"Startups" Archives - Read Articles and Guides - 91̽ /category/startups/ Startup News UK and Tech News UK Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:29:25 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 /wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cropped-techround-logo-alt-1-32x32.png "Startups" Archives - Read Articles and Guides - 91̽ /category/startups/ 32 32 Top Fashion Startups In Ireland /startups/top-fashion-startups-in-ireland/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:01:18 +0000 /?p=156011 Ireland has quietly become the most exciting place in Europe for fashion innovation. The country has long been known for...

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Ireland has quietly become the most exciting place in Europe for fashion innovation. The country has long been known for its rich textile heritage and craftsmanship but a new wave of fashion startups is turning the game by focusing on sustainability, technology and creative business models. Irish entrepreneurs are proving that fashion can be chic and eco-friendly, with everything from online resale platforms and clothing rental services to luxury labels focused on ethical production.

As customers seek alternatives to fast fashion, Ireland’s fashion start-ups are embracing circular economy principles, digital commerce and responsible manufacturing to meet evolving expectations. These companies are changing the way people buy clothes—and doing so while cutting down on waste, fostering local talent and creating a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.

Ireland’s Fashion Startup Ecosystem

Over the past decade, Ireland’s fashion startup ecosystem has grown substantially, driven by a combination of entrepreneurial talent, digital innovation and growing consumer awareness of sustainable fashion. Ireland has a strong technology sector which has allowed a number of fashion startups to create online-first businesses capable of competing on an international scale, even though the domestic market in Ireland is relatively small.

Government- backed enterprise programmes, startup accelerators and innovation hubs have also helped emerging fashion companies to access funding, mentorship and global markets. Dublin specifically has become a hub for fashion technology, e-commerce and creative entrepreneurship.

The biggest strength of Ireland’s fashion startup ecosystem may be its focus on sustainability. Irish startups tend to compete in indirect ways with global fast-fashion giants, emphasising ethical production, clothing rental, resale, premium craftsmanship and circular business models rather than direct competition on price or scale. The differentiation has allowed them to build loyal customer communities both domestically and internationally.

Trends Influencing Irish Fashion Startups

There are a few key trends that continue to shape the direction of Ireland’s fashion startup landscape.

Sustainability continues to be the buzzword, with more and more brands adopting eco-friendly materials, ethical sourcing and low-waste production techniques. With consumers becoming more and more aware of the environmental impact of fashion, they are seeking out brands that match their values.

Another defining trend is the circular economy. Clothing rental, resale marketplaces, vintage retail and peer-to-peer sharing platforms are all helping to extend the lifespan of garments and decrease textile waste. These business models enable consumers to enjoy fashion in a more affordable and eco-friendly manner.

Technology is also changing the customer experience. Irish start-ups are creating sophisticated e-commerce platforms, tailored online shopping experiences, digital marketplaces and data-led customer insights to improve convenience and engagement.

There is also a growing interest in timeless fashion versus fast-moving trends. Rather than promoting the constant buying of clothes, many Irish brands are encouraging people to invest in versatile, high-quality pieces that are designed to last for many years.

And finally, Irish fashion continues to be a global leader in locally inspired design. Increasingly, designers are drawing on the landscapes, culture and heritage of Ireland, blending these with contemporary styling and sustainable production processes.

Best Fashion Startups In Ireland

Ireland’s fashion startups prove innovation doesn’t have to be tech-based. These companies are shaping the future of fashion through digital platform integration, sustainability in business practices and creative design. Each startup addresses many of the issues affecting the global fashion industry whether it is clothing rental, resale, luxury craftsmanship or peer-to-peer sharing.

Thriftify

Dublin-founded Thriftify is now one of Ireland’s leading fashion tech startups by blending e-commerce with charitable giving. The platform enables charities to sell donated clothing, accessories and other items online, giving them a much wider audience than they would achieve through traditional charity shops alone.

The company is digitising the secondhand shopping experience to make it easy for consumers to shop quality preowned fashion while giving back to good causes. Every purchase helps to extend the life of clothing that otherwise may have gone to landfill, promoting a more circular fashion economy.

Thriftify demonstrates how technology can simplify sustainable shopping and unlock new revenue streams for charities in Ireland and elsewhere.

The Landskein

Landskein is a sustainable luxury Irish fashion brand. Instead of seasonal fast-fashion collections, the company creates timeless pieces made from responsibly sourced natural fabrics and superior craftsmanship.

Each collection is a promise of durability, pushing consumers to buy clothes that will last for years, not months. This slower approach to fashion cuts down on waste and backs ethical manufacturing practices. Landskein is a new kind of luxury brand that values quality, sustainability and conscious design over mass production.

Jennifer Rothwell

Jennifer Rothwell has created an internationally recognised fashion label by combining contemporary design with Irish culture and heritage. Its hallmark is dramatic digitally printed fabrics inspired by Ireland’s landscapes, history and artistic traditions.

The company, which produces luxury garments, also uses responsible production techniques that are based on quality, not quantity. Its unique collections show how Irish designers can compete on a global stage, while being firmly rooted at home. Jennifer Rothwell’s work has helped put Irish fashion on the map for audiences the world over.

Native Denims

Native Denims is a sustainable denim clothing brand that utilises eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing processes. Historically, the production of denim has been a major source of pollution, so sustainable options are becoming increasingly important.

The company aims to produce durable garments for longevity, while minimising waste. Native Denims encourages consumers to buy less, better products by highlighting responsible sourcing and quality construction. It is indicative of the broader trend towards sustainable everyday fashion staples.

Nine Crows

Nine Crows is Dublin’s most familiar vintage fashion retailer. The company combines physical stores with an active online presence and stocks a range of vintage clothing appealing to consumers seeking unique, sustainable fashion.

Each item is an opportunity to extend the life of existing clothing and reduce the environmental impact of new manufacturing. Vintage fashion allows consumers to create individual styles apart from mass-produced collections. Nine Crows continues to flourish, a sign of the growing popularity of second-hand fashion throughout Ireland.

