combining interactive learning with competitive scenario exercises, it pushes students to react to a dynamic, realistic scenario, analyse threats to international, national, and private sector interests, and offer recommendations for the most effective actions to mitigate the crisis.
This year’s competition, held online for the first time, featured teams from Abertay University, the University of Glasgow, the University of Stirling, Strathclyde University, the University of Edinburgh, Dundee and Angus College, and Fife College.
The “NULL SEC” team from Dundee and Angus college claimed the top prize, while two teams from the University of Glasgow secured the runner-up and third place positions.
Senior cybersecurity professionals from Microsoft, Adobe, Europol, and Evalian Limited were among the judging panels assessing the students’ performance.
The event was sponsored by DigiTay, the Tay Cities Digital Skills Project which is part of the £20 million Regional Skills and Employability Development Programme, funded by the Scottish and UK governments through the Tay Cities Region Deal.
The Scottish government’s higher and further education minister Graeme Dey said: “Congratulations to Dundee and Angus College and to all the participants who made this year’s Cyber 9/12 challenge such a success.
“The Scottish Government is aware of the challenges that growing digital technologies can present, which is why it is so important to inspire the next generation of cyber security professionals.
“Competitions like this will help ensure that Scotland is a digitally secure and resilient nation.”
Professor Lynne Coventry, director of the cyberQuarter, also commented: “This kind of collaboration between industry and academia lies at the core of Abertay cyberQuarter’s mission.
“The innovative perspectives and lateral thinking presented by the students have truly invigorated the competition and inspired our judging panel.
“It is crucial for Scotland to continually seek out fresh and innovative methods to advance cybersecurity, develop new strategies for the sector, and create job opportunities within the industry, all while enhancing the country’s overall cyber resilience.”
The UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has called on organisations across the country to share personal information responsibly to protect customers from scams and fraud.
Amid International Fraud Awareness Week, the ICO has warned that reluctance from organisations to responsibly share personal information between organisations and across different digital sectors to tackle scams and fraud can lead to serious emotional and financial harm.
To help provide clarity on data protection considerations, and better support organisations in this area, the regulator has published new practical advice. It’s aimed at any organisation seeking to share personal information to identify, investigate, and prevent fraud; especially banks, telecoms providers, and digital platforms.
For instance, organisations may wish to explore sharing personal information with banks to identify users who are likely to have been exposed to a scam on their services. Timely sharing of this data could help banks to assess the risk and ensure extra checks are in place to prevent fraud.
The new advice—and the ICO’s coinciding call—follows the ONS’ recent findings that fraud is the most frequently experienced crime in the UK, accounting for 39% of all reported crime in England and Wales alone.
“From emotional distress to financial damage, scams and fraud have serious consequences. We strongly support responsible and effective data sharing between organisations, which is key to staying one step ahead of criminals and preventing scams before they cause harm,” said Stephen Almond, the executive director for regulatory risk at the ICO.
“Protecting people must be the priority – I am warning organisations today that data protection law is not an excuse and it does not stop you sharing data that may assist with tackling fraud,” he continued. “Organisations acting responsibly can be reassured that we will take this into account if something goes wrong and we need to consider a regulatory response.”
Nick Sharp, deputy director fraud at the National Economic Crime Centre, also commented: “Information sharing between private industry, and with the public sector, is a fundamental tool used to tackle fraud.
“The new advice from the ICO is very welcome, and we encourage all industry partners to use it to ensure appropriate and confident data-sharing enables our joint efforts to reduce the harm from fraud.
“Together with our partners in both the private and public sector, we are working to identify, disrupt and prevent fraud, and will pursue every legal angle to ensure criminals who target the UK public are held to account.”
According to Gartner, the technological research and consulting company, progress in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is poised to impact the procurement function through advancements in three key areas.
Specifically, AI agents, agentic reasoning, and multimodality are the advancements that will redefine how procurement operates, significantly impacting the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs).
AI Agents
AI agents are autonomous systems that can perform tasks and make decisions on behalf of human operators. In procurement, these agents will automate procurement tasks and activities, freeing up human resources to focus on strategic initiatives, complex problem-solving and edge cases.
As AI agents become more integrated into procurement technology, they’re set to shift the role of procurement professionals towards strategic decision-making, stakeholder relationship management, and innovation.
Gartner’s research provided three recommendations as starting points for CPOs to maximise the value of GenAI in procurement:
Double down on data governance: AI models require extensive training data, including data on procurement processes beyond basic performance metrics, to be effective. Ensure that real-world procurement data from internal and external sources is collected, scrutinised, and maintained in a structured format to ensure data quality, the firm advised. Plus, standardise and document decision making models for procurement value streams and invest in process mining to uncover and utilise procurement “dark data” for more comprehensive AI training.
Develop and incorporate privacy standards into contracts:Gartner also suggests working with legal and compliance leaders to understand the AI data privacy risks and draft organisational protections; developing and cascading policies governing AI data rights to key suppliers; and incorporating data privacy standards as key criteria in supplier evaluations.
Increase procurement thresholds: In the future, machine buyers are to become common, absorbing a significant portion of traditional sourcing and procurement activities. Procurement teams will become smaller and be deployed to manage only the most strategic sourcing activities, manage exceptions and edge cases, or advise business stakeholders (or AI bots) on how to do their own buying, the research firm said.
Agentic reasoning in GenAI allows for advanced decision-making processes that mimic human-like cognition. This capability is set to enable procurement functions to leverage GenAI to analyse complex scenarios and make informed decisions with greater speed and accuracy.
Multimodality
Multimodality refers to the ability of GenAI to process and integrate multiple forms of data, such as text, images, and audio. This will make GenAI more intuitively consumable to users and enhance procurement’s ability to gather and analyse diverse information sources, leading to more comprehensive insights and better-informed strategies, noted Gartner.
Commenting further on these three advancements, Ryan Polk, senior director analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said: “Agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents are coming to procurement. These advancements will usher procurement into an era where the distance between ideas, insights, and actions will shorten rapidly.
“Procurement leaders who build their foundation now through a focus on data quality, privacy and risk management have the potential to reap new levels of productivity and strategic value from the technology.”
A funding boost of £2.5 million has been awarded to a partnership between the University of Edinburgh, the University of Dundee, and the Forth and Tay Offshore (FTO) Cluster to improve offshore wind technology.
Now backed by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the project will leverage the expertise of those involved to help address critical challenges in offshore wind tech, fostering innovations that will drive sustainable energy solutions and further strengthen Scotland’s position as a global leader in offshore wind.
The project also looks to drive job creation, economic growth, and innovation within the renewable energy sector, benefitting regional and local economies and communities.
The east coast of Scotland is viewed as an ideal location from which to run the programme, as it’s currently home to the majority of Scotland’s offshore wind farms. It also boasts diverse supply chain companies, from developers to SMEs, and with a range of ports such as Forth Green Freeport.
The funding marks a major milestone for the partnership, aligning with the UK government’s aim to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. The funding was awarded via UKRI’s Place Based Impact Acceleration Account (PBIAA) scheme.
Professor Alasdair McDonald, chair in Renewable Technologies at the University of Edinburgh, expressed enthusiasm for the project: “This funding will enable us to push the boundaries of offshore wind technology, from improved design and engineering practices to enhanced environmental impact analysis.
“Our collaboration with the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore Cluster will allow us to harness collective strengths and knowledge, leading to breakthroughs that will benefit the industry and society at large.”
Professor Michael Brown, from the University of Dundee’s School of Science and Engineering, also said: “This project is a great opportunity for local industry and business to innovate through working more closely with Dundee and Edinburgh universities, and it will cultivate closer working to tackle the remaining challenges for fixed wind and the new challenges coming with floating wind.
“With a focus on the East coast of Scotland, this opportunity will benefit areas such as Montrose, Dundee, Fife, Edinburgh and the local ports as well as the wider renewable energy supply chain.”
David Webster, chair of Forth and Tay Offshore Cluster and commercial director at Forth Ports, further remarked: “Offshore wind is a gamechanger for the East of Scotland and we are all pioneers as the industry develops and evolves.
“We are more than excited to be able to contribute to this vitally important piece of work that has such immense potential to positively impact the renewable energy sector and beyond.”
The cloud services market—which is made up of services providing infrastructure and platforms that are hosted by third-party companies and made available to users via the internet—saw strong, steady growth in Q3 2024.
The rankings of the top three cloud vendors—AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud—remained stable from the previous quarter, with these providers together accounting for 64% of total customer expenditure. Total combined spending with these providers also grew by 26% year-on-year, and all three reported sequential growth.
Market leader AWS maintained a year-on-year growth rate of 19%, which is consistent with the previous quarter, but was outpaced by both Microsoft (33%) and Google Cloud (36%).
Customer investment in the hyperscalers’ artificial intelligence offerings fueled growth, prompting leading cloud vendors to escalate their investments in AI. All three cloud hyperscalers reported positive returns on their AI investments, which have begun to contribute to their overall cloud business performance.
The analysis firm highlighted that with the increasing adoption of AI technologies, the demand for high-performance computing and storage continues to rise, putting pressure on cloud providers to expand their infrastructure.
In response, leading cloud providers are now prioritising large-scale investment in next-gen AI infrastructure. And to mitigate the risks associated with under-investment, they have adopted over-investment strategies to ensure their ability to scale offerings in line with customer needs.
“Continued substantial expenditure will present new challenges, requiring cloud vendors to carefully balance their investments in AI with the cost discipline needed to fund these initiatives,” explained Rachel Brindley, senior director at Canalys.
“While companies should invest sufficiently in AI to capitalize on technological growth, they must also exercise caution to avoid overspending or inefficient resource allocation. Ensuring the sustainability of these investments over time will be vital to maintaining long-term financial health and competitive advantage.”
“On the other hand, the three leading cloud providers are also expediting the update and iteration of their AI foundational models, continuously expanding their associated product portfolios,” noted Yi Zhang, analyst at Canalys.
“As these AI foundational models mature, cloud providers are focused on leveraging their enhanced capabilities to empower a broader range of core products and services.
“By integrating these advanced models into their existing offerings, they aim to enhance functionality, improve performance and increase user engagement across their platforms, thereby unlocking new revenue streams.”
Edinburgh-based biotechnology company Cytomos has secured £5 million to scale up production of its cell analysis technology.
The oversubscribed funding round was led by existing investors Archangels, and saw participation from the likes of Scottish Enterprise, the University of Edinburgh’s Old College Capital, and the British Business Bank.
Cytomos said that the investment will enable it to drive sales of its first commercial product, Celledonia™, built on its cell analysis technology platform, AuraCyt, which is “already generating significant market traction.”
Celledonia™ is a benchtop cell analyser which aims to significantly enhance single-cell analysis, potentially transforming biological drug discovery, development processes, and biologics manufacturing.
AuraCyt, meanwhile, is a scalable and low-cost cell analysis platform. With the platform, Cytomos helps biopharma to bring novel therapies to market by up to 6 months faster, and reduce costs by enabling decision-making faster.
The business currently employs 21 people, who are largely based at its new premises in Roslin, and it expects to add another four staff over the next year as the firm continues to scale operations.
With its sights also set on establishing a foothold in North America, the company has a pipeline of trials planned with global partners, and “strong” interest in co-development opportunities from tech developers and a top 10 pharma company.
Sarah Hardy, director and head of new investments at Archangels, said: “Cytomos has gone from strength to strength, achieving commercialisation earlier this year marks a critical inflection point for the business.
“With new premises secured and a robust plan to derisk the supply chain, we’re looking forward to helping David and the team scale their operations and secure access to new markets.”
David Rigterink, CEO at Cytomos, also commented: “Successfully raising £5 million within a difficult market has been a huge boost for the business. The result is testament to the team’s hard work in delivering our first commercial product with international early adopters.
“Cytomos now has the right building blocks in place to scale quickly, establish a foothold in the US, and continue developing our single cell analysis technology to support advancements in biological drug development and manufacturing automation.”
Lifeboat rescue missions that take place on the shifting waters of the Solway Firth are being boosted by data from space thanks to a new pioneering project.
Researchers from the University of Strathclyde’s Applied Space Technology Laboratory are investigating the use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from satellites to provide regular, accurate mapping of moving channels in the coastal region.
The estuary is regarded as one of the UK’s most treacherous stretches of coastline, and lifeboats must frequently navigate the areas at high speed. But even state-of-the-art marine navigation maps have thus far left areas blank and uncharted.
Now, with the “Safe Passage” project—which was launched after Glencaple-based Nith Inshore Rescue approached the university with the idea to use satellite imagery to identify navigation channels, and is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA)—the researchers are using the estuary as a trial site to support safe navigation of the firth.
Through the use of polarised radar signals, the data can differentiate between sand and water, and even works under nocturnal or cloudy conditions, allowing the lifeboat to find a consistent minimum depth along the route.
Previously, the crew had to manually conduct depth soundings, but during bad weather and strong tidal periods these passageways shift rapidly, rendering the measured route futile. Inaccurate information can mean the lifeboat has to switch course mid-rescue, slowing down response and even potentially grounding it.
The volunteers now receive updated charts of satellite imagery generated waypoints, with the routes used in real-life rescues, including a successful call out on the Cumbrian coast for two casualties trapped in a car due to coastal flooding.
The route charts are also backed up by the crew’s own skills and local knowledge, but climate change is making this increasingly difficult.
The team is now working with ESA to improve the charting and believe the system could make the 13 million hectares of tidal flats across the world more accessible. It’s also hoped to eventually commercialise the data feed service, with a slice of the profits funding the independent rescue service.
Crew member Gwilym Gibbons, who is also founder of project partner Creative Help, said: “Working with the team is the key enabler of this innovative way to aid safe marine navigation for search and rescue. To see and test the results of the work in a real environment as an additional aid has already proved the huge potential this could have across the world.
“Our ambition is for Safe Passage to become a commercial navigation data feed service for a range of marine navigation uses, with a proportion of revenues generated going to support the vital work of our wholly volunteer lifeboat services.
Glasgow Tech Fest, the flagship technology event from the Glasgow City Innovation District, has been rebranded to “Fusion Fest,” it’s been announced.
Since being established in 2022, the event has quickly become a prominent fixture in the city’s calendar, and already expanded its focus beyond the tech sector to engage a range of businesses and industries.
Now, under the Fusion Fest branding, the festival aims to broaden its reach even further by including Glasgow’s tech, digital, creative, and innovative communities.
The event will continue to support opportunities for networking, learning and professional development for all members of Glasgow’s business and innovation community, as well as provide live talks and panel sessions.
“We’re excited to launch Fusion Fest which will allow us to build on the overwhelming success of Glasgow Tech Fest,” said Alisdair Gunn, the director of Glasgow City Innovation District.
“Opening the event up to wider industries and a global audience will allow us to offer informative, educational and entertaining talks that everyone will connect to.”
Emma Loedel, co-director of Start Up Grind, added: “It has been fantastic to see Glasgow Tech Fest grow over the past three years and be involved with the Glasgow City Innovation District team in support as a speaker and exhibitor.
“Fusion Fest is the natural evolution of the event and will continue to be a valuable collaborative opportunity for the city’s ecosystem, I look forward to being part of the event and Glasgow Tech Week.”
Fusion Fest will be the headline event of Glasgow Tech Week 2025, scheduled from 26 to 31 May 2025, with Fusion Fest itself taking place on 29 May.
Glasgow City Innovation District invites all interested attendees to participate in Fusion Fest and Glasgow Tech Week 2025.
The director of Abertay cyberQuarter is to co-lead a new network aiming to strengthen cybersecurity, realise the benefits of emerging technologies, and better prepare the public against future cyber-threats.
Named the Cyber Security Research and Networking Environment (CRANE), the initiative has been supported by a UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) investment of £6 million.
A team of academics from across the UK will co-lead CRANE, including Professor Lynne Coventry from Abertay cyberQuarter—Abertay University’s hub for research, innovation, and economic growth of the cybersecurity sector.
Launching in 2025, the network aims to bolster cybersecurity across the economy, including sectors from manufacturing through to law enforcement, and help make businesses, charities, and communities more resilient against cyber-threats.
It’s set to provide leadership in spotting emerging global trends and national strengths in cybersecurity, including understanding the potential of game-changing technologies, not least artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Its projects will also work to address the challenges of tomorrow by fostering new research capabilities.
The £6m EPSRC funding specifically includes a £2m allocation for competitive grants supporting innovative research, helping to support early-stage research projects that have the potential to drive significant advances in cybersecurity.
“CRANE will provide a supportive, inclusive and multi-disciplinary network for researchers to develop their skills across both face to face and online situations,” explained Professor Lynne Coventry, co-lead of the initiative.
“Being able to effectively network is vital for researchers’ careers and affords the opportunity to nurture relationships from which authentic collaborations can form, discuss ongoing research and identify opportunities.”
Feryal Clark, the UK government’s minister for cybersecurity, also commented: “Since taking office we’ve made shoring up our cyber defences a national priority.
“To make sure they’re stronger than ever, we’ll be bringing in new laws next year as we continue to take steps to ensure our online economy and critical services are safe, resilient and secure.
“This network will bolster those efforts, building up a better picture of where our strengths lie and where the gaps we need to plug are, all while supporting our expert cyber security workforce to drive forward their careers and become the UK’s cyber leaders of tomorrow.”
Two in five (40%) UK consumers would replace everyday personal items with biometrically-powered devices, such as replacing their house or car keys with fingerprint access or facial ID.
What’s more, according to the new research from Visa, nearly a third of people over the age of 65 would also make the swap.
Brits Back Biometrics
The research, which surveyed 2,000 UK consumers, suggests a behavioural shift towards embracing digital tools for safeguarding personal information.
The findings discovered that over half (52%) agree biometric authentication is more secure than passwords, while over two in five (42%) consumers would feel more secure using biometrics to protect their data than traditional methods.
In the future, almost a third (31%) of respondents would consider using eye-scanning technology to make payments online, which involves scanning the unique patterns in a person’s retina to confirm their identity securely.
As consumers become more aware of data sharing, they’re seeking out solutions that offer greater control over their personal information. Consequently, the research found two-thirds (61%) would be willing to adopt a form of identification that only they can access digitally.
Fraud Fears Fuel Biometric Focus
As fraud attacks become increasingly sophisticated, innovative solutions are needed to better protect consumers’ personal information.
Visa’s research found that UK consumers agree that biometrics play a critical role in protecting themselves from crime, with over half (54%) agreeing it can reduce fraud.
Additionally, over half (54%) feel that biometric authentication is more secure than passwords, while the same percentage of respondents feel that biometrics can help better secure their transactions and financial information.
Digital Replacing Physical?
With fraud fears growing, nearly half (49%) of UK consumers are now open to replacing their physical documents—like driver’s licences and passports—with a digital document to enhance the protection of their personal information.
Among different age groups, younger consumers aged 18 to 34 show the highest willingness to adopt this trend, with over half (56%) expressing interest, compared to above a third (37%) of those aged 65 and older.
Business Blockers for Digital Solutions
Despite the demand, Visa’s research discovered that out of 500 UK businesses, over a third (38%) still don’t offer their customers the option to use biometrics or digital documents for online payments.
Of those who don’t currently offer this option, factors limiting the implementation of these solutions included not having the budget (32%), expecting AI will do everything biometrics can soon (26%), and because they were unsure how to begin the process (25%).
However, the benefits of biometrics are quickly being realised, with two-thirds (68%) of businesses believing greater adoption will expedite everyday processes, and over three quarters (76%) agreeing that biometrics allow for a faster customer experience.
AI-capable PC shipments reached 13.3 million units in the third quarter of this year, accounting for 20% of all PC shipments during Q3, new data from Canalys has highlighted.
AI-capable PCs are defined as desktops and notebooks that include a chipset or block for dedicated AI workloads, such as a neural processing unit (NPU).
The ramp-up in availability of such devices has led to sequential growth of 49% for this new type of PC, with Windows devices accounting for the majority of AI-capable PC shipments for the first time, capturing a 53% share.
Total Windows AI-capable PC shipments rose 93% sequentially, accounting for 12% of all Windows PCs shipped in Q3.
Speaking on the data overall, Ishan Dutt, principal analyst at Canalys, said: “Progress along AI-capable PC roadmaps maintained a strong pace in Q3 2024.
“Copilot+ PCs equipped with Snapdragon X series chips enjoyed their first full quarter of availability while AMD brought Ryzen AI 300 products to the market and Intel officially launched its Lunar Lake series.
“However, both x86 chipset vendors are still awaiting Copilot+ PC support for their offerings from Microsoft which is expected to arrive this month.”
The principal analyst also mentioned how although there’s clear positive momentum, work is still required to assure channel partners and end customers alike of the inherent AI-capable PC benefits.
“This is especially true for more premium offerings such as Copilot+ PCs, which Microsoft requires to have at least 40 NPU TOPS alongside other hardware specifications,” Dutt added.
Canalys’ latest data comes just months after the research firm shared that AI-capable computers represented 14% of all PCs shipped in Q2 2024—and when it was suggested that AI PCs would see a boom moving forward.
“With a strong foundation now set, AI-capable PC shipments are poised to gain further traction in the second half of 2024,” stated Dutt back in August.
“The market performance of AI-capable PCs has largely aligned with expectations and the industry remains on track to ship around 44 million units in 2024 and 103 million units in 2025, according to Canalys forecasts.”
As a year of major global elections comes to a close, researchers from The Alan Turing Institute are urging policy makers, regulators, and social media platforms to put measures in place to safeguard against future AI-enabled election threats.
In a newly-published report, researchers from The Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS) have advocated for a slew of measures, including a requirement for social media platforms to provide specific access to data on harmful disinformation campaigns.
The CETaS experts analysed all major elections this year and, in common with other key ballots, highlighted that the US election saw a number of examples of viral AI disinformation. These included bot farms mimicking US voters, the spread of conspiracy theories, and AI-generated content used to undermine candidates.
Although the researchers found a lack of evidence of any measurable impact on the US election result, fears remain that AI-generated threats—and the hype that surrounds them—are eroding trust and allowing harmful narratives to thrive.
In light of this, the new AI-Enabled Influence Operations: Safeguarding Future Elections report advocates for action within the following four areas:
Curtailing generation by increasing barriers or deterring the creation of online disinformation. This includes actions such as strengthening the authenticity of credible information through automatically embedding provenance records in digital content produced by the government and other sectors.
Constraining dissemination by reducing the effectiveness and virality of disinformation. This includes measures such as creating government co-ordinated benchmarks for deepfake detection tools, and a new Ofcom Code of Conduct on online disinformation.
Counteracting engagement by targeting the ways people digitally consume disinformation to reduce malicious influence. This includes urging the Independent Press Standards Organisation to revise guidance on reporting major incidents to include key considerations for coverage on viral disinformation content.
Empowering society by strengthening societal capabilities for exposing and undermining online disinformation. This includes requiring social media platforms to provide data access on identified harmful disinformation campaigns for trusted members of the UK academic, research, and civil society community.
“More than 2 billion people went to the polls this year, providing us with unprecedented evidence of the types of AI-enabled threats we face and a golden window of opportunity to protect future elections,” said Sam Stockwell, who serves as lead author and research associate at The Alan Turing Institute.
“We should be reassured that there’s a lack of evidence that AI has changed the course of an election result, but there can be no complacency. Researchers and others monitoring these issues must urgently be given better access to social media platform data, in order to effectively assess and counter the most serious malicious voter-targeting activities moving forward.”
The new report also analyses how the public engages with misinformation and disinformation amid AI’s advancement and widespread usage.
Digital literacy and critical thinking initiatives show promise, for instance, but surveys have shown that very few people have used resources that could build their resilience against disinformation. The report authors have urged the government to introduce mandatory programmes in primary and secondary schools—along with providing materials for adults—to cover issues like deepfakes, how to verify content, and how AI algorithms work.
The Institute’s latest report is the third in a series of reports looking at AI’s impact on election security. AI-Enabled Influence Operations: Threat Analysis of the 2024 UK and European Elections, the second report, was published in September of this year.
A new survey from Gartner has discovered that 80% of non-executive directors (NEDs) believe their current board practices and structures are inadequate to oversee AI effectively.
That said, 91% of NEDs view AI as an opportunity for shareholder value rather than risk.
“Boards are remarkably optimistic about AI’s potential value, even more so than chief executive officers (CEOs), chief information officers (CIOs), and other executives, when compared across Gartner studies,” explained Daniel Sanchez Reina, VP analyst at Gartner.
“However, most boards recognize they are not well-equipped to oversee AI because most board members are not digital natives and lack technology backgrounds. Until recently, technology topics rarely took significant time on board agendas. But cyber-risk and AI are changing that, and NEDs are moving quickly to increase their tech-savvy and find new ways to provide oversight.”
Cyber-risk a Threat to Shareholder Value
The 2025 Gartner Board of Directors Survey also found a strong agreement on cyber-risk, with 93% seeing it as a threat to shareholder value. Additionally, they express similar concerns about the ability of the board to oversee rapidly evolving cyber-risk threats, with 67% rating current board practices and structures as inadequate to oversee cyber-risk.
“NEDs almost universally recognize cyber-risk threats and express concern about current board practices to provide effective oversight. However, the majority of NEDs (58%) express a desire to take more technology risk rather than less,” said Tina Nunno, distinguished VP analyst and Gartner fellow.
Technology Investments to Boost Shareholder Value
NED interest in AI, cyber-risk and technology more broadly extends to investments.
When asked to identify the top five investments that would lead to greater shareholder value in the next two years, AI was the number one choice overall, and in the top five of 63% of respondents. Technology other than AI was in the top 5 of 57% of the respondents, and cyber-risk investments for 39%.
“Boards have moved beyond curiosity about AI and are now actively engaging their CEOs and management teams to understand opportunities to use AI to deliver efficiencies and drive new revenue opportunities,” added Nunno.
To address technology-driven opportunities and gaps in current board oversight structures, boards intend to recruit more NEDs and CEOs with technology and cyber-risk expertise; 77% percent of NEDs said they will need to assign more directors with technology expertise in the next 12 months.
Additionally, 72% said they will need to recruit more directors with cyber-risk expertise, while 53% believe that the technology expertise of the next CEO is a significant factor in succession planning.
“NED willingness to make structural changes to boards, and shift their CEO recruiting profile, indicates that they believe that technology will be a critical driver of shareholder value going forward,” Nunno noted.
NEDs Looking to CIOs and CISOs
In 2025, NEDs will be looking to chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs) to help them understand the opportunities and risks for their industries and enterprises.
However, Gartner said that “they may need to adjust how they communicate with their boards.”
“The surveyed NEDs expressed a strong preference for the communications provided by their CEOs and chief financial officers (CFOs), which are often heavily financial in nature and directly link to financial statements,” remarked Nunno.
“Whenever possible, CIOs and CISOs should focus on communicating in terms of financial impacts and risks to increase the impact of their communications.”
BetHog, a cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook company created by FanDuel co-founders, has announced its launch with $6 million (£4.6m~) in seed funding.
The funding was led by 6th Man Ventures (6MV), with participation from Will Ventures, Bullpen Capital, Karatage, Advancit Capital, and several angel investors including Chris Grove, partner emeritus at Eilers & Krejcik LLC, and John Hannah, co-founder of Flutter Entertainment.
Founded by serial tech entrepreneurs Nigel Eccles and Rob Jones, the BegHog platform has emerged from alpha mode with a variety of casino games, including BetHog originals as well as favourites from studios such as Pragmatic and Evolution.
Borrowing from their experiences at FanDuel and other entertainment companies, the BegHog originals include new variants of crash and mines, and player versus player games. These games include a feature that allows consumers to play alongside others, such as their favourite streamers and influencers.
“The crypto casino market has seen dramatic growth over the past few years driven by innovations like provably fair games, robust VIP programs and streaming,” said Eccles.
“With BetHog, we plan to continue that innovation by bringing unique highly visual games to market. We see opportunities to engage users with unique play along and skill-based titles, combined with a robust VIP offering.”
Users will have the chance to use common cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, USDT, and more in the near future. BetHog is now available globally with a number of jurisdictional restrictions, including the UK and USA.
With the first round of funding, it’s been said that the firm will prioritise investment in product development while scaling the business via selective marketing channels and strategic partnerships.