Style Club

Style Club is a sharing economy startup that allows people to rent clothing from each other. Instead of letting your premium clothes sit unused in your wardrobe, owners can rent them out to other users to make some extra cash.

The platform offers an affordable way to access high-quality fashion, while helping reduce overconsumption and waste of clothing. It also helps build a community marketplace where fashion is not a disposable product, but a shared resource.

As consumers place greater importance on sustainability, peer-to-peer rental platforms such as Style Club are likely to become more popular.



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5 Startups Crowdfunding w/c 27.07.2026 /startups/5-startups-crowdfunding-w-c-27-07-2026/ Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:00:22 +0000 /?p=155946 This article does not constitute financial advice and is designed for information purposes only. As July comes to an end,...

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This article does not constitute financial advice and is designed for information purposes only.

As July comes to an end, this week’s crowdfunding roundup brings together a bunch of founders solving very different problems. One is bringing AI analytics to athletic performance. Another is turning farm surplus produce into food products that would otherwise go to waste. The third is building therapeutic groups to support parents and babies through the early days.

Sport, sustainability and mental health are not an obvious group, but separately they are addressing a need that’s easy to overlook.

So, who are the startups crowdfunding this week? Here they are.

1. K-Sport

K-Sport-logo

How much are they raising: €2,300,000

Website: www.k-sport.tech

SEIS/EIS? N/A

About: K-Sport is bringing pro-grade performance AI analytics to semi-professional and consumer athletes, the same technology already trusted by elite teams.

At the top level of sport, data analytics has become fundamental – every movement measured, every performance dissected, every marginal gain pursued. That kind of insight has largely stayed locked behind elite budgets and infrastructure. K-Sport is taking those analytics proven at the highest level and putting it within reach of the semi-pro clubs and serious amateurs who are hungry to improve.

Where to invest: Europe Republic

2. Ample

Ample-logo

How much are they raising: £244,722

Website: www.ample.shop

SEIS/EIS? Yes, SEIS

About: Ample is a food-tech social business turning surplus farm produce into food products for the UK public sector, tackling food waste and public sector catering simultaneously.

Enormous quantities of perfectly good produce go to waste every year because they don’t fit the specifications of retail, while public sector caterers like schools and hospitals work under pressure to feed people well on tight budgets. Ample connects those two problems into one solution, redirecting surplus that would otherwise be wasted.

Where to invest: Europe Republic

3. Rockabye

Rockabye-logo

How much are they raising: £10,000

Website: www.rockabye.org

SEIS/EIS? N/A

About: Rockabye creates therapeutic group spaces for parents and babies with supportive, expertly facilitated environments where new mums can find connection and genuine understanding.

The early months of parenthood can be as isolating as they are joyful and the support on offer too often stops at the practical, leaving the emotional side to fend for itself. Rockabye’s groups pair the reassurance of other parents going through the same thing with skilled, sensitive facilitation, creating somewhere people feel safe enough to be honest about how they’re really doing.

Where to invest: Crowdfunder

4. Lanson Refill

Lanson Refill Logo

How much are they raising: £12,000

Website: N/A

SEIS/EIS? N/A

About: Lanson Refill is a zero-waste refill shop that has spent five years proving that shopping without plastic packaging isn’t just possible, but genuinely practical.

You bring your own jar, bottle or bag and fill it with exactly what you need – oats, olive oil, lentils – pay for that amount and leave without packaging to throw away. In a world of grand sustainability pledges that never quite materialise, there’s something reassuring about a shop that has been simply getting on with it, week after week.

Where to invest: Crowdfunder

5. Trash2Treasure

Trash2Treasure-logo

How much are they raising: £30,000

Website: N/A

SEIS/EIS? N/A

About: Trash2Treasure gives quality furniture a second life, redirecting it to families moving into independent living so they can build stable, liveable homes from day one.

Perfectly good furniture is often thrown away in enormous quantities while families setting up independent homes – often after real hardship – frequently move into empty spaces they can’t afford to fill. Trash2Treasure bridges the gap, rescuing furniture that would otherwise be wasted and putting it exactly where it’s needed most.

Where to invest: Crowdfunder

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Could The Trump-Mamdani Feud Create Uncertainty For NYC Startups? /startups/could-the-trump-mamdani-feud-create-uncertainty-for-nyc-startups/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:44:02 +0000 /?p=155887 United States President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have had beef for some time now. Not...

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United States President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have had beef for some time now. Not exactly the beefiest of beef – more of a low-key, non-heated kind of beef that remains as weird as it is inexplicable in nature – but, beef nonetheless.

From Trump referring to Mamdani as “a 100% Communist Lunatic” back in 2025 after his victory in NYC’s Democratic primary to his last-ditch effort to endorse Andrew Cuomo towards the end of the year, the pair have had a publicly tumultuous relationship over a pretty short period of time. Of course, Trump’s endless feuds with his political opponents is nothing new, so this, in itself, was no surprise – in many ways, it may have been expected – but then things got really weird.

In April, Mamdani visited the President at the Oval Office and they seemed to get along. It’s not like we were expecting actual fisticuffs, but old Trump has been known to be rather transparent about his inability to tolerate dissidence, so why was he suddenly telling the people of New York that they were, “going to have, hopefully, a really great mayor”?

It was disconcerting. Double-take worthy in nature.

Sure, politicians can certainly disagree on some things while finding common ground on others. Politicians can, I’d expect that Mayor Mamdani can, but Trump? I don’t think many people would’ve anticipated the Cheshire cat-esque photo that came out of the White House from that day.

And then, in a turn of events that was almost a relief, in some ways, Trump had turned on Mamdani by April 2026 and order had been restored in the universe.

Trump and Mamdani Back At Logger Heads

Indeed, despite the bizarre glitch in the matrix that somehow allowed the President and NYC Mayor to seemingly get on (at least publicly) for about seven-odd months, the overwhelming relationship between the politicians has mostly been overwhelmed by their incredibly different political views.

And now, the heat’s back on, and at the centre of the current disagreement is an issue dividing not only these politicians and Americans more generally, but a great deal of the world at large.

Will Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be arrested if he sets foot on American soil, as per an ICC warrant issued in 2024, according to Reuters? Specifically, in this case, if he enters New York City jurisdiction?

Mamdani says yes, Trump says no.

How Will Their Feud Affect New Yorkers?

A political dispute over foreign policy may seem far removed from New York City’s startup scene, but that’s not necessarily the case at all. Some experts believe the ongoing clash between President Donald Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani could have knock-on effects for both founders and investors if tensions continue to escalate, and it’s a fair question to pose, because in the past, Trump has threatened to “starve New York City of federal funding” as a result of similar disagreements.

According to Juan Mathews Rebello Santos, Cybersecurity Researcher, Ethical Hacker and Founder of BNVD.org, prolonged disagreements between City Hall and the White House can create exactly the kind of uncertainty that early-stage businesses try to avoid. He argues that when federal and local governments appear to be divided, founders may face delays to permits, uncertainty around grants and mixed signals about regulation, all of which can make investors far more cautious. Santos also notes that startups relying on things like federal contracts, city-backed programmes or R&D incentives may be particularly exposed if political tensions start influencing policy or funding decisions.

And the impact may not stop with venture-backed companies. Rhys Hanson, who runs a novelty cocktail candle business alongside his corporate job, says political instability can also really affect consumer confidence. He believes shoppers become more hesitant to spend money on non-essential products when uncertainty rises, particularly as many small businesses are already dealing with the effects of tariff policies: “consumers have heightened anxiety and are less likely to spend their money on products they don’t necessarily need ‘just in case’ something does happen”.

While the results of the Trump-Mamdani feud remain speculative, founders will undoubtedly be hoping the political headlines don’t begin spilling over into the city’s business environment.

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Experts Share: Could AI Help Reverse The UK’s Scaleup Decline? /startups/experts-could-ai-uk-scaleup-decline/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:15:55 +0000 /?p=155844 You’d think that the hardest part when it comes to business is starting, but that doesn’t seem to be an...

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You’d think that the hardest part when it comes to business is starting, but that doesn’t seem to be an issue in the UK. In fact, more new companies keep opening around the country every year. The thing that is proving to be hard here is going to startup to scaleup, because businesses are finding it hard to grow from there.

Take these numbers, for example: sharetech platform Vestd used data from the ONS that found there were 128,760 scaleups across the UK in 2025 compared to 128,960 in 2024 and 129,080 in 2023. This can be seen in most of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all recorded fewer scaleups than a year earlier. England was the only place where the total went up, even though the increase was only 0.01%. London also recorded a 1.73% increase, which would make it the only English region where the number of scaleups came up over the last year.

Why Are More Startups Not Becoming Scaleups, Though?

The research says that the stagnancy only comes after starting a business up, when companies need funding, experienced staff and the right ownership structure to keep growing, which helps explain this contrast in the data: the overall UK business population went from 2,726,830 in 2023 to 2,734,620 in 2025, according to the ONS data analysed by Vestd.

Vestd also brought up findings from a recent survey showing that only 14% of founders believe the UK is an easy place to scale a business. So, again, there are many entrepreneurs are launching companies, but many are finding it much harder to grow them into larger businesses.

Ifty Nasir, Founder and CEO of Vestd, said, “Our findings on the decline of scaleups over the last year are particularly concerning, as fewer businesses successfully scaling can translate into fewer employment opportunities, reduced regional investment, and an overall less dynamic entrepreneurial landscape.

“However, businesses can take practical steps to support their next stage of growth, from securing investment to attracting talent and structuring ownership effectively.”

Can AI Help Startups Transition Into Scaleups?

Since AI has become such a high priority in the UK, it’d be interesting to see whether that could be what helps businesses scale. I’ve asked experts what they think, and this is what they say…

Our Experts:

  • Aidan van Vuuren, Head of Digital, Peak Digital
  • Jason Tassie, Founder, Know Your Business
  • Jessica Maccio, Digital PR Consultant, JessicaMaccio.com
  • James Ryan, Co-Founder, Bacqd
  • Jenson Brook, Founder, Britain’s Got Startups
  • Lukas Kaminskis, CEO, Turing College
  • Jeff Barrington, Managing Director, Windsor Drake
  • Juan Mathews Rebello Santos, Cybersecurity Researcher, Founder, BNVD.org

Aidan van Vuuren, Head of Digital, Peak Digital

“The UK’s startup engine is working fine, it’s the next stage that’s stalling. Founders can get seed and Series A funding without much trouble, but the follow-on rounds that turn a promising startup into a genuine scaleup have dried up, and investors are pricier and slower with due diligence than they used to be. That pushes founders to prove profitability far earlier than the previous generation of scaleups had to.

“This is where AI can actually move the needle, though not by fixing the funding gap directly. It collapses the cost of scaling operationally. Marketing, customer support, content production and data analysis that used to require headcount can now be run by much smaller teams using AI tools. That means startups need less capital to hit the same revenue milestones, so they’re less dependent on funding rounds (which have started to dry up).

“The scaleups who get this right won’t be the ones with the flashiest AI features. They’ll be the ones using it to stretch a small team’s output further, buying themselves runway to hit growth numbers on their own terms rather than chasing the next round.”

Jason Tassie, Founder, Know Your Business

“I don’t think that the UK is struggling to create startups, it’s struggling to help them become scaleups.

“Starting a business has never been more accessible, there is a lot of support on offer but building one from 10 people to 100 people remains incredibly difficult. Founders often hit barriers around hiring, cashflow, regulation and operational complexity long before they run out of ideas. That’s why we’re seeing healthy startup numbers but fewer businesses making the leap into sustainable, high-growth companies.

“AI has the potential to change that because it dramatically lowers the operational cost of a business scaling.

“Five years ago, growing a business often meant hiring layers of management and support staff. Today, AI can help small teams deliver customer support, marketing, financial analysis, software development and administrative tasks that previously required several additional employees. That allows founders to scale revenue faster without costs rising at the same pace.