“We are thrilled to be backing Nigel and the entire team at BetHog on this investment,” said Serge Kassardjian, general partner at 6MV. “We think they are perfectly positioned to unlock this massive opportunity to build the most innovative online casino and betting platform of this era of crypto.
“We believe this will bring in a diverse audience of crypto and non-crypto gamers to enjoy this differentiated and fun gambling experience.”
Amid artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) driving rapid increases in electricity consumption, and with data centre forecasts over the next two years reaching as high as 160% growth, how badly will AI data centres be impacted by power shortages?
According to Gartner, the global technological research and consulting firm, it’s predicted that a whopping 40% of existing AI data centres will be operationally constrained by power availability by 2027.
“The explosive growth of new hyperscale data centers to implement GenAI is creating an insatiable demand for power that will exceed the ability of utility providers to expand their capacity fast enough,” explained Bob Johnson, who serves as a VP analyst at the firm.
“In turn, this threatens to disrupt energy availability and lead to shortages, which will limit the growth of new data centers for GenAI and other uses from 2026.”
Demand For Power?
Gartner has now estimated that the power required for data centres to run incremental AI-optimised servers will reach 500 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year in 2027, which is 2.6 times the level in 2023.
“New larger data centers are being planned to handle the huge amounts of data needed to train and implement the rapidly expanding large language models (LLMs) that underpin GenAI applications,” Johnson noted.
“However, short-term power shortages are likely to continue for years as new power transmission, distribution and generation capacity could take years to come online and won’t alleviate current problems.”
In the near future, the number of new data centres and the growth of GenAI will be governed by the availability of power to run them, the firm outlined, recommending that organisations determine the risks potential power shortages will have on all products and services.
Electricity Price Increases?
The inevitable result of impending power shortages is an increase in the price of power, which will also increase the costs of operating LLMs, according to Gartner.
“Significant power users are working with major producers to secure long-term guaranteed sources of power independent of other grid demands,” mentioned Johnson.
“In the meantime, the cost of power to operate data centers will increase significantly as operators use economic leverage to secure needed power. These costs will be passed on to AI/GenAI product and service providers as well.”
Gartner also recommends that organisations evaluate future plans anticipating higher power costs and negotiate long-term contracts for data centre services at reasonable rates for power.
Organisations should also factor significant cost increases when developing plans for new products and services, while also looking for alternative approaches that require less power, the research firm said.
Sustainability Goals to Suffer?
Gartner also outlined that zero-carbon sustainability goals will also be negatively affected by short-term solutions to provide more power, as surging demand is forcing suppliers to increase production by any means possible.
Data centres require 24/7 power availability, which renewable power such as wind or solar cannot provide without some form of alternative supply during periods when not generating power, according to Gartner.
In the long-term, new technologies for improved battery storage (e.g. sodium ion batteries) or clean power (e.g. small nuclear reactors) will become available and help achieve sustainability goals.
New research from Hays, the recruitment agency, has found that the scope for career progression for workers has dipped amid the “Great Dissatisfaction.”
Reflecting the so-called “Great Resignation” in 2020 when millions of workers left their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hays’ latest research shows workers are finding it increasingly difficult in a sluggish job market to advance their careers, and are becoming increasingly dissatisfied—both within and outwith their current roles.
In Scotland, over half (52%) of workers now report a lack of career progression opportunities within their organisations, increasing from 34% last year. Hays, who have been tracking career optimism for over a decade, found that the only two years with worse career positivity across the UK were post-Brexit in 2016 (42%) and the first year of the pandemic (37%).
The research, based on a survey of over 10,600 responses from professionals and employers, including 607 respondents in Scotland, found that optimism about career prospects has also waned, with only 41% of workers feeling positive about their career outlook this year, down from 51% last year.
Besides personal reasons, the top factor preventing workers across the UK from changing jobs in the past year was the fear of leaving a secure position (23%), followed by concerns about the cost of living (12%) and the current economic climate (12%).
Keith Mason, director at Hays Scotland, commented: “Workers are clearly feeling stuck just now as they feel there are limited opportunities to progress their careers. This highlights a critical issue for employers because as soon as the jobs market turns, many workers will feel more confident to move jobs, and we’re likely to see part two of the Great Resignation.
“As we’re already faced with significant skill shortages, now is the time for employers to address workforce dissatisfaction before it’s too late.”
As many workers struggle to progress their careers within their current organisation, over half (59%) intend to look for a new job in the coming 12 months – with over a third (36%) intending to do so in the next six months.
A third of workers (32%) say they have changed jobs in the last 12 months, and over a third (32%) considered it. Among those who moved jobs last year, the primary reasons were a lack of career progression (33%) and a poor relationship with their manager (28%).
“This is a pivotal moment and a time when transparent career mapping and continuous learning opportunities should become a priority for employers,” added Mason. “By investing in their employees’ growth and fostering a culture of mentorship and support, companies can both boost morale and enhance productivity and retention.
“Employees can also use this time to discuss their career aspirations within their organisations, seek feedback and participate in available training programmes and mentorship initiatives. By actively engaging in their professional growth, employees can position themselves for advancement and keep their networks open for new opportunities.”
For the first time in the UK, faster and more reliable broadband is being delivered via drinking water pipes.
Nearly every resident and business in Papa Westray, Orkney can now receive broadband speeds comparable to less rural areas of Scotland through the Reach 100% (R100) programme.
Orkney-based internet service provider CloudNet, with Scottish government funding, used the community-owner water authority’s existing infrastructure as a more efficient and less disruptive alternative to conventional cable-laying methods. The fibre cable is delivered through a second pipe housed within the drinking water network.
The new broadband network, which allows CloudNet to offer a superfast service, can enable use cases such as home healthcare check-ups via video call, and remote monitoring of livestock via CCTV. It also supports visitor accommodation booking systems and tourism facilities on the island.
Remote sensors placed in the water pipe also provide a higher-tech way of monitoring the island’s water quality.
“Without this high speed connectivity, I wouldn’t be able to remotely monitor my farm or the water network for the island,” said Papa Westray Water Board supply engineer, Ian Cursiter.
“The real benefit in monitoring the water network for levels of usage, pressure and so on, is providing a much more efficient water system, which will ultimately be more environmentally friendly and cost effective to islanders.
“I’ve lived on Papa Westray my whole life and I’m delighted to see connectivity that allows the islanders to access the same facilities as those on the mainland.”
Business minister Richard Lochhead further commented: “This ingenious approach represents a less disruptive way of delivering faster connectivity to all on Papa Westray.”
“This project showcases engineering creativity at its best and makes it easier for residents to do business and access essential services such as health and education.
“This will also help attract people to live and work on Papa Westray. Under the £600 million R100 programme, the Scottish Government is helping deliver a fair, green and growing economy for all our regions.”
Papa Westray became the first to use this approach successfully because the water system is owned by the community, streamlining the process of gaining permissions and causing less disruption to the island.
According to the latest Gartner forecast, IT spending in Europe is predicted to total $1.28 trillion (£990bn~) in 2025, marking an increase of 8.7% over 2024.
What’s more, next year is poised to set a record as the highest growth rate in IT spending in a single year in Europe since the post-pandemic surge in 2021.
Analysts from the technological research and consulting firm have pointed to the current and ongoing focus on AI as the major underlying driver for the projected increase.
“In 2024, the surge of building out AI-related infrastructure by technology providers is driving high levels of spending on data center systems in Europe,” explained John-David Lovelock, who serves as distinguished VP analyst at Gartner.
“CIOs in Europe will continue investing in public cloud end-user spending, which is estimated to reach $123 billion in 2024, and grow their security spending, projected to reach $47 billion in 2024.”
Europe’s Spending Priorities in 2025
European businesses that have better recognised IT’s value during the pandemic are set to significantly boost IT spending in 2025 to remain competitive and increase revenue, Gartner said.
In particular, and aided by a surging interest for generative AI (GenAI) solutions, European chief information officers (CIOs) will drive their budgets into an era of high growth and innovation, suggested the research firm.
“The limited success of many pilots and proofs of concept (POCs) in 2024 will push European organizations to shift from building their own GenAI solutions to buying and implementing partner solutions in 2025,” added Lovelock.
In total, Gartner estimates spending on IT services related to AI in Europe will grow from $78bn (£60bn~) in 2024 to $94bn (£72bn~) in 2025.
European Data Centre Trends
Meanwhile, end-user spending on servers in Europe is estimated to grow 25% in 2024 due to increased demand for AI-optimised servers. Spending on servers is set to continue to grow in 2025, albeit at a slower pace (11%).
“Europe has seen a remarkable 46% increase in server spending by technology providers in 2024. In 2025, technology companies will continue building out the infrastructure needed for training GenAI models today and inferencing them in the future,” remarked Lovelock.
Full Breakdown of Forecasted Spend
In terms of the full breakdown of Gartner’s European IT spending forecast, software will see the largest percentile growth from 2024 (13.2%), with 2025 spend equating to $288bn (£223bn~).
This is followed by devices at 9.3% (with total 2025 spend forecasted to be $146bn or £113bn~), and IT services at 9.2% ($489bn, or £378bn~).
Spending on data centre systems is predicted to grow 8.7% (equating to $54bn in 2025, or £41bn~), while communications services is set to grow 3.6% (worth $302bn in total in 2025, or £233bn~).
Welcome to the latest edition of the DIGIT Deal Roundup.
Scotland’s tech industry saw some exciting funding and acquisition wins in October 2024, bolstering firms working in industries such as fintech, wearables and IoT, clean energy, and much, much more.
For a recap on these standout stories, check out our roundup below.
Funding and Investments
Neuranics Secures £800K From Scottish Enterprise
Neuranics has secured an £800,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise (SE) to support a £2.4 million project aimed at transforming how humans interact with machines through innovative wristband technology.
The Glasgow-based quantum sensor developer will use patented magnetic sensors in the wristbands to detect muscle activity and precise gestures, leveraging magnetomyography (MMG) technology and machine learning to interpret these muscle movements.
Initially targeting extended reality applications, the tech firm said the device will eventually enable seamless gesture recognition for immersive digital experiences.
Neuranics CEO Noel McKenna commented: “This funding is a tremendous boost for our project. We are excited to explore how our technology can transform digital interactions and contribute to Scotland’s economic and technological landscape.”
Glasgow-based specialist workforce optimisation software provider Corporate Modelling Services Ltd (CMS) has clinched £750,000 in equity funding from the Investment Fund for Scotland (IFS), managed by Maven Capital Partners and delivered by the British Business Bank.
CMS helps clients to transform their back office operational efficiency and improve the end customer experience through the implementation of a suite of workforce optimisation technologies delivered through its platform, OPX.
It’s been said that the transaction will allow the business to invest further in its platform, enhancing its capabilities and building out further AI functionality into the modular software suite.
“Alex [Allan, the CEO] and the senior team are all highly driven, experienced individuals with a genuine entrepreneurial focus and we look forward to supporting the business as it enters this exciting next phase of growth,” said Craig McGill, investment manager at Maven.
The UK electrolyser technology sector has received a boost with the announcement of three winners of the Net Zero Technology Centre’s (NZTC) 2024 electrolyser funding competition.
Launched back in March, the competition was created to find and fund innovative solutions to improve electrolyser efficiency.
Efficient electrolysers are key to cost-effective and large-scale green hydrogen production. Research from phase one of NZTC’s Energy Hubs project identified the need to accelerate the development of next-generation electrolyser technologies to meet future domestic and global hydrogen demand.
The winners of the competition are Clyde Hydrogen Systems, Aqsorption Ltd, and Latent Drive.
Darren Gee, who serves as ETF programme manager at NZTC, said: “Electrolyser technology is an exciting sector right now, and the technological breakthroughs of today will pave the way for the green energy solutions of tomorrow.”
Scots Women-led Companies Set for £4.5M Investment
Investing Women Angels (IWA) has announced it will back a series of investment rounds over the next four months that is set to raise more than £4.5m for four female-founded companies in Scotland.
Marking its 10th anniversary this month, IWA became Scotland’s first all-female business angel syndicate in 2014 when launched by its founder Jackie Waring, FRSE. The group has focused on supporting women to help address the equity investment gap between female-founded companies and those run by men. Over the past decade IWA has backed 26 such businesses helping them leverage over £55m in investment.
Rhona Campbell, chair of IWA, said: “It’s very exciting for us to be marking our 10-year anniversary by announcing that we’ll be supporting a further four female-founded businesses in Scotland.
“I’ve been proud to be involved with Jackie since the inception of IWA which, along with AccelerateHER, has both pioneered and raised the bar for investment in female founders and helped connect them with other investors across the Scottish ecosystem.”
The Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) has lined up an investment fund for the next generation of “smart things” entrepreneurs in Scotland, and partnered with the National Robotarium to help support these founders.
The STAC Investment Syndicate—a platform to connect investors with ambitious, high-growth potential companies to release market opportunities in innovative technologies—will next make investments of around £150,000 each into a number of companies in STAC’s fifth cohort.
The cohort, STAC 5, commences in early December. Applications for entry to the latest cohort of 15 companies opened on the 14th of October.
Scots Gov Confirms Young Enterprise Scotland Funding
Young Enterprise Scotland has had its funding confirmed by deputy first minister Kate Forbes, enabling it to remain viable throughout the year.
The charity announced that it risked closure after it lost its normal government grant funding last week, which accounts for almost all of its overall income.
If the charity closed, then 31 jobs at the organisations would’ve been at risk, and students would have lost the opportunity to study the SCQF Level 6 in Entrepreneurship.
Forbes reassured: “Although Young Enterprise Scotland was not successful in bidding for entrepreneurial education funding because of the strength of other applications—many of which had not previously received government support—I met the chair and chief executive of Young Enterprise Scotland this morning to update them on the conversations about additional support that had already taken place with officials, and I have approved the requested £285,000 to run into this year the two programmes that were previously funded by the Scottish Government.”
Researchers from Scottish universities are to lead new projects to accelerate the growth of the UK’s green economy, supported by millions in funding from the UK government.
The University of Glasgow will lead the £5.5 million Responsible Electronics and Circular Technologies Centre (REACT), while the University of Edinburgh will host the £5.6 million Centre for Net-Zero High Density Buildings.