“However, AI isn’t a silver bullet. The businesses that will benefit most are those using AI to remove bottlenecks rather than simply automate existing processes.

“Scaleups succeed by building systems that can grow without the founder being involved in every decision. AI can accelerate that transition, but it still requires strong leadership, clear strategy and a willingness to redesign how the business operates.”

Jessica Maccio, Digital PR Consultant, JessicaMaccio.com

“Scaleups have historically been defined as companies with 20 – 249 employees, and most founders I speak to are both launching and scaling as lean as possible. So businesses aren’t failing to grow, but they are not chasing a huge headcount and that seems to be a rational choice instead of a failure.

“We’ve got to consider that employing staff has become much more expensive over the past few years, coinciding with AI making it much easier to add to turnover without adding extra employees. So I think it isn’t a case of scaleup decline, but more that we need to redefine what a scaleup is in 2026.

“I don’t think AI will reverse the decline directly, but it can lower the risk for founders who are testing new products, markets or channels, as it’s far cheaper than it used to be. I’ve spoken to founders who can easily make changes to their own app using AI, without hiring more developers, for example. It will be interesting to see the impact of this, as what’s always most important is that the business has something worth scaling in the first place.”

James Ryan, Co-Founder, Bacqd

“We’re not short of startups in the UK. We’re short of businesses successfully making the leap from promising company to category leader.

“Over the last few years it’s become easier than ever to start a business. AI has dramatically lowered the cost of building products, creating brands and getting to market. That’s fantastic for entrepreneurship, but it doesn’t solve the much harder challenge of scaling.

“Scaleups don’t fail because they can’t generate ideas. They struggle because growth demands operational discipline, repeatable sales, leadership capability, access to capital and the ability to execute consistently as complexity increases. AI can’t replace those fundamentals.

“Where AI can change the equation is by giving ambitious scaleups capabilities that were previously only available to much larger organisations. A company of 50 people can now operate with the insight, automation and decision-making support that once required teams of hundreds. That has the potential to improve productivity, accelerate international expansion and make UK businesses more attractive to investors.

“The companies that benefit won’t be the ones simply ‘using AI’. They’ll be the ones redesigning how they operate around it. AI should be viewed as infrastructure for growth, not another software tool.

“If the UK wants to reverse the decline in scale-ups, we need to stop thinking about AI as just another technology trend and start treating it as a driver of competitiveness. Alongside better access to growth capital and stronger support for founders, AI has the potential to become one of the biggest catalysts for helping more British businesses scale globally.

“At bacqd, we’ve already seen this in action through our work with Atheni.AI, founded by two exceptional women entrepreneurs. Rather than building another AI model, Atheni helps people and organisations unlock measurable value from the AI tools they already have, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity by enabling them to use these technologies effectively, confidently and strategically.”

Jenson Brook, Founder, Britain’s Got Startups

“Currently, most startups use AI to improve efficiency rather than drive new growth. While AI enables teams to achieve more with fewer resources, efficiency alone does not transform a startup into a scaleup. Growth still relies on capital, talent, and the capacity to enter new markets.

“The UK doesn’t necessarily have a startup problem; it has a capital allocation problem.

“AI is exposing, rather than resolving, the UK’s challenges in scaling startups. Although AI-driven businesses are increasing, the core issues remain. Founders continue to face barriers such as limited access to later-stage capital, higher hiring costs, and a funding ecosystem that lags behind innovation, especially outside London.

“AI may also worsen existing imbalances. Investment is concentrated in a few leading companies and established hubs, while regional scaleups remain underfunded, even though they represent most high-growth businesses.

“AI can help UK companies scale faster and compete globally at an earlier stage, but it cannot address structural gaps in funding and support. Until these issues are resolved, the UK will continue to produce ambitious startups. Initiatives that redirect capital and attention beyond London are essential to building a true national scaleup economy.”

Lukas Kaminskis, CEO, Turing College

“The UK’s scaleup problem has traditionally been seen as a shortage of funding and skilled people. Growing businesses have often struggled to access enough capital or recruit the talent they need. AI could change that by helping companies do more, grow faster and operate with smaller teams – a potential that is not yet fully understood.

“As a business, we have doubled the number of engineering tasks we complete and release each week – including bug fixes, new features and technical improvements – since integrating AI into our development work.

“We have also significantly increased our marketing output without adding headcount and built internal tools, including an advertising-generation system and an AI admissions interviewer, that have saved us close to £100,000. In some areas, we have quadrupled the revenue generated by our go-to-market activity.

“We simply have not needed to hire some of the roles we would have recruited for 18 months ago.

“That is the real opportunity for scaleups. Growth used to require companies to increase headcount at roughly the same rate as revenue. Hiring is slow, expensive and risky, and it is often where promising UK startups stall. AI loosens that link by enabling smaller teams to achieve more. A ten-person company can now plausibly achieve what might have required 30 people three years ago.

“I would be careful about calling AI a silver bullet, though. We take three risks seriously, and they could just as easily stall a scaleup as help one.

“Governance is the quiet risk. Many businesses use AI tools without a clear policy on what data can be entered, who owns the outputs or how decisions are audited. That can remain invisible until it becomes a compliance or reputational problem.

“Overreliance is more nuanced. The risk is not simply that people use AI too much, but that they lose the ability to judge whether its output is any good. The skill that matters is not just prompting; it is knowing the subject well enough to recognise when the model is wrong.

“Tokenomics is also underappreciated. Companies are building core workflows around API pricing that can change quickly, while model providers can alter prices or withdraw models altogether. A business that embeds AI deeply into a critical process without planning for costs to double, or for a model to disappear, has taken on a dependency risk it may not have fully considered.

“AI can help reverse the UK’s scaleup decline, but only for companies that pair it with proper governance, genuine domain expertise and a clear understanding of the risks. Without those foundations, AI may help a business grow faster, but not necessarily more sustainably.”

Jeff Barrington, Managing Director, Windsor Drake

“This is not a startup problem, it is a capital and exit problem. The UK is excellent at forming companies and weak at funding them through the middle. Only about 7% of seed-funded startups reach institutional scale-up capital, and more than 80% of the growth money that does appear comes with an overseas investor attached. So scale-ready companies stall, raise abroad, or get acquired early, often by US strategics, before they ever become independent scaleups. That is the same pipe draining London’s public market.

“AI helps, but it is a tailwind, not a cure. It does let companies scale on less. UK founders already run about 2.5 times leaner than US peers, and AI pushes that further, so a startup can reach more revenue per pound raised, which softens the funding gap. UK AI startups also raised $7.9 billion last year, a third of all UK venture capital.

“But the scaleup gap is structural. AI does not create domestic growth capital, and it does not change an exit market that rewards selling early. If anything, an AI-capable company becomes an attractive acquisition sooner, so it can get bought before it scales. AI makes UK companies easier to scale. It does not fix the reasons they don’t.”

Juan Mathews Rebello Santos, Cybersecurity Researcher, Founder, BNVD.org

“The UK produces more AI startups per capita than any European country, but sells most of them to US buyers before they reach 250 employees. Thats not a technology problem, its a cost of scaling problem. The compliance, security, infrastructure, and talent overhead between Series A and Series B crushes UK founders because they lack the cheap capital their US competitors have.

“AI compresses that overhead directly. Automated compliance tooling, AI driven security operations, and agent based customer support let a UK team of 40 operate like a US team of 120. At BNVD.org we track vulnerability disclosure patterns across scaleups, and the data shows that UK companies spending on AI security tooling reach SOC 2 certification 60% faster than those using traditional methods.

“Thats months shaved off the sales cycle with enterprise customers. The real opportunity isnt just adopting AI, its that the UK can leapfrog the legacy infrastructure problem. New AI native scaleups dont need to build the same compliance and security stacks that slowed previous generations. They can deploy AI agents that handle vendor risk assessments, continuous monitoring, and incident response from day one.

“The government should create a regulatory sandbox exempting AI native scaleups from new AI regulation until they cross 500 employees, giving them the runway to grow rather than selling early to avoid uncertainty.”

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Founder Of The Week: Dawid Kotur /startups/founder-of-the-week-dawid-kotur/ Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:02:35 +0000 /?p=155819 Dawid Kotur is the co-founder of Curvestone AI, a company that uses AI to help legal and financial firms improve...

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  • Dawid Kotur is the co-founder of Curvestone AI, a company that uses AI to help legal and financial firms improve compliance checks and reduce risk.
  • Before starting Curvestone in 2023, Dawid worked in banking, consumer brands and enterprise AI, including roles at Metro Bank, PwC and GKN.
  • He launched Curvestone after seeing how difficult it was for regulated industries to trust AI systems, especially when dealing with complex real-world documents and strict compliance requirements.
  • Dawid and his brother Sebastian built Curvestone into a profitable business without raising external funding, focusing on solving a real industry problem and earning customer trust through proven results.
  • curvestone-ai

    Tell Me About Yourself and Your Company

    Initially from Poland, my family came to the UK when I was a teenager and after studying Archaeology and Anthropology at University College London, I built a career inside UK financial services. I was the first Head of Mobile at Metro Bank, then ran a hip-flask brand across 26 countries. From 2017 I embedded AI into programmes at PwC and GKN and spotted that even when organisations automate decisions they still need human oversight.

    My brother Sebastian and I founded Curvestone in 2023 when we found that generative AI could give us the technology needed to fully solve the compliance related problems we had been working within these large organisations.

    Compliance teams manually spot-check 5–10% of casework because they don’t trust automation, but only checking such a small sample size was leaving firms exposed to error, with an incredibly high cost if you get things wrong. Curvestone checks 100% of cases with a 100% audit trail.

    Currently, we are live within the heavily regulated legal and financial sectors where we process thousands of checks a quarter.

    What Inspired You To Start Your Company, and What Problem Were You Trying To Solve?

    During the years I spent helping big firms deploy AI, I repeatedly saw the same pattern. Systems work beautifully on clean demo data – you feed them perfect documents and they perform perfectly. Then they hit real data and collapse.
    I had seen that in the real world, you don’t get pristine documents. You get photographed IDs taken at angles, scanned payslips with coffee stains and email chains that have been forwarded six times. And in regulated industries that stuff doesn’t cut it as official evidence.

    To take one example, mortgages are actually the perfect storm for this problem. You’ve got huge document volumes, incredibly strict FCA rules, and the economics are completely broken. You can either audit everything and go bankrupt, or you cut corners and hope nothing breaks. There’s no sustainable middle ground.

    That’s what changed when generative AI matured enough. It actually became possible to solve. So instead of consulting on other people’s AI programmes, we decided to build our own.

    What Has Been Your Biggest Challenge So Far, and How Did You Overcome Them?

    The biggest challenge has been selling AI to compliance teams, the most sceptical of buyers, and quite rightly, you have to be in a regulated industry. So we stopped pitching and started proving. We ran pilots on their own historical files, benchmarked against their own reviewers and showed them the evidence behind every finding. It was slower than selling on promise but we saw the pay off quickly – one sceptical compliance director’s reference beats any campaign.

    It’s also how we reached profitability before raising a penny. There’s no shortcut to trust in regulated industries. You build it, case by case.

    Can You Describe a Pivotal Moment That Significantly Shaped the Direction of Your Startup?

    We spent years building AI for other people and handing back everything we’d learned at the end of every project.

    When gen AI hit, document understanding was obviously going to be a commodity. Every vendor would have it but we saw the opportunity was that almost nobody was actually building for regulated spaces and we wanted to build something that could survive FCA scrutiny, where you can’t be 80% right.

    That was the moment. We killed the advisory business and bet everything on one product.

    The real validation came in production. The first time it actually ran on a real broker file, complete with photographed payslips and paywalled PDFs, not our test data and it held up. It didn’t break. That’s when we knew we’d found something worth building.