The centres are part of five newly announced across the UK, receiving a portion of UK Research and Innovation’s £25 million Accelerating the Green Economy programme, an initiative aiming to boost research and innovation efforts to help the UK achieve its net-zero target by 2050.
University of Glasgow’s Professor Jeff Kettle, who will lead and coordinate the REACT Hub, said: “The Centre will unite leading researchers to drive the industry’s transition toward a net-zero economy. Its primary focus will be developing solutions to reduce electronic waste, minimise reliance on critical raw materials, and reduce carbon footprints.”
The UK government will make billions of pounds available in funding across the UK, including for Scotland’s clean energy industry.
The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, made the pledge ahead of a visit to Aberdeen with Great British Energy chair Juergen Maier, visiting the city for the first time since Aberdeen was announced as the headquarters for the UK’s new publicly-owned energy company.
Following the visit, the UK government signed a new agreement with the Scottish government to boost Great British Energy’s ambitions supporting clean energy supply chains and infrastructure.
It’s hoped that, by developing partnerships with Scottish public bodies in the clean energy sector—including Crown Estate Scotland, the Enterprise Agencies, and the Scottish National Investment Bank—Great British Energy can deliver quickly and effectively, providing maximum value for money from Scottish projects.
Datavant, a leader in healthcare data connectivity, has acquired Trace Data, the Scotland-founded privacy consultancy that helps organisations secure their sensitive data and comply with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Trace is a privacy boutique with global reach which has built deep relationships with years of experience serving clients in public and private institutions across the UK, Europe, and Canada.
The acquisition has been made to enable Datavant to better support clients and partners in complying with data protection laws like GDPR and aligning with data and AI governance frameworks.
“We are excited to join forces with Datavant and contribute to their mission of connecting the world’s health data,” said Sorcha Lorimer, founder of Trace Data.
“Our shared vision of breaking down data silos and enabling businesses to create strong data privacy systems will accelerate innovation in European healthcare data connectivity, leading to better outcomes for organisations and patients at scale.”
Trace Data chairman Mark Sutherland added: “Joining a truly global company at the forefront of data logistics and privacy protection is a logical step for the team, and I am delighted to see Trace’s mission – as a Scotland-born startup – accelerate with the acquisition by Datavant.”
iomart Acquires Atech Support
Glasgow-based cloud computing firm iomart has acquired Kookaburra Topco, the holding company of Atech Support, for £57 million.
This acquisition, funded through existing cash and an expanded £125m revolving credit facility, is set to bolster iomart’s offerings as a Microsoft Solutions partner. Atech’s 150-strong team, with 128 Microsoft certifications, will join iomart as part of its strategic goal to enhance cloud services for mid-sized UK enterprises.
“Our acquisition of Atech marks a significant milestone for iomart in our ‘Bigger, Better, Bolder’ strategy,” said Lucy Dimes, CEO of iomart Group.
“Atech was a strategic target for us, and creates a powerful combination of Microsoft credentials, managed security services, high quality referenceable customer deployments, leading-edge technology and global delivery capability.”
Ventex, the Scottish venture capital firm based in Aberdeen, has acquired Rovtech, a Cumbria-based manufacturing business, to accelerate its nuclear energy expansion.
Rovtech marks the third business to join Ventex, which is geared on repurposing companies, technologies, skills, and experience in the supply chain to support renewable energy markets and goals.
“Rovtech exemplifies a mature business that is unaware of its excellence and scale potential – it is a hidden gem, perfectly placed to support the energy transition and net zero supply chain,” said Stuart McLeod, managing partner at Ventex.
Decarbonisation and clean energy solutions group D2Zero has acquired flow measurement consultancy Kelton.
Aberdeen-based Kelton’s proprietary technology and software enabled real-time monitoring and data gathering to provide more informed asset performance and compliance analysis.
D2Zero hopes its acquisition of Kelton will improve its digital capabilities and further accelerate its momentum in the energy transition industry.
“We are proud to announce that Kelton is now part of D2Zero,” managing director of Kelton, Iain Pirie, said.
“Over the past 33 years, our team has developed differentiated technology and expertise, and we are excited at the possibilities for the business as part of a Group with such a clear focus on accelerating the energy transition.”
Stirling-based nanomaterial manufacturer iGii has agreed a multi-million pound deal with English health monitoring company Prymexa to develop a toolkit that detects signs of perimenopause.
Perimenopause is the transition phase period before menopause, and can start as early as the mid-30s.
With 60% of women under 40 not feeling informed about perimenopause or menopause, many experience a range of symptoms and increased risks of depression, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease without guidance on managing these.
A lack of awareness and monitoring can also lead to misdiagnosis and missed opportunities for early intervention.
Early identification of perimenopause however allows for more personalised advice, treatment, and support from medical experts.
The toolkit will look at various monitoring options, including wearable devices and sensors to enable simple and affordable at-home monitoring that can be closely tracked by a medical professional.
At the core of the technology is iGii’s nanomaterial, Gii; a low-cost, eco-friendly, and highly-sensitive alternative to traditional carbon- and metal-based sensors, making it particularly effective for accurate assessment of menopause symptoms.
“Gii has the potential to significantly improve point-of-care human diagnostics and make accurate, quick medical results the norm,” explained Jean-Christophe Granier, CEO of iGii.
“Its properties provide a more affordable, sustainable, scalable and sensitive sensing platform for high-quality results in labs and at home.
“This project with Prymexa highlights the real value and potential of Gii and we look forward to working with them to positively impact the lives of those going through the perimenopause period.”
Sara Pardoe, chief executive officer of Prymexa, also commented: “Menopause receives a fraction of the investment compared to other medical fields, yet half the population will experience it and demand for effective management solutions is growing exponentially.
“Our research aims to bring individuals closer to a simple, clear understanding of their menopause journey and how to best manage it.”
David Atkinson, founder of Prymexa, shared his excitement about the collaboration: “We are thrilled about this partnership, which promises to transform lives through our extensive research and development efforts.
“By joining forces with iGii, we can enhance the precision and sensitivity of our toolkit, accelerating our product development and ultimately making a significant difference in people’s lives.”
The UK is set to create the world’s “first” real-time surveillance system to monitor the threat of future pandemics, prevent disease, and help protect the public, it’s been announced.
The partnership overseeing the plans consists of the UK government, the UK Biobank, Genomics England, NHS England, and leading life sciences and technology company, Oxford Nanopore.
Oxford Nanopore uses long read sequencing technology to analyse genes and pathogens to rapidly diagnose a range of cancers, along with rare and infectious diseases.
In infectious diseases, Oxford Nanopore’s technology will help to create an early warning system for future pandemics and potential biological threats.
It’ll be used in the expansion of NHS England’s Respiratory Metagenomics programme, being led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT).
It uses samples from patients with severe respiratory infections and rapid genetic testing to match those patients with the right treatments within six hours.
The novel application, developed in partnership with the NHS, will allow potential outbreaks of bacterial or viral diseases to be monitored alongside antimicrobial resistance across the country.
The data gathered using the technology will be provided to the UK Health and Security Agency, allowing quicker detection and action on emerging infectious diseases to be taken.
Following an initial successful pilot at St Thomas’ Hospital, the technology will now be rolled out from 10 to up to 30 NHS sites to address the current time lag between new pathogens emerging in the UK and action being taken to both treat affected patients and to prevent their spread.
“If we fail to prepare, we should prepare to fail,” commented health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting.
“Our NHS was already on its knees when the pandemic struck, and it was hit harder than any other comparable healthcare system.
“We cannot let history repeat itself. That’s why this historic partnership with Oxford Nanopore will ensure our world-leading scientists have the latest information on emerging threats at their fingertips.
“As we embrace the technological revolution, our 10-Year Health Plan will shift the NHS away from analogue to digital, saving countless more lives.”
Oxford Nanopore CEO, Gordon Sanghera, further added: “The UK has a remarkable life science ecosystem, and we are delighted to be working more closely with the UK government and the NHS in this collaboration.
“The world-renowned Genomics England and UK Biobank have led the way in scaling genomics discovery and translating these advances into patient impact.
“By working alongside our partners on shared goals of improved patient outcomes – whether in cancer, genetic disease or infectious disease – and pandemic preparedness, we believe we can deploy our unique DNA sequencing technology in ways that are most impactful for the people of the UK.”
CodeBase, Edinburgh Futures Institute, and Barclays Eagle Labs have played a leading role in organising a UK-wide conference, the Ecosystem Exchange, taking place at the Futures Institute in Edinburgh today.
The event marks the first time a conference dedicated to the UK’s technology ecosystem growth has taken place, with Jon Hope, SVP ecosystems at CodeBase, saying “The overall aim of the event is to bring together ecosystem builders from across the UK to share perspectives, learning, and find ways to do things better.”
Over 200 people have registered to attend, including regional and city ecosystem managers from across the UK, and representatives from national and local government, universities, investors, and banks.
Participating organisations include the University of Edinburgh, Glasgow City Innovation District, Opportunity North-East, University of Strathclyde, Conception X, Sustainable Ventures, and Techscaler, the Scottish Government’s startup support programme run by CodeBase.
Speakers and panellists include Mark Logan, former Skyscanner COO and chief entrepreneurial adviser to the Scottish government; Barclays Eagle Labs managing director Abdul Qureshi; Andrew Wordsworth, CEO of Sustainable Ventures, which recently opened a hub in Glasgow; Edinburgh Futures Institute’s director of innovation, Alessandro Rosiello; and Sarah Hardy, director and head of new investment at investment firm Archangel.
The agenda includes panel sessions on topics including “competition versus collaboration: fostering synergies within the ecosystem”; “unicorn chasing or sustainable growth?”; and “the role of universities in the UK tech ecosystem.”
“It’s right that the UK continues to look towards international tech ecosystems, such as in North America and Asia, so we can plug into and learn about developing trends, experience, and playbooks,” Hope said.
“But across the UK we have some world class capabilities and programmes, and the Ecosystem Exchange is about better sharing insights from across the UK, and by increasing meaningful collaboration and improved connectivity. This process will help our regional and national ecosystems to evolve to the benefit of everyone.”
Sustainable Ventures is opening a Glasgow base in partnership with Techscaler, aimed at driving climate tech startup activity in Scotland.
Sustainable Ventures is one of the leading climate tech hubs outside North America, with over 1,000 innovators based at their London headquarters. The organisation has already over 700 climate tech companies which have jointly raised over £1.1 billion in investment and created over 6,000 jobs.
Its 53 investments via seven funds to date make Sustainable Ventures one of the UK’s most active early-stage climate tech investors. The organisation recently opened in Manchester, and its base at the Barclays campus in Glasgow marks its fourth hub opening in the UK.
Speaking on the new Glasgow base, Garry Boyle, regional development associate at Sustainable Ventures, said: “We’re excited by our expansion into Scotland, and the move illustrates the importance and potential of climate tech and energy transition here. The overall plan is focussed on leveraging capital from London into Scotland alongside specialist support to help Scotland transition to net zero. We can’t wait to get started, and to get to work with founders and startups here.”
Alongside its venture capital arm, Sustainable Ventures works closely with portfolio companies through intensive 12-month programmes, one-to-one support, and the provision of professional services, to help accelerate growth and secure future funding rounds.
Techscaler, the Scottish Government’s techstartup programme run by CodeBase, is already supporting in the region of 100 climate tech companies across Scotland—startups that will now have the opportunity to access Sustainable Ventures via the partnership.
Yasmin Sulaiman, who serves as senior VP of ecosystems at CodeBase, also commented: “Sustainable Ventures is globally recognised for its commitment to providing space, community, funding, and general support to many of the UK’s most promising climate tech startups, so their decision to launch a hub here in Scotland is great news for our fast-growing climate tech sector and the overall push towards green transition.”
Deputy first minister Kate Forbes also said: “Unlocking the ideas and innovation that will support the journey to net zero is crucial, and Scotland is already home to a significant number of startups and businesses developing important solutions to global challenges.
“This new partnership will help our newest and most exciting business ventures to develop and scale the technologies and products that will become increasingly important in the coming years, while driving Glasgow’s economy and growing its reputation as a thriving, innovative city.”
New research from technological research and consulting company Gartner has found that 85% of business leaders agreed that the need for skills development will dramatically increase as AI and digital trends continue to disrupt work.
According to its June 2024 survey of 330 business leaders, the vast majority (93%) agreed that their role is to ensure their workforce has the time and resources to continuously learn.
“In the context of today’s AI fueled accelerated disruption, many business leaders feel learning is too slow to respond to the volume, variety and velocity of skills needs,” explained Chantal Steen, senior director of global advisory in the Gartner HR practice.
“L&D must become more agile to respond to changes faster and deliver learning more rapidly and more cost effectively,” Steen added.
On learning agility, the survey found that enterprises which deliver the best business outcomes from their learning use a set of agile learning practices at least 1.5 times more than other enterprises.
Gartner has suggested leaders deploy the following recommendations to create a more agile learning environment within their business environment:
1. Connect Learning With Targeted Outcomes
Outcome-driven learning can benefit both the enterprise and its employees by connecting the learning activities with realising target outcomes, the research firm stated.
“For organizations, learning produces the skills critical for adapting to change and executing a competitive strategy, which in turn maximizes earning outcomes,” Steen further explained.
“The benefit of learning for employees is growing their skills to perform well amid change and advance their value, career and earning potential.”
Leaders can co-create narratives with their teams to help shift their view of learning, so they see learning as a vital part of their work that achieves tangible results, rather than time away from work that drains productivity.
2. Adopt Agile Learning Values
According to Gartner, leaders can unite their teams’ mindsets around effective learning practices by adopting the five values provided in its new AI-Era Learning Manifesto:
Business outcomes over knowledge gained
Growth mindset over current skill set
Skills-based agility over role-based stability
Embedded learning over “off-the-job” training
Community compounding over individual learning
By embracing learning values, employees will become more energised and learning will be more effective, Gartner said, thereby driving key business outcomes.
3. Harness Learning Agile Principles
L&D leaders can revitalise learning programs by combining emerging capabilities with proven methods—such as experiential and social learning—that provide learners the opportunity to apply their new skills on the job.
The research firm stated that, by leveraging the principles of the AI-Era Learning Manifesto, organisations will see more employee-led growth, which will better drive outcomes at speed and scale within this AI era.
A new skills hub aiming to help thousands of Scots better understand the jobs and careers available in the financial services industry has been launched by Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE).
The new getinto.finance digital platform, backed by Scotland’s colleges and universities, was developed in response to a demand for simple, joined up career information and guidance from and about the financial sector.
SFE has created the new hub to encourage more people, particularly those from underrepresented or disadvantaged backgrounds, to learn about career opportunities, qualifications, and employers in the sector.
Despite finance being one of Scotland’s largest industries, research indicates that many Scots are deterred from it due to a lack of awareness about careers or negative preconceptions.
A recent survey from SFE and communications agency Citypress found that 40% of people in Scotland don’t believe they have the right qualifications to work in financial services, while almost a quarter (24%) believe the industry is elitist.
Scotland’s highly skilled workforce is one of the primary reasons international financial and professional services firms choose to locate here, and equipping more people with the skills of the future is a key plank of SFE’s sector growth strategy, which aims to unlock £7bn GVA for the Scottish economy by 2028.
The hub will officially launch at an event at the Barclays Glasgow Campus today, alongside SFE members, education partners, and young people, with a keynote speech from Scottish Government minister for further and higher education, Graeme Dey.
Ahead of the launch, SFE’s programme director, Christina Anthoulaki, said: “Scotland’s hugely talented workforce is one of the main reasons so many financial and professional services firms are choosing to locate here.
“But people of all ages, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are missing out on a rewarding career in the sector because they do not believe they have the skills or qualifications to succeed.
“getinto.finance aims to challenge these views and encourage more people to learn about what the sector does, the role it plays in our economy, the variety of opportunities available and the skills and qualifications required.”
Further education minister Graeme Dey also added: “Scotland’s financial and professional services sector plays a significant role to our economy and employs nearly 150,000 people across the country. It also has a global reputation, which has been built on through over 300 years of leadership, innovation and talent.
“The Scottish Government is working with the sector to ensure that this vital industry continues to grow for the years ahead.
“A key aspect of this is to nurture homegrown talent from all walks of life by providing them with the necessary skills they need to succeed in the industry, which is why we are proud to support the Skills Hub alongside the Scottish Financial Enterprise.”
According to the latest forecast from technological research and consulting firm Gartner, global semiconductor revenue has been projected to grow 14% in 2025 to total $717 billion (£552bn~).
Following an earlier decline in 2023, semiconductor revenue is rebounding—and expected to see double-digit growth in both 2024 and 2025. By the end of this year, the market is forecast to grow 19% and reach $630bn (£485bn~).
“The growth is driven by a continued surge in AI-related semiconductor demand and recovery in electronic production, while demand from the automotive and industrial sectors continues to be weak,” explained Rajeev Rajput, a senior principal analyst at Gartner.
What Will Help to Boost Semiconductor Revenue?
The research firm has anticipated that, in the near term, the memory market and graphics processing units (GPUs) will strengthen semiconductor revenue globally.
The worldwide memory revenue market is forecast to record 20.5% growth in 2025, to total $196.3bn (£151bn~). Interestingly, sustained undersupply in 2024 is set to fuel NAND memory prices up 60% in 2024, but they are poised to decline by 3% in 2025. With lower supply and a softer pricing landscape in 2025, NAND flash revenue is forecast to total $75.5bn (£58bn~) in 2025, up 12% from 2024.
Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) supply and demand is also set to rebound due to improved undersupply, unprecedented high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production and rising demand, and the increase in double data rate 5 (DDR5) prices. Overall, DRAM revenue is expected to total $115.6 bn (£88bn~) in 2025, up from $90.1bn (£69bn~) in 2024.
AI’s Impact on Semiconductors
Since 2023, GPUs have commanded the training and development of AI models. Their revenue is projected to total $51bn (£39bn~), an increase of 27%, in 2025.
George Brocklehurt, a VP analyst at the research firm, noted that “However, the market is now shifting to a return on investment (ROI) phase where inference revenues need to grow to multiples of training investments.”
Among them is a steep increase in HBM demand, a high-performance AI server memory solution. “Vendors are investing significantly in HBM production and packaging to match next-generation GPU/AI accelerator memory requirements,” said Brocklehurst.
HBM revenue is expected to increase by more than 284% in 2024 and 70% in 2025, reaching $12.3bn (£9.4bn~) and $21bn (£16bn~) respectively. Gartner analysts predict that, by 2026, more than 40% of HBM chips will facilitate AI inference workloads, compared to fewer than 30% today. This is largely due to increased inference deployments and limited repurpose for training GPUs.
Scotland’s two largest cities have improved their position in the latest Z/Yen Global Green Finance Index, underlining the sector’s global reputation and development in green finance.
The Scottish capital has moved up five places to 19th position in total, while Glasgow jumped eight places to 36th place. Meanwhile, London retained its position as the world’s foremost green finance centre.
The index highlights Scotland’s reputation for green finance thought leadership in particular, with Edinburgh in 11th place globally for “knowledge.”
It also underscores Edinburgh’s enhanced reputation among experts, with the capital coming in at 15th position when results are adjusted to green finance professionals specifically.
The index’s results follow the Global Ethical Finance Initiative’s recent Ethical Finance Summit in Edinburgh, which saw the launch of the Scottish Taskforce on Green Finance’s new report and recommendations.
Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) identified the index as a key success metric in its Sector Growth Strategy, launched last year.
The results mean that six core growth strategy success measures have been achieved in 2024.
These include the number of new jobs created by the sector (13,000), GVA growth (additional £500 million), fintech investment (up 26% in 2024), foreign direct investment (maintained our position as leading UK FS FDI hub outside of London) and Global Financial Centres Index standing (Edinburgh and Glasgow both improved their position in 2024).
Commenting on the index’s results, Sandy Begbie CBE, who serves as chief executive at Scottish Financial Enterprise, said: “The latest Z-Yen Global Green Finance Index shows Scotland continuing to build its reputation as a world leading green finance centre.
“Our two largest cities continue to be major locations for expertise, education and investment in financing the net zero transition.
“The recent recommendations of the Scottish Taskforce on Green Finance establish a clear roadmap to help us make further progress.
“Working in partnership with key stakeholders including the Global Ethical Finance Initiative, Scottish and UK governments, and London-based partners like the City of London Corporation, we will ensure Scotland takes full advantage of the huge opportunity that green finance represents.”
New research from The Alan Turing Institute has uncovered how doctors in the UK feel about AI—with nearly a third (29%) of doctors already having used some form of AI in their practice in the last 12 months.
The Institute’s latest survey, which gathered 929 responses from a sample of doctors on the UK medical register, also uncovered that more than half (52%) of respondents are optimistic about AI’s use in healthcare.
However, despite AI becoming embedded in many doctors’ practice, most indicated that they’re not using AI systems in their work, and more than half (54%) believe that the opportunities presented by AI for the profession are not being fully explored.
Doctors who reported using some form of AI were generally confident in using these systems, and agreed that the outputs are clear and understandable.
That said, while many doctors were positive regarding AI’s potential, the survey found that around a third (32%) of all doctors felt they didn’t fully understand the risks presented by the use of AI in healthcare.
The research also highlighted that there’s some uncertainty over who’s responsible for decisions that were supported by AI systems. Nearly 70% of the respondents said they hadn’t received adequate training to understand their professional responsibilities when using these systems.
While AI systems have significant potential to support clinicians when making decisions to help improve efficiency and patient outcomes, the researchers believe it’s key that practitioners feel supported to use these systems effectively in their work.
“It‘s encouraging to see that medical professionals are mostly positive about the opportunities of AI in medicine,” said Youmna Hashem, report author and a researcher for the Institute’s AI for Public Services team. “But our research shows that better training is needed to fully realise the full potential of AI and to help doctors feel confident using it in their roles.”
Dr Jonathan Bright, the Institute’s head of online safety and AI for public services, added: “AI has the potential to revolutionise our healthcare system by helping doctors to make important decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of their patients.
“This survey provides valuable insight into how doctors feel about AI as well as their experience using it so far. We are optimistic that AI will continue to make efficiencies and advance progress in healthcare.”
Gartner, the technological research and consulting company, has announced its list of the 10 top strategic technology trends that should be explored by organisations in 2025.
Analysts from the company presented their findings at the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo event, taking place in Orlando, Florida.
“This year’s top strategic technology trends span AI imperatives and risks, new frontiers of computing and human-machine synergy,” revealed Gene Alvarez, who serves as distinguished VP analyst at the research firm.
“Tracking these trends will help IT leaders shape the future of their organizations with responsible and ethical innovation.”
The Top Strategic Technology Trends for 2025
1. Agentic AI
The first trend revealed is agentic AI, which autonomously plans and takes actions to meet user-defined goals. It offers the promise of a virtual workforce that can offload and augment human work.
In particular, Gartner said that agentic AI has the potential to realise CIOs’ desire to increase productivity across the organisation.
The research firm has predicted that, by 2028, at least 15% of day-to-day work decisions will be made autonomously through agentic AI, up from 0% in 2024.
2. AI Governance Platforms
AI governance platforms are a part of Gartner’s evolving AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (TRiSM) framework that enables organisations to manage the legal, ethical, and operational performance of their AI systems.
These technology solutions have the capability to create, manage, and enforce policies for responsible AI use, explain how AI systems work, and provide transparency to build trust and accountability.
Gartner’s forecasted that by 2028, organisations that implement comprehensive AI governance platforms will experience 40% fewer AI-related ethical incidents compared to those without such systems.
3. Disinformation Security
Disinformation security is an emerging category of technology that systematically discerns trust and aims to provide methodological systems for ensuring integrity, assessing authenticity, preventing impersonation, and tracking the spread of harmful information.
By 2028, the research firm predicted that 50% of enterprises will begin adopting products, services, or features designed specifically to address disinformation security use cases, up from less than 5% today.
4. Post-quantum Cryptography
Post-quantum cryptography provides data protection that is resistant to quantum computing decryption risks. As quantum computing developments have progressed over the last several years, it’s expected that there will be an end to several types of conventional cryptography that’s widely used.
It’s not easy to switch cryptography methods, Gartner noted, so organisations must have a longer lead time to ready themselves for robust protection of anything sensitive or confidential.
The consulting firm is anticipating that by 2029, advances in quantum computing will make most conventional asymmetric cryptography unsafe to use.
5. Ambient Invisible Intelligence
Ambient invisible intelligence is enabled by ultra-low cost, small smart tags and sensors which will deliver large-scale affordable tracking and sensing.
Through 2027, early examples of ambient invisible intelligence will focus on solving immediate problems, such as retail stock checking or perishable goods logistics, Gartner said, by enabling low-cost, real-time tracking and sensing of items to improve visibility and efficiency.
IT impacts sustainability in many ways and in 2024 the leading consideration for most IT organisations is their carbon footprint.
It’s expected by Gartner that starting in the late 2020s, several new compute technologies, such as optical, neuromorphic and novel accelerators, will emerge for special purpose tasks, such as AI and optimisation, which will use significantly less energy.
7. Hybrid Computing
Hybrid computing combines different compute, storage and network mechanisms to solve computational problems.
This form of computing helps organisations explore and solve problems which helps technologies, such as AI, perform beyond current technological limits.
Hybrid computing will be used to create highly efficient transformative innovation environments that perform more effectively than conventional environments, the research firm noted.
8. Spatial Computing
Spatial computing digitally enhances the physical world with technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality. This is the next level of interaction between physical and virtual experiences.
By 2033, Gartner predicts spatial computing will grow to $1.7 trillion (£1.3tn~), up from $110 billion (£84.5bn~) in 2023.
9. Polyfunctional Robots
Polyfunctional machines have the capability to do more than one task and are replacing task-specific robots that are custom designed to repeatedly perform a single task.
Polyfunctional robots are designed to operate in a world with humans which will make for fast deployment and easy scalability, explained the research firm.
It’s predicted that, by 2030, 80% of humans will engage with smart robots on a daily basis, up from less than 10% today.
10. Neurological Enhancement
Gartner said that neurological enhancement improves human cognitive abilities using technologies that read and decode brain activity. This technology reads a person’s brain by using unidirectional brain-machine interfaces or bidirectional brain-machine interfaces (BBMIs).
By 2030, Gartner predicts 30% of knowledge workers will be “enhanced” by, and dependent on, technologies such as BBMIs (both employer-and-self-funded) to stay relevant with the rise of AI in the workplace, up from less than 1% in 2024.
A third cohort of companies have become Pledge partners with Pathways Forward, committing to actionable steps aligned with the principles set out in the Pathways report for supporting women in business.
The latest cohort comprising EY, FDM Group, Elevator, Equity Gap, and the Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) now join the likes of CodeBase, The Open University in Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Royal Bank of Scotland and many more as Pledge partners.
The Pathways Pledge was launched in February 2024, and now has over 20 organisations signed up to over 40 pledges which will be monitored and reported annually.
Pathways Forward itself was launched in September 2023, following the publication of the Scottish Government-commissioned Pathways: A New Approach For Women in Entrepreneurship report, highlighting and recommending solutions for the numerous obstacles that women in business face.
Pathways Forward chair Ana Stewart said: “We are rapidly building a strong foundation of forward-thinking organisations who share our commitment to both the recommendations laid out in the Pathways report, the underlying principles, and engendering effective change within their own businesses.”
The individual commitments of the Pledge are aimed to complement existing internal policies, and range from the capturing and analysis of recruitment data, showcasing female entrepreneurial role models, broadening awareness of national programmes in Scotland, and amplifying the profiles of women non-executive directors for female founders. The focus is on actionable and trackable pledges, with shared and published results.
The news comes following last month’s inaugural Female Founders Growth Summit at the Royal Bank of Scotland Conference Centre in Edinburgh, where over 250 founders, business leaders, and senior executives gathered to hear from high-profile speakers and engage in panel sessions and networking.
“The summit was a great success,” Stewart commented. “We were able to explore many of the key challenges and opportunities for women in business and the investment backdrop, with attendees making valuable connections that will help to drive their own ventures.”
The UK Government has provided £12 million in funding for research into wearable technology, virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) in a bid to support people with drug addictions and reduce deaths.
One of the chosen projects, called PneumoWave ALERT which involves the University of Dundee, pairs a chest-worn sensor that monitors breathing to a mobile device that will send out an immediate alert to antidote carriers and emergency services if an overdose is detected.