    How Do You Define Success:

    As a Business: It has been about making 100% compliance checking the norm, not 5 to 10% spot-checks. We watch volumes – how many cases run through the platform – not headcount and then revenue follows. It’s increased 7x in twelve months but for us, cases checked are always the north star.

    For Myself: It is about things actually running in production, not AI theatre. Demos that never change how a single case gets processed are pointless. True success is also building this with my brother without breaking either the company or the family – and we’re succeeding on that so far!

    What Advice Would You Give To Someone Thinking About Launching Their Own Startup?

    My first piece of advice is to get profitable before you raise, if you can. It changes every conversation – with investors, with customers and with yourself. You’re not pitching potential but showing evidence.

    Aside from that, pick the genuinely hard problem, not the one that demos well. Anyone can build a demo. The moat is the hard bit – the part that takes years and breaks things along the way. That’s why we’re called Curvestone. It’s literally about taking something brittle and shaping it into something stronger.

    What’s Next for Your Company – Any Exciting Developments We Should Watch Out For?

    We’re expanding across the full compliance stack, including financial promotions, PEP and adverse-media checks, wealth advisory. There is so much potential beyond mortgages, although they will always be a core part of the business. We’re also embedding deeper into the platforms firms already use so there is no need for rip-and-replace theatre.

    Governance is something that Curvestone takes very seriously. We’re completing ISO 42001 for AI management this year alongside our existing 27001. We’re also excited to have been selected for the FCA’s Open Finance TechSprint on mortgages and SME finance (Smart Data Accelerator, building and testing synthetic data on explainable decision-making. This kind of experimentation is where we get real value – value that goes straight back into the business. It is a great initiative and means we stay close to real production work with real regulatory constraints. That’s where the honest feedback comes from.

    founder-of-the-week

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    Founder’s 5 with Dawid Kotur

    We wanted a little more insight into the man behind Curvestone AI, so here’s 91̽’s exclusive Founder’s Five with Dawid Kotur.

    Favourite Business Tool

    Claude

    One Lesson You Learned the Hard Way?

    Building B2B SaaS is all about iteration speed. Waiting for customers to use your product and volunteer feedback could kill you as you won’t be improving fast enough. You need to find creative ways to get feedback and get your own team to really use the platform so the feedback is non stop.

    One Future Trend You’re Watching?

    Cost of intelligence. Our space will transform if the cost of model usage goes down 100 x

    One Quote You Live By

    “It’s not about 10,000 hours, it’s about 10,000 iterations.”

    One Book/Podcast You Recommend

    “Huberman Podcast” – great protocols for maintaining energy and focus that is needed to be a founder of a fast-growing company.

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    Top Fashion Startups In Brazil /startups/top-fashion-startups-in-brazil/ Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:00:32 +0000 /?p=155777 Brazil has long been known as one of the most dynamic fashion capitals in the world, thanks to its energetic...

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    Brazil has long been known as one of the most dynamic fashion capitals in the world, thanks to its energetic designs, wide-ranging cultural influences and booming textile industry. A new breed of fashion startups is revolutionising the country’s apparel industry, wrapping technology, sustainability, circular fashion and innovative business models. These brands are not just making fashionable clothes, they are changing the way consumers find, buy, wear and even reuse fashion.

    From AI-powered shopping experiences to clothing rental services to sustainable footwear made from recycled materials, Brazilian fashion startups are proving that innovation and style can go hand in hand. As consumers move toward more ethical and personalised shopping experiences, these businesses are making Brazil one of Latin America’s fashion innovation centers.

    What Is The Fashion Startup Scene Like In Brazil?

    Brazil’s fashion startup ecosystem has seen rapid growth over the past decade, spurred by increasing digital adoption, a robust e-commerce market and a growing number of entrepreneurs focused on addressing challenges in the fashion industry. São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre are becoming major centers for fashion technology, attracting investment and partnerships between designers, tech companies and sustainability-focused businesses.

    The difference with traditional fashion brands is that many Brazilian startups follow a digital-first business model. They embrace artificial intelligence, data analytics, mobile commerce and social media to understand customer preferences and streamline operations. There is also a strong emphasis on responsible manufacturing, local production and supporting Brazilian artisans. The wider Brazilian startup ecosystem is maturing too, with a greater focus on sustainable growth, profitability and the strategic use of AI, rather than growth at any cost.

    What Are The Current Trends Among Brazilian Fashion Startups?

    There are several trends shaping Brazil’s fashion startup ecosystem.

    Sustainability continues to be the industry’s strongest driver. The demand for conscious fashion is growing and startups are turning to more recycled materials, vegan alternatives, ethical sourcing and environmentally responsible production methods.

    Resale marketplaces and clothing rental platforms are still getting into the swing of circular fashion. Smart ways to cut down on waste and still get great fashion for less are prompting people to turn to secondhand shopping and rental services. Industry forecasts predict the global resale market will continue to grow at a much faster rate than traditional retail.

    For many fashion start-ups, artificial intelligence and personalisation are becoming central. AI-powered styling recommendations, inventory management, demand forecasting and customer analytics help companies deliver more personalised shopping experiences and improve operational efficiency.

    Another important tendency is the growing appreciation for Brazilian culture and craftsmanship. Several startups have local designs, work with local artisans and present real Brazilian creativity to the local and global market. The worldwide craze for “Brazilcore” has also ignited a wave of interest in Brazil-inspired fashion and culture.

    And finally, digital-first retail remains king. Brazilian fashion startups are using mobile shopping, influencer marketing, social commerce and omnichannel experiences to reach customers across the country and expand internationally without the large physical retail networks.

    Brazil’s Top Fashion Startups

    Brazil’s fashion startups show that innovation is more than designing clothes. Through sustainability, technology, artificial intelligence, resale marketplaces and digital commerce, these businesses are making the fashion industry more responsible and customer-centric.

    Farm Rio

    Farm Rio is one of Brazil’s most recognisable fashion success stories at present. The brand was born in Rio de Janeiro and has since become a global lifestyle label, recognised for its bold prints, tropical-inspired collections and celebration of Brazilian culture.

    The company has embraced a digital-first approach through international e-commerce, data driven merchandising and sustainable initiatives, including responsible sourcing and environmental partnerships. Farm Rio is an example of a Brazilian fashion brand that can scale successfully and still keep a distinctive identity.

    Amaro

    Amaro changed the game for Brazilian fashion retail, moving away from the traditional department store. Rather, the company has a largely online presence, supplemented by physical guide shops where customers can browse collections before ordering digitally.

    Thanks to its tech-driven model, Amaro is able to analyse purchasing behaviour, predict trends, optimise stock and launch new collections quickly. This fusion of fashion and data has helped to create a seamless shopping experience for today’s consumer.

    Repassa

    Repassa is a leading Brazilian online resale platform for second hand fashion. It enables consumers to sell clothes that they no longer wear and others to buy quality pre-owned clothes at reasonable prices.

    Repassa is helping Brazil’s growing circular fashion movement by extending the life of clothes, reducing textile waste and making sustainable shopping more accessible.

    Insecta Shoes

    Insecta Shoes: a trailblazer in sustainable shoes. The company uses recycled clothing, fabric scraps and recycled plastic bottles to make vegan shoes instead of traditional leather.

    Its sustainable manufacturing process shows how fashion companies can reduce waste and create stylish, durable shoes. Insecta has inspired sustainable fashion entrepreneurs in Latin America.

    Pantys

    Pantys innovates in reusable absorbent pants, to bring together fashion, health and sustainability. Pantys are meant to replace disposable sanitary products, help reduce environmental waste and provide comfortable and stylish alternatives.

    The company’s emphasis on product innovation, sustainability and direct-to-consumer sales has helped establish it as one of Brazil’s leading fashion technology companies.

    Baw Clothing

    Baw Clothing is one of the fastest-growing streetwear brands in Brazil, blending bold designs with powerful digital marketing strategies. The company creates a buzz around new launches via influencer partnerships, social media campaigns and limited-edition collections.

    Its community-led approach has particularly resonated with younger shoppers looking for exclusive fashion.

    Shop2gether

    Shop2gether is a luxury fashion e-commerce platform based in Brazil, providing curated collections from luxury Brazilian and international designers.

    Its focus on premium customer service, curated shopping experiences and digital innovation has helped modernise Brazil’s luxury fashion retail sector.

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    Startup of the Week: Acurable /startups/startup-of-the-week-acurable/ Mon, 27 Jul 2026 08:35:47 +0000 /?p=155757 Acurable is a Medtech company bringing hospital-grade respiratory diagnostics into the home through wearable technology. They are the creator of...

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  • Acurable is a Medtech company bringing hospital-grade respiratory diagnostics into the home through wearable technology.
  • They are the creator of the award-winning AcuPebble® platform, designed to make sleep and breathing tests simpler and more comfortable.
  • The startup is operating across the UK, US and Europe, helping healthcare providers deliver faster and more accessible diagnostics.
  • Website:

    Acurable-logo

    Tell Us About Acurable

    Acurable, founded by Professor Esther Rodriguez Villegas, is a fast-growing medical devices company which creates accurate and user-friendly wearable medical devices intended to be used by patients themselves at home.

    Its award-winning, patented AcuPebble technology uses a small wearable sensor to detect biomarkers linked to sleep and respiratory conditions, allowing patients to complete tests from the comfort of their own home. It builds on the foundation of more than 10 years’ research at the Wearable Technologies Lab in Imperial College London led by Professor Rodriguez-Villegas.

    By removing the need for complex hospital-based procedures, Acurable is making diagnostics more accessible, convenient and patient-friendly.

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    What Makes Acurable Unique?

    Acurable combines breakthrough engineering with a simple, easy-to-use design to bring clinically validated respiratory diagnostics out of the hospital and into the home. Its wearable technology is designed with patient comfort and accessibility in mind, removing much of the inconvenience associated with traditional testing.

    By enabling accurate at-home diagnostics, Acurable helps healthcare providers expand testing capacity, reduce bottlenecks and deliver a faster, more convenient experience for patients.

    Is There A Market For Acurable?

    Yes. There is growing demand for at-home diagnostic solutions as healthcare systems in both the UK and the US face significant bottlenecks in respiratory and sleep testing. Long waiting lists, limited specialist capacity and increasing rates of conditions such as sleep apnoea and chronic respiratory disease have created pressure on traditional diagnostic pathways.

    Wearable technologies that enable patients to be tested at home offer a scalable alternative, reducing the need for hospital visits while helping clinicians diagnose conditions more quickly.

    As healthcare providers increasingly look to decentralise care and expand access to diagnostics, solutions like Acurable’s are well positioned to address a clear and growing market need.

    Where Can We Find Acurable?

    Acurable operates across the UK, the United States and Europe, working with healthcare providers, hospitals and sleep clinics. Its solutions are available through healthcare systems and clinical partners. You can visit its website here: https://acurable.com/.

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    Can Japan Reinvent Itself As A Startup Nation? /startups/can-japan-reinvent-itself-as-startup-nation/ Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:30:28 +0000 /?p=155644 Japan is a country of extraordinary contradictions when it comes to innovation. Held back by a deeply risk-averse business culture,...

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    Japan is a country of extraordinary contradictions when it comes to innovation. Held back by a deeply risk-averse business culture, a labour market that has historically rewarded loyalty to large corporations over entrepreneurial ambition and a regulatory environment that was slow to adapt to the needs of fast-moving technology companies.

    But something is changing. Driven by a government that has made startup promotion an explicit national policy priority, a growing community of returning entrepreneurs, record levels of venture capital investment and a younger generation that is increasingly open to building rather than joining established companies, Japan is making its most serious attempt yet to reinvent itself as a startup nation.

    What Is The Current State of Japan’s Startup Ecosystem?