Another study will look at using VR to help people overcome their triggers for cocaine addiction. They’ll be assessed using wearable devices to determine which cues in their environment lead to a drug craving by measuring physical changes to the body. VR will then be used to create realistic situations to repeatedly expose people to triggers in a safe environment.
Previous research shows cue exposure treatment (CET) can significantly reduce the level of craving and relapse among alcoholics, but it has not yet been fully explored in people experiencing a cocaine addiction—until now.
£12 million has been awarded to 11 projects across eight organisations in the UK. The funding has been provided through the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, run by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS).
The projects were selected as part of the Reducing Drug Deaths Challenge and the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, which are being run in partnership with the Scottish Government and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
Several of the projects are based in Scotland, which has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, who serves as the Scottish Government’s chief scientific advisor, said: “Tackling drug-related deaths is a priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland and we are committed to tackling these issues through targeted research, innovation and support.
“As part of phase two of the Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Competition, funding has been awarded to develop seven prototypes aimed at reducing drug deaths.
“These innovative solutions include wearable sensors, digital monitoring and alert applications as well as novel antidote delivery systems.
“By harnessing the expertise we have in Scotland and across the rest of the UK, we can continue to develop new technologies to drive prevention initiatives.”
New research from research unit Fraser of Allander Institute and charity Acorns to Trees has found that Scottish employers’ lack of understanding is limiting employment opportunities for folks with learning disabilities.
The research underlined five key themes which are holding employers back from hiring people with learning disabilities, including: a lack of knowledge leading to prejudice, a lack of prioritisation, a lack of intention and knowledge about how to recruit, not knowing where to start, and a perceived cost barrier.
While the study discovered that all companies surveyed, both large and small, said they were willing to hire someone with learning disabilities, their internal HR and management staff struggled to define a learning disability and half had never discussed how to make it happen.
A learning disability is a lifelong condition that means people may need support to understand new information, learn new skills, and cope independently. For instance, people with Down’s syndrome have some level of learning disability.
Employers identified several options for improvement, including the creation of learning resources and building networks where employers could learn from each other. Critically, employers in the research reported a willingness to pay for such resources if they became available.
According to the latest data from the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD), of the 23,584 working-age adults with a learning disability known to local authorities across Scotland, only 4.1% were known to be in employment—considerably lower than national rate of 74.7% (via the Annual Population Survey, Jan-Dec. 2023).
Speaking on the findings, Chirsty McFadyen, an economist at the Institute who leads on its learning disability employment work, said: “The findings from our latest report confirm that employers want to hire people with learning disabilities, but they need more information and support to do so. We’ve heard first-hand that people with learning disabilities make great employees when given the right support.
“As the Fraser of Allander has previously identified, there is evidence of what works when the right support is given to someone with a learning disability who is seeking employment, but replicating success at scale is a challenge.”
No matter the type of area in which you live—be it urban, suburban, or rural—there’s an exceedingly high chance that there’ll be a myriad of vacant, unused buildings. Think: derelict town halls that instead could be office spaces for fledgling businesses; abandoned theatres that could once again serve as a community arts hub; or empty residential properties that could be repurposed into social and affordable housing.
For Grand Bequest, the Scotland-based, woman-led property technology (proptech) startup, this is the mission at the core of its efforts: ensuring that the hundreds of thousands of underpurposed, unoccupied buildings scattered across the country are put back into effective use, and in a way that directly aligns with local community needs.
To learn more about the inspiration behind the proptech’s creation, the sheer amount of work involved behind the scenes, and the innovative new technologies that are helping facilitate building regeneration and repurposing, not least artificial intelligence and geospatial data, we spoke to CEO Katherine Gunderson.
Read on to find out what the passionate, forward-thinking entrepreneur told us.
From Detroit to Dunbartonshire
The initial idea for Grand Bequest didn’t so much start in Scotland as much as it did Detroit. Just as the American city is globally recognised for its rich cultural tapestry spanning from music to food, it wouldn’t be remiss to say that it’s also infamous for its urban decay; a large contributor to this being the gradual demise of the city’s once-thriving automobile industry.
For U.S.-born Gunderson, who was living in Detroit while remotely studying for a Doctorate of Business Administration and Management at the University of Liverpool, the brokenness was undeniably stark—and deeply impactful on both personal and professional levels. At the time, the city had just filed for bankruptcy, with countless unused buildings being removed. (The Guardian, shortly after, reported that 200 houses alone were being demolished each week—with ten of thousands left to be cleared.) However, with the glaring issues of homelessness and the wider housing crisis in the city, the outright removal of innumerable buildings didn’t quite add up for Gunderson. Instead, why couldn’t they be repurposed into habitable homes and spaces that’d better serve local communities?
While the concept of Grand Bequest began to form, Gunderson somewhat serendipitously visited Scotland on a whim, and she immediately recognised its potential as an ideal sandbox for a startup at the intersections of property, regeneration, law, social justice, community, technology, and sustainability. It wasn’t long before the founder, whose compelling forthrightness and pragmatism is immediately noticeable within moments of meeting her, called her husband to say not so much as state that they’d soon be moving countries. “My husband laughed and said, ‘Let’s do it… it’s time for you to make your mark,’ knowing that the pieces were coming together and that we were undoubtedly in for a fun adventure,” Gunderson recounted.
Grand Bequest was officially founded in Scotland on February 26th 2020, mere weeks before COVID-19 fully entrenched itself and local lockdowns were ordered to mitigate spread. In spite of the intense tumultuousness that it consequently brought, Gunderson’s resolve to make good on her newly-founded startup was steadfast. Because, ultimately, it wasn’t just a business idea: it was a way to facilitate meaningful change for people and place.
From Unused to Useful
Grand Bequest’s innovative approach for seeing vacant building regeneration through to purposeful usage is consolidated down to a six-stage process (though, due to the inherent complexities, it isn’t entirely sequential).
Anyone can kick things off by “bequesting” (read: flagging) a building for repurposing through the free-to-use web app. The local community, in combination with suggestions from Grand Bequest’s in-house AI programme, then put forward potential new usages for the space. A voluntary lead, referred to as a “Champion,” is chosen to help spearhead the project and help see it through completion. But, considering that no building regeneration project can be done without the appropriate financing, the necessary resources are investigated and secured—e.g., from the likes of impact investors. The building’s physical integrity is also digitally documented via drones, with the geospatial data then being fed into AI algorithms which propose how best to go about restoration, with architects and construction staff then carrying out the required reconstructive work. The last step, after the building has secured a new lease on life, centres around celebration: all stakeholders—from the citizens who live nearby, to the workers whose labour led to the project’s triumph—reflect on and honour the reconstituted space, whatever it turns out to be, at the project’s grand opening.
At the time of writing, the projects that Grand Bequest is helping to facilitate, like the historic Balloch Castle at Loch Lommond’s southern edge, are in the early stages. That’s because the startup is still relatively young—and, considering its massive scope, Gunderson is undergoing the rest of the learning needed for the success of each of Grand Bequest’s regeneration stages. For instance, as part of efforts on the funding front, she recently partook in a five-day intensive course at the University of Oxford on impact finance innovations and finance vehicles for impact investments, helping to build out her knowledge and ideas on how the promising regeneration projects can better access and attain essential funding. “What is so exciting about this point in history, is the fact that leaders like Aunnie Patton Power and Sir Ronald Cohen are spearheading the impact finance revolution at the exact same time that generative AI technology has never been more accessible or powerful,” the founder said. “Everything is new, fast moving, and ripe for enabling the societal re-engineering that is necessary to literally survive in the coming decades.”
To say that a lot of behind-the-scenes work that does and will go on in any given regeneration project—and amid the backdrop of Gunderson learning in real time—is a sizeable undertaking is nothing short of an understatement. That’s why the practically-minded Gunderson is intentionally collaborating with partner companies to streamline Grand Bequest’s entire process, rather than tackle every single meticulous action itself, in turn creating a bespoke supply chain that can usher in change as efficiently and effectively as possible.
From Information to Innovation
Although a Grand Bequest regeneration project hasn’t yet moved through all six of its stages, innovative technologies are already being utilised by the proptech to make good on its mission.
For instance, and as briefly touched on earlier, a critical component of the proptech’s process is bringing in a specialist Midlands-based drone company, Terra Measurement, to measure the interior and exterior measurements of identified, potentially promising buildings, and down to a millimetre of accuracy. This integral data is then passed along to a Northern Ireland-based partner, DesignID, who is then able to unlock structural integrity-related insights via its artificial intelligence platform. Specifically, following assessment of the data, the company reports back to Grand Bequest with a holistic overview of how physically sound the building in question is—detailing, for instance, which walls are perfectly safe and stable, or which floors require attention before future usage. By highlighting the way these different kinds of companies can work together to deliver actionable insights, Grand Bequest aims to become a new type of technical convener, bringing the various pieces together across the technological partners, construction companies, public body organisations, and local citizens needed to re-engineer the entire regenerative supply chain and begin delivering social and affordable housing at scale.
Though Grand Bequest collaborates with key supply chain partners in the name of efficiency, that isn’t to say the startup doesn’t create its own tools when needed. Gunderson explained how, due to there currently being no product available in the market that adequately meets the company’s requirements in this area, the small team is currently building HOME (the Housing Optimisation and Monitoring Engine), an AI model which suggests what a regenerated building could become for its community. The model, whose further development is currently in review to receive an additional £150,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise, is but another instance of how the proptech is deploying cutting-edge technology to hasten positive change for people and place—and exemplifies the small team’s gumption and drive to create the answer themselves.
Grand Bequest’s usage of such technologies prompts an interesting question, though. Would the proptech even be able to exist if both AI and data hadn’t become as accessible and usable as it has in the last few years? Gunderson, without missing a beat, said no. “I believe the challenge is no longer a lack of technological capabilities, as vital and powerful as it is,” the CEO added. “The challenge facing society now, and where meaningful value will be created, is in the social engineering needed to exponentially scale, what I’m calling ‘profitable impact,’ around the world. This will require more collaboration, empathy, genuine curiosity, kindness, and an open-mindedness that our old ways of doing business were not built to do.”
With a clear vision for what it wants to achieve and much of its foundations already built, what are the next steps for the mission-led proptech? In the near term, at least, Gunderson will be undergoing further opportunities to broaden her knowledge to ensure that the six-stage process is facilitated as smoothly as possible. For instance, she’s now gearing up to focus on how innovative financial structures, like social impact bonds, recoverable grants, and sustainability-linked bonds, can be used more locally. Further, the founder is also looking to raise the next batch of funding, though whether it’ll be a significant round like a Series A, or something smaller in the interim, is still being considered. (Financially-speaking, Grand Bequest has thus far been supported by an external £300,000 pre-seed round, which involved participation from Venture Studio, the venture capital arm of homelessness charity Crisis which invests in, builds, and scales ventures that help end and prevent homelessness, as well as money from Gunderson’s supply chain consultant work.)
On top of these challenges that inherently come with being and growing as an early-stage startup—though these issues have undeniably been exacerbated in recent years, not least due to the post-COVID global economic turbulence and its knock-on effects—Gunderson also has to contend with further complication: she’s an immigrant. With recent changes made to the UK’s immigration system, it’s meant that her progress with attaining citizenship has effectively been reset, putting her back at least another 3 years on that journey, with the associated £10,000+ fees that come along with it. The mere act of staying in the country to build the business is proving to be a costly, confusing process, only adding to the multiple strains that a founder needs to successfully navigate. Not to mention the limited and adverse funding landscape for women entrepreneurs, which the recent Innovate UK ‘Women in Innovation’ funding debacle exemplifies, where an underserved community was underserved further—until public frustration caused the innovation agency to award the full 50 financial grants, worth £75,000 each, rather than only 25.
When speaking with the inspiring founder, however, it was abundantly apparent that Gunderson has resolve and dedication in spades. During the conversation, she mentioned that, more and more, she’s seeing how people are having a topic they’re dedicated to; a particular issue or cause that they care deeply about that then directly guides their work and lives. And perhaps this is where Gunderson’s undeniable resolve stems from: bettering the unnecessarily complex process of building regeneration and repurposing and putting unoccupied buildings back into use is her topic; her purpose. To hear her speak so passionately about her venture and mission, it’s hard not to wonder yourself: How could I wield technology to make a difference?
All types of schools across the UK are being encouraged to sign up for a free cyber-defence service from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) which helps to block online threats such as malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
Following the initial rollout of the Protective Domain Name System (PDNS), the service has now been extended to more educational settings, with multi-academy trusts, academies, independent schools, and school internet service providers now able to sign up.
The service, which is part of a recently-announced partnership with Cloudflare and Accenture, prevents access to websites which are known to be malicious, limiting access to domains hosting malware, ransomware, and spyware.
UK schools continue to face a range of cyber-threats to their systems, with recently-published figures from Ofqual showing more than a third of schools and colleges in England alone experiencing a cyber-incident during the last academic year.
Local authorities, eligible public sector networks from devolved administrations of the UK, and local authorities in England that provide DNS to their maintained schools are already eligible to sign up.
Speaking on the offering, NCSC deputy director for economy and society, Sarah Lyons, said: “With a growing range of cyber threats, it has never been more important to protect our educational environments from online threats.
“The PDNS for Schools service offers a crucial layer of protection, helping schools defend against common online threats, at no cost.
“I encourage all schools to take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen their cyber resilience and ensure a safer digital future for students and staff alike.”
Stephen Morgan, the Department for Education minister for early education, also commented: “I know how important it is that our schools, colleges and nurseries are protected from online threats, and our work to help these settings improve their cyber security never stops.
“We have worked closely with the National Cyber Security Centre on this service to ensure all schools can now benefit from enhanced cyber resilience at no cost to them and I encourage settings to take advantage of this enhanced protection.”
The winners of the latest Financial Regulation Innovation Lab (FRIL) challenge, ‘Shaping the Future of ESG in Financial Services,’ have been unveiled.
FRIL, the collaboration between FinTech Scotland and the universities of Strathclyde and Glasgow, launched the innovation call to interested companies in June of this year.
The challenge focused on tackling critical data and technology challenges to enhance the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in the financial services sector.
Collaborating With Challenge Partners
Twenty fintechs were chosen to advance their solutions in partnership with ten industry challenge partners.
Over a three-month innovation press, teams collaborated closely with industry professionals, developing and showcasing their innovations at the intersection of fintech and ESG.
Challenge partners for this initiative included the likes of HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, abrdn, Equifax, Morgan Stanley, EY, and more.
The participating firms worked collaboratively to identify seven key challenges where solutions could drive meaningful impact.
The Innovation Challenge Winners
Eight winners will now receive funding to further develop their proposals, having shown significant promise in tackling the ESG challenges highlighted by the FRIL industry challenge partners.
These eight companies and innovations are:
GAIALENS: A greenwashing analytics solution enabling investors to assess the greenwashing risk of funds and companies.
SCOTT LOGIC: A B Corp focused on addressing data quality and reliability in greenwashing.
SICCAR: A secure solution architecture with a focus on reliability and resilience of ESG data.
ESG 360: An AI-driven platform using existing ESG reports to produce a gap analysis for regulatory compliance that provides full audit capability.
CIENDOS: Delivering environmental data that underpins financial flows and validates environmental claims.
ESG DISCLOSE: An AI-powered platform that offers AI-powered analytics, customised integration, real-time monitoring, and collaborative tools.
VERIFOXX: A data query engine enabling Industry to query the dataset of an investee/borrower/asset, to gain visibility on verified financed emissions.
TEXPERTAI: An AI and data analytics platform specialising in social sustainability focusing on human capital, rights, and labour standards within the workforce and supply chains.
Moving forward, the fintechs will continue to refine their solutions with ongoing support and collaboration with industry and the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab.
Speaking on the innovation challenge and its winners, Nicola Anderson, the CEO of FinTech Scotland, said: “The response to the ‘Shaping the Future of ESG in Financial Services’ innovation call has been outstanding.
“The level of engagement from both the fintech community and our Challenge Partners highlights the importance of collaboration in driving meaningful change.
“We are excited to see how the winning solutions will shape the future of ESG in financial services.”
Mark Cummins, professor of financial technology at the University of Strathclyde and lead investigator with FRIL, added: “It is fantastic to be announcing the awardees from FRIL’s second Innovation Challenge Call on ‘Shaping the Future of ESG in Financial Services’.
“Well done to all of the awardees, but also to all of the companies that took part in the process.”
Twelve Scots startup founders are being given the opportunity to showcase their products and attract international investment in one of the world’s biggest tech economies later this month.
As part of a three-week programme in Singapore, developed in collaboration with the Singapore Government, the founders will operate out of BLOCK71 which houses more than 1,000 of the city’s startups, and attend the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology—the biggest startup event in Asia.
The visit is part of plans to give startup companies involved in the Scottish Government’s £42 million Techscaler programme, which is run by tech incubator CodeBase, new opportunities to grow, develop, and tap into new potential customer bases and international investment.
The Techscaler participants heading to Singapore include Beena Sharma, co-founder of firm CCU International which develops next-gen carbon capture company; Ross O’Hanlon of Bioliberty, the creators of a soft robotic glove; and Aakanksha Sadekar of Soulful Tech Solutions Ltd, a firm enhancing elderly wellbeing via advanced remote health monitoring solutions.
Deputy first minister Kate Forbes visited CodeBase’s Edinburgh headquarters to meet some of the entrepreneurs who will be travelling to Singapore for the programme this month. She also met participants who have just returned from a similar programme in California’s Silicon Valley.
“Innovation is the life-blood of a thriving and vibrant economy. Supporting Scotland’s entrepreneurs and start-up companies is crucial to economic success, while also helping us develop solutions to global challenges, from healthcare to climate change,” the deputy first minister said.
“Techscaler is the only state-funded entrepreneurial programme of its kind in Europe and our recently launched Programme for Government set out our intention to maximise its impact. For start-ups to succeed at an international level, it is important that they develop global connections and build strong relationships with international investors – and also learn from successful businesses which have scaled-up internationally.
“Helping Scottish business founders access world-renowned tech economies such as Silicon Valley and Singapore is a hugely exciting development in the Techscaler programme. I was delighted to hear from those taking part how they expect to benefit from the experience.”
Julie Morrison, the global head of trade at Scottish Development International, the international arm of Scotland’s economic development agency Scottish Enterprise, also commented: “Gaining early access to overseas markets can be a defining stage in a company’s growth journey, so we were keen to help expose another cohort of Scottish tech entrepreneurs to international experiences and opportunities.
“We believe this programme will help these promising start-ups dial up their ambitions while strengthening existing relations between Scotland and Singapore.”
Engineers from the University of Edinburgh have developed a new type of generator which could reduce the cost of electricity produced by offshore renewable technologies.
The lightweight, stackable generator system—which converts mechanical energy produced by offshore wind, wave, and tidal technologies into electricity—could also extend the lifespan of renewable energy installations.
The modular system, developed by new spinout company CGEN Engineering, can easily be transported to renewable energy installations and assembled into a complete power system.
Unlike conventional systems, each module can be added, replaced, or altered, meaning energy companies can keep operations running without long downtimes, the team said.
Invented in Edinburgh
The technology was created by Professor Markus Mueller of the University’s School of Engineering. It was further developed with Dr Joseph Burchell, a Research Fellow in the School of Engineering and CGEN’s managing director, and mechanical and manufacturing engineer Mike Galbraith.
The team has thus far tested the technology at scales up to one megawatt—enough electricity to supply hundreds of homes.
Renewable Installation Boosts
The technology could deliver a range of benefits for offshore renewables, including reducing the average cost of energy they produce by 10 to 15%.
It could also increase the operational life of installations by 30 to 40% compared to traditional generator systems, while reducing the lifetime operating and maintenance costs for generator installations by 50 to 70%.
“We believe our technology directly addresses critical gaps in the UK’s offshore renewable energy supply chain,” said Dr Burchell.
“We aim to collaborate closely with manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers to scale up the production of our technology, ultimately expanding the Scottish and UK supply chains to meet the growing needs of the sector.”
Towards Commercialisation
Supported by Edinburgh Innovations, the University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, the CGEN team has been working with various companies to design and test their technology.
This includes fellow University of Edinburgh startup Mocean Energy, which is using CGEN’s generator technology in its BlueX wave energy machine.
“We are delighted to have supported the CGEN team through to company formation,” commented Dr Andrea Taylor, CEO of Edinburgh Innovations.
“CGEN’s technology provides a solution to several ‘pain points’ for offshore renewables and we look forward to working with manufacturers and investors to reach full commercial scale.
“It is through innovation—translating cutting-edge research into solutions to global challenges—that we will make progress in tackling complex problems like climate change.”
The Smart Things Accelerator Centre (STAC) has lined up an investment fund for the next generation of “smart things” entrepreneurs in Scotland, and partnered with the National Robotarium to help support these founders.
The STAC Investment Syndicate—a platform to connect investors with ambitious, high-growth potential companies to release market opportunities in innovative technologies—will next make investments of around £150,000 each into a number of companies in STAC’s fifth cohort.
The cohort, STAC 5, commences in early December, with applications for entry to the latest cohort of 15 companies opening on the 14th of October.
“The investment fund, which will increase in size over time, is a significant step forward in our mission to develop scaled, internationally competitive startups,” said Paul Wilson, STAC CEO.
“When you look at the best accelerators around the globe—names such as Y Combinator, Techstars, Plug and Play—they recognise that investment is a key component of tech scaling, and that combining mentorship with investment leads to improved investor returns.”
“We are thrilled with the response of the investor community to get involved in STAC Invest Syndicate. With our international best practice mentorship programme and fully equipped co-working space we will fuel and equip our startups to create market-leading technology businesses.”
The partnership between STAC and the National Robotarium, the UK’s centre for robotics and AI, aims to combine resources to offer robotic and autonomous systems startups enhanced acceleration support across Scotland, and within the co-working spaces at STAC’s ‘thebeyond’ facility in Glasgow and the National Robotarium’s facility in Edinburgh.
“The National Robotarium will bring expert robotic engineering support to further boost STAC’s capabilities in smart and connected products,” added Wilson.
“The partnership made perfect sense, and at the core is our shared mission to position Scotland as a centre of excellence in smart things, IoT technologies, and robotics.”
Stewart Miller, the CEO of the National Robotarium, also commented: “Our partnership with STAC represents a significant step forward in positioning Scotland as a centre of excellence in smart things, IoT technologies, and robotics.”
“This collaboration will not only drive economic growth but also address critical challenges in sectors like healthcare, energy, and manufacturing.
“Together, we’re ensuring that Scotland, and indeed the UK, becomes an active producer in the global robotics revolution, rather than just a passive bystander.”
Last month, STAC launched ‘thebeyond’ campus at Skypark in Glasgow, featuring cutting-edge product development labs and a 250-desk co-working space, which Wilson says will be Europe’s largest “smart things” hub.
Young people are being called to enter the new UK Cyber Team Competition from the UK government, offering them the opportunity to represent the country on the world stage and kickstart a career in cybersecurity.
The Competition is open to 18-to-25-year-olds with a passion for cybersecurity to test their skills with challenging security exercises designed to push their technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.
This includes simulations of real-world scenarios in areas like cryptography, digital forensics, web exploitation, and network security.
Top performers will earn a place on the UK Cyber Team, where they’ll represent the country in prestigious international security competitions, including friendly matches against other national cyber teams, and major events like the International Cybersecurity Championship and the European Cybersecurity Challenge.
Winners of the Competition will also gain access to advanced training from industry experts, networking opportunities with agencies and leading cybersecurity firms, and mentorship to help develop their careers.
The Competition is being held to help the UK plug its cyber-skills gap, fill high-demand roles, and provide young professionals with valuable skills and career opportunities in the critical field.
Participation from underrepresented groups and all parts of the UK is actively encouraged to support diversity in the cyber talent pipeline.
“We welcome this excellent initiative from DSIT to inspire young people to explore careers in cyber security,” said Katie Gallagher OBE, co-founder of the North West Cyber Resilience Centre.
“As the recent government survey found 44% of businesses have skills gaps in basic technical areas – and 30% of cyber firms in 2024 have faced a problem with technical skills gaps.
“However, with the growth of cyber breaches and hacking, it is vital that we work together as a community to grow the cyber security talent pathway.”
Sheridan Ash MBE and Dr Claire Thorne, both co-CEOs of charity Tech She Can, commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the wide range of often overlooked roles in cybersecurity throughout the UK, while connecting a wealth of untapped technology talent with real-world industry experiences and job prospects.
“The diversity and technology skills gaps are both real and urgent challenges. Through our work in classrooms across the country, we’ve seen how aligning young people’s passions—like gaming and eSports—with technology careers can engage both boys and girls effectively.
“We’re particularly excited about the doors this will open for young women, who are already playing, and will continue to play, a critical role in safeguarding our future.”
Leading offshore renewable energy (ORE) experts have called for urgent, innovation-led action to help the UK meet its net zero targets in a new report.
The ORE Outlook 2040 from the Supergen ORE Hub, led from Plymouth by a consortium of ten universities including the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde, says the development of energy generation from the sea must be significantly accelerated over the next 16 years.
“The UK has abundant offshore wind, wave and tidal energy resources and leads globally in ORE technology, but faster, more focused action is required to ensure we meet Net Zero 2050 target,” said Hub director and University of Plymouth professor Deborah Greaves OBE.
“Research and innovation is critical—accelerating the optimisation of existing technologies, reducing design uncertainty, and discovering new ways to plan and construct these devices.
“Business as usual is not enough; radical changes are required to ensure we have the innovation needed to upscale the offshore renewable energy sector and to develop the skilled workforce required to meet the needs of the future renewable energy sector.”
Aimed at researchers, industry, policymakers, and the public, the report summarises current climate change impacts and the UK’s progress to date on reducing carbon emissions.
It shows the ORE deployment pathways needed to reach net zero via a just, sustainable, and energy transition by 2050 using the year 2040 as a key milestone.
In particular, it outlined how achieving 100 GW (gigawatts) of offshore wind energy by 2040 is critical for the UK’s future energy supply. This requires a nearly sevenfold increase in capacity, making radical innovation essential to achieve this growth by optimising and scaling up.
Tidal stream energy is on a similar growth trajectory as offshore wind, but needs continued support to maintain this momentum, the report also highlighted. Over 12 GW of tidal stream and wave energy capacity is projected in the UK by 2050, equating to 10% of offshore wind capacity.
As it stands, the UK currently leads the world in wave and tidal technology development, which is projected to be worth £40bn GVA to the UK economy and reduce energy balancing costs by £1 billion a year.
While wave energy is not yet commercially deployed, the UK has significant potential, with an estimated exploitable wave energy resource of 25 GW. Investment in wave energy technology research over the next decade is essential to unlock its potential, it’s been noted.
Commenting on the report and the findings, professor Beth Scott at the University of Aberdeen, said: “As a Co-Director of the Supergen ORE, and the Environmental Champion, I am very pleased to see this informative report out today that will help to illuminate the urgent need for innovative, joined-up interdisciplinary approaches across engineering and ecological sciences to accelerate and improve our understanding of ocean interactions while optimising ORE solutions in its critical role in helping us meet Net Zero targets.
“In particular, the Supergen ORE approach is supporting and encouraging innovation in robotics and remote and autonomous systems for data collection along with AI modelling tools for analysis at the spatial level of regional marine ecosystems. We are championing the shared use of infrastructure through hybrid systems and co-location of technologies and activities in the same ocean space.
“These approaches will help reduce the time and cost of survey data collection as the simultaneous sensing of resource data will help optimise the use of data collection resources and the value of surveys and instrumentation.”
Puma Private Equity, a provider of growth capital to small- and medium-sized businesses, has announced its expansion into Scotland and its rebrand to Puma Growth Partners.
The team in Scotland will be led by investment director Ben Leslie, who has relocated back to Scotland after spending six years helping to grow the Puma business in London.
Based at new offices at Queen Street in Edinburgh, the investment team will be focused on backing management teams across Scotland who have a clear vision for building successful, expertly-run businesses, the firm said.
In particular, the team see significant opportunity across the Central Belt in sectors such as fintech, AI and energy transition, where Scotland’s heritage and concentration of academic institutions has created an environment for innovation to thrive.
Having led Aveni’s £11 million Series A round, one of the largest into a Scottish business this year, the expansion as a whole marks Puma’s commitment to the growing scale-up economy in Scotland.
The firm is also announcing a rebrand from Puma Private Equity to Puma Growth Partners to “better reflect the team’s commitment to partnering with the scale-up companies” that it has backed across the UK, supporting them with all aspects of their growth journey.
Ben Leslie, investment director at Puma Growth Partners, commented: “For too long Scottish businesses have struggled to raise funds within their own market, often having to go much further to receive the backing they need to grow.
“At Puma, we are committed to supporting scale-up businesses in Scotland and we’ve been really encouraged by the potential investment opportunities we’ve seen to date.
“There’s a strong ecosystem of active early-stage investors in the Scottish market and having led Aveni’s £11m Series A round earlier this year, we’re excited to see what’s next as we build relationships with growing businesses across the region.”
Rupert West, the firm’s managing director, further added: “As we expand our offering across the UK, having opened our new office in Manchester last year and now launching into Scotland, we have been reflecting on the breadth of our support for the scale-up companies we back.
“We are re-branding to Puma Growth Partners to encompass the ultra-active support and close relationship we offer our portfolio companies through every stage of their growth journey.
“Our investment team brings a wealth of commercial experience and works in partnership with our management teams to support them in all aspects of growing their businesses.
“In addition, our specialist Value Acceleration team and sector experts from within the wider Puma Capital Group are on hand to provide support. We are looking forward to continuing to grow our business as Puma Growth Partners.”
Amid the ongoing work to both deploy and accelerate artificial intelligence (AI), Gartner has released its latest predictions on how software developers and engineers will be impacted by AI both in the near-term and future.
Specifically, analysts at the technological research and consulting firm expect that AI will affect things in three fundamental ways.
Firstly that, in the short-term, AI will operate within boundaries—i.e., AI tools generating modest productivity increases by augmenting existing developer work patterns and tasks. The productivity benefits of AI will be most significant for senior developers in organisations with mature engineering practices, the firm also suggested.
Meanwhile, in the medium-term, the emergence of AI agents will help to push the boundaries. AI agents will aid with transforming developer work patterns by enabling developers to fully automate and offload more tasks, marking the emergence of AI-native software engineering where most code will be AI-generated rather than human-authored.
On this in particular, Gartner senior principal analyst Philip Walsh, said: “In the AI-native era, software engineers will adopt an ‘AI-first’ mindset, where they primarily focus on steering AI agents toward the most relevant context and constraints for a given task.
“This will make natural-language prompt engineering and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) skills essential for software engineers.”
Thirdly, in the long-term, advances in AI will break boundaries and will mark the rise of AI engineering itself. While AI will make engineering more efficient, organisations will need even more skilled software engineers to meet the rapidly-increasing demand for AI-empowered software.
“Building AI-empowered software will demand a new breed of software professional, the AI engineer,” said Walsh. “The AI engineer possesses a unique combination of skills in software engineering, data science and AI/machine learning (ML), skills that are sought after.”
The tech research and consulting firm have also suggested that, through 2027, the vast majority (80%) of the engineering workforce will need to upskill due to generative AI establishing new roles in software engineering and operations.
That said, and even in light of how AI is predicted to evolve, Walsh noted that humans’ innate creativity and knowledge will still remain key to software-focused efforts.
“While AI will transform the future role of software engineers, human expertise and creativity will always be essential to delivering complex, innovative software,” Walsh explained.
The UK electrolyser technology sector has received a boost with the announcement of three winners of the Net Zero Technology Centre’s (NZTC) 2024 electrolyser funding competition.
Launched back in March, the competition was created to find and fund innovative solutions to improve electrolyser efficiency.
Efficient electrolysers are key to cost-effective and large-scale green hydrogen production. Research from phase one of NZTC’s Energy Hubs project identified the need to accelerate the development of next-generation electrolyser technologies to meet future domestic and global hydrogen demand.
With this in mind, Aberdeen-headquartered NZTC is pushing forward the development of prototypes, with a goal to pilot. This initiative aims to scale the Scottish supply chain and establish an export market.
Electrolyser Tech Competition Winners
Thirty-six applications were received from around the globe, with three UK-based electrolyser developers selected. Each will each receive a share of the £500,000 funding to accelerate the development of their technology.
The winners are:
Clyde Hydrogen Systems, whose breakthrough, decoupled electrolysis technology offers flexibility and opportunities not possible with existing electrolysers.
Aqsorption Ltd, whose high-pressure, membraneless electrolyser technology is designed to be more efficient and operate at higher pressures than other technologies, with reduced maintenance costs.
And Latent Drive, whose SeaStack technology is a direct seawater-to-hydrogen electrolyser with a unique cell design to exploit the properties of seawater, eliminating the need for desalination and purification of the feed water.
Enabling Gigawatt-scale Energy Hubs
NZTC’s Energy Hubs project aims to develop energy infrastructure across Scotland to produce large-scale green hydrogen and alternative fuels by harnessing the country’s natural resources.
The hydrogen produced in Energy Hubs could transform Scotland into a leading exporter of green hydrogen, with plans to export over 0.9 million tonnes to Europe every year via a dedicated hydrogen pipeline.
Electrolysers, which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, are a critical technology for success.
Competition and Funding Commentary
Speaking on the competition and the funding, Darren Gee, who serves as ETF programme manager at NZTC, said: “Electrolyser technology is an exciting sector right now, and the technological breakthroughs of today will pave the way for the green energy solutions of tomorrow.
“In Phase 1 of our Energy Hubs project, we identified an urgent need to accelerate the efficiency of electrolyser operation. In Phase 2, we are taking action.
“Together with key industry partners, we identified three groundbreaking UK technologies from a remarkably strong field of applicants. These technologies are scalable and have the potential to significantly push the boundaries of hydrogen production.
“By supporting technologies at an early stage of their development, we have an opportunity to drive this technology forwards and make a direct impact on the future of green hydrogen production in Scotland.”
Alasdair Allan, the acting minister for climate action, also commented: “Our energy sector, and the development of green hydrogen in particular, will play a crucial role in growing Scotland’s economy and delivering on our net zero targets.
“I am pleased to see this welcome progress in funding innovation in large scale green hydrogen production, supported by the Scottish Government’s Energy Transition Fund.”
OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT and arguably one the most important AI firms in operation today, has announced it’s raised $6.6 billion (£5bn~) in new funding, and also received a $157bn (£119bn~) post-money valuation.
The San Francisco-headquartered company said that its latest cash injection would enable it to “double down” on its leadership in frontier AI research, as well as “increase compute capacity, and continue building tools that help people solve hard problems.”
The round was led by Thrive Capital, the New York City-based and tech-oriented venture capital firm, according to The Guardian, with other participants including Nvidia, the chipmaker giant, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank Group, and MGX, the tech investment firm from Abu Dhabi.
“We aim to make advanced intelligence a widely accessible resource. We’re grateful to our investors for their trust in us, and we look forward to working with our partners, developers, and the broader community to shape an AI-powered ecosystem and future that benefits everyone,” wrote the firm in a statement to announce the news.
“Every week, over 250 million people around the world use ChatGPT to enhance their work, creativity, and learning,” the AI company also said.
“Across industries, businesses are improving productivity and operations, and developers are leveraging our platform to create a new generation of applications. And we’re only getting started.”
The news of the funding and valuation follows a string of recent higher-up departures from the company.
Yesterday, DIGIT writer Tom Quinn covered how Durk Kingma, one of the lesser known co-founders of the AI firm, announced that he’ll leave the company to join rival company Anthropic in order to develop powerful AI systems “responsibly.”
Kingma’s decision to leave the company comes on the heels of the departure of John Schulman, another co-founder of OpenAI, earlier this year, as well as other senior members such as Mira Murati, ex-chief technology officer, among others.
The latest funding also comes amid reports that the AI company is planning to restructure to a for-profit benefit corporation, though the firm was originally founded as a non-profit. CEO Sam Altman recently stated that the departure of Murati and two others—Barret Zoph and Bob McGrew—wasn’t related to any restructuring.
In its funding and valuation update, OpenAI gave no details regarding any potential restructuring.
Plans for a 200-megawatt battery storage park in Bathgate worth £130 million have passed through West Lothian Council’s executive committee without objection.
Put forward by UK renewable energy firm OnPath Energy, the proposals for the storage facility will now be considered by ministers at the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit, who will make the final decision.
Stretching three hectares, the Pond Flexible Energy Park will be able to store renewable energy when consumer demand is low, and release it back to the national grid when demand is high—assisting with balancing the grid and reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The facility can help meet the peak electricity demands of around 240,000 homes for two hours, or the average demands of around 600,000 households for the same period.
Michael Newton, who serves as sustainability developer at OnPath Energy, said: “As Scotland moves towards its ambitious net zero targets, this battery storage facility will provide much-needed flexibility in how we manage renewable energy.
“Battery storage solutions like Pond have a massive role to play in reaching net zero targets and will become an increasingly vital part of our energy infrastructure as we move away from traditional energy sources like coal and gas.
“The new facility will store surplus energy generated from wind and solar farms when production exceeds demand, and release it during peak consumption periods, helping to stabilise the energy grid and improve the UK’s energy security.”
OnPath Energy submitted a planning application for the site, set to be based at Pond Industrial Estate on Whitburn Road, to the south east of Bathgate, to West Lothian Council in December of 2023.
In addition to environmental benefits, the project is estimated to support around 80 jobs during the construction period, with an estimated £1.6 million in annual wages. Pond is also set to pay around £950,000 in annual business rates which will support vital local services such as schools, hospitals and other public resources.
The development marks a significant potential step forward for OnPath Energy and its aim to maximise the social, economic, and environmental benefits of renewable energy for local communities.
Overall, OnPath has secured planning permissions for 14 wind farms, with three already operational across Scotland, and another three set to start construction in the next two years.
Speaking again on the Bathgate facility, Newton said: “With these plans now in motion and gaining full momentum, I firmly believe that this project has the potential to become a leading asset in supporting the region’s net zero targets.
“Community involvement will be key to the success of this project, and we are committed to ensuring that local people benefit from the positive economic and social value that this project could bring.
“As with all our projects, we’ve made sure to work closely with the local community throughout the planning process, and we are confident that this project will bring considerable economic and environmental benefits to the region.
“This now allows us to progress to the next crucial phase with a decision to come in due course from the Energy Consents Unit.”
Challenger bank Starling Bank has been fined £29 million by the UK’s financial regulator for failings in its financial crime systems and controls.
In 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reviewed financial crime controls at challenger banks, and identified “serious” concerns with the anti-money laundering and sanctions framework in place at Starling.
The neobank then agreed to a requirement restricting it from opening new accounts for “high-risk” customers until this improved, but failed to comply—opening over 54,000 accounts for 49,000 such customers between September 2021 and November 2023, the regulator said.
In January 2023, Starling became aware that its automated screening system had, since 2017, only been screening customers against a fraction of the full list of those subject to financial sanctions.
A subsequent internal review identified systemic issues in its financial sanctions framework. The challenger bank has since reported multiple potential breaches of financial sanctions to the relevant authorities.
The challenger bank would’ve been fined nearly £41m, but it agreed to resolve the matters and so qualified for a 30% discount under the FCA’s processes.
The FCA stated that Starling has established programmes to remediate these breaches and to enhance its wider financial crime control framework.
This particular case took 14 months from opening to achieving an outcome, compared to an average of 42 months for cases closed in 2023/24.
Speaking on the fine and the reasons behind it, Therese Chambers, who serves as joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said: “Starling’s financial sanction screening controls were shockingly lax.
“It left the financial system wide open to criminals and those subject to sanctions. It compounded this by failing to properly comply with FCA requirements it had agreed to, which were put in place to lower the risk of Starling facilitating financial crime.”
One of the prior times DIGIT reported on Starling was in August this year, when the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) latest banking satisfaction survey was released.
It found that the challenger bank is one of the top-rated personal and business current account providers in the UK.
New research from the University of Edinburgh has found that the high cost of installing heat pumps for home heating could slow down people from widely adopting the technology, leaving government targets missed.
The study has shown that there’s been little to no reduction in the average installation cost of the green heating systems over the past decade in the UK.
Although projections suggest a reduction of 20 to 25 percent in installation costs by 2030, this falls significantly short of the targets set by UK policymakers, researchers say.
Domestic heat pumps currently play a marginal role in heating UK homes. Though the number of installations is growing, it remains low compared with traditional, fossil fuel-based heating systems.
Low Carbon Technologies, High Costs
Researchers say the findings highlight the need for policy aspirations to be based on realistic assessments of likely cost reductions, and to develop incentives that can address the relatively high upfront costs of some low carbon technologies.
As well as decarbonising home heating, advocates for heat pumps say they offer energy security and efficiency benefits, and can offer lower and more stable energy bills.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh, as well as Imperial College London, used systematic evidence review techniques to analyse and forecast data for the installation costs of domestic heat pumps.
They included the different factors that can affect heat pump cost data such as the type of home, technology design, and the wider heating system.
They also assessed equipment and non-equipment costs, and the factors affecting them such as international manufacturing supply chains and local labour markets.
They found there has been no significant reduction in the average installed cost of heat pumps over the past decade in the UK, while modest cost reductions were seen internationally.
Could Heat Pump Costs Fall in the Future?
However, there are prospects for reduced installed costs in the UK, the researchers said.
UK forecasts suggest a reduction in total installed costs by 2030 of around 20 to 25 percent, with the anticipated savings higher for non-equipment costs – through more efficient installations, for example – than for equipment costs.
That said, while there are prospects for reductions in installation costs, these reductions are unlikely to be on a scale and pace to match UK policy targets, the researchers noted.
Dr Mark Winskel, at the University of Edinburgh’s School of Social and Political Science, commented: “While there is a growing policy consensus that heat pumps will play a key role in decarbonising home heating, there are some stubborn economic challenges.
“Our research suggests the need for realistic expectations about heat pump installed cost reductions, and also, introducing targeted support measures to reflect their competitive running costs and wider benefits.”
The study has been published in the academic journal, Applied Energy. The research was undertaken as part of the UK Energy Research Centre research programme, funded by the UK Research and Innovation’s Energy and Decarbonisation theme.