    Ambitious government support, growing AI and deep-tech innovation and an increasing number of university spinouts are driving Japan’s startup environment through a significant growth period.

    National public-private finance programs, emerging tech centres in Tokyo and structural measures to overcome traditional corporate risk aversion are important cornerstones.

    Why Has Japan Historically Struggled To Build A Strong Startup Culture?

    Due to strict industrial structures, lifetime corporate job rules and cultural risk aversion, Japan has historically had difficulty developing a strong startup culture. These factors steered top personnel away from new businesses and toward established organisations.

    How Is The Japanese Government Supporting Startup Growth?

    The Japanese government is supporting startup growth through funding programmes, tax incentives and policies designed to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. It is also investing in research and development, supporting startup incubators and accelerators, strengthening collaboration between universities and businesses and promoting venture capital investment.

    These initiatives aim to help startups secure funding, scale their operations and compete more effectively in both domestic and international markets.

    Can Japan Reinvent Itself As A Startup Nation?

    Japan has long been recognised as a global leader in manufacturing, technology and innovation, but in recent years, it has also been working to strengthen its startup ecosystem. With increased government support, Japan is positioning itself as a more attractive destination for founders and investors. Here’s how Japan can reinvent itself as a startup nation:

    Increased Government Investment

    The Japanese government has introduced a range of policies, funding programmes and incentives designed to encourage entrepreneurship and attract both domestic and international investment.

    These initiatives aim to make it easier for startups to secure funding, commercialise new ideas and scale their businesses.

    A Growing Venture Capital Ecosystem

    Access to venture capital has improved significantly in recent years, giving startups more opportunities to secure the funding they need to develop new products and expand into new markets.

    In addition to traditional investors, corporate venture capital funds and accelerator programmes are becoming increasingly active, providing startups with not only financial support but also valuable industry expertise and business networks.

    Expanding International Collaboration

    Japanese startups are increasingly forming partnerships with overseas investors, multinational corporations and global innovation hubs. These collaborations provide access to international funding, mentorship and new business opportunities, helping startups expand beyond the domestic market.

    As global partnerships continue to grow, Japanese startups are becoming better positioned to compete on the international stage.

    A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs

    More young professionals are choosing entrepreneurship over traditional corporate career paths, bringing fresh ideas, digital expertise and a greater willingness to innovate.

    This shift is helping diversify Japan’s startup ecosystem, with founders launching businesses across sectors such as fintech, healthtech, artificial intelligence and sustainability. As entrepreneurial culture continues to strengthen, the number of innovative startups is expected to grow.

    Which Sectors Are Japan’s Most Exciting Startups Operating In?

    Even though Japan isn’t considered a startup nation, they still have some exciting startups that are worth taking a look at.

    These startups are in specific sectors, which include AI, FinTech, Software as a Service, Cybersecurity, Smart Cities, Gaming and a lot more.

    What Are The Biggest Challenges Still Facing Japan’s Startup Ecosystem?

    Slow corporate collaboration speeds, a risk-averse talent market linked to historical employment conventions and an excessive dependence on early, small-scale IPO exits rather than scaled global growth are the main structural obstacles facing Japan’s startup environment.

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    Top Fashion Startups In Japan /startups/top-fashion-startups-in-japan/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:00:30 +0000 /?p=155538 Japan has been known as a fashion capital for long. From the avant-garde catwalks of Tokyo to the timeless craftsmanship...

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    Japan has been known as a fashion capital for long. From the avant-garde catwalks of Tokyo to the timeless craftsmanship of Kyoto, the country has been a wellspring of inspiration for global fashion trends for decades. While established brands continue to dominate the international market, Japan’s new generation of startups is rewriting the face of Japan’s fashion industry through sustainability, artificial intelligence, digital experiences and innovative materials.

    These new brands are addressing some of the biggest problems in fashion: textile waste, overproduction, inefficient retail experiences and environmentally damaging manufacturing processes. Japan’s fashion startups are at the forefront as consumers’ appetite for personalised shopping experiences and environmentally friendly products grows.

    Understanding Japan’s Fashion Landscape

    Japan’s fashion industry is one of the biggest in the world, thanks to a combination of luxury brands, fast fashion retailers, independent designers and advanced textile manufacturers. Tokyo is still one of the “Big Four” fashion capitals – along with Paris, Milan and New York – and its Harajuku, Ginza and Shibuya districts are still at the forefront of fashion culture all over the world.

    Japanese consumers are known for valuing quality, craftsmanship, innovation and functionality. This has led businesses to invest heavily in research and development to produce clothing that is stylish, practical and technologically advanced.

    In recent years, sustainability has been a major focus for Japan’s apparel industry. Brands are increasingly using recycled materials, circular production techniques and digital technologies to reduce waste and improve efficiencies.

    Japan’s Fashion Future

    Japan’s fashion industry is entering a new era where creativity and technology are becoming partners. We’ll see more progress in the use of AI for product design, inventory planning and personalised shopping experiences. Virtual fitting technology could be used everywhere in online retail.

    Many conventional textiles could eventually be replaced by biotechnology-driven sustainable biomaterials, which would significantly reduce the industry’s environmental footprint. As gaming, social media and immersive digital experiences become more mainstream, digital fashion and virtual clothing are creating whole new markets.

    Japan is well-placed to continue its global leadership in fashion innovation, given its strengths in engineering, manufacturing, design and technological innovation. As these startups grow, they will not only transform Japan’s apparel industry but also reshape the way fashion is designed, produced, sold and experienced globally.

    Japan’s Top Fashion Startups

    Startups are shaking up the fashion world. Startups are able to quickly adopt new technologies and experiment with business models that challenge traditional manufacturing and retail practices, unlike larger, more established companies.

    Synflux

    Synflux is one of the most exciting fashion tech startups in Japan. The company creates clothing patterns that significantly reduce textile waste by utilising a blend of computational design, artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms.

    While traditional fashion manufacturing generates large amounts of fabric waste during production, Synflux makes zero-waste garment patterns, making the most of the material. The company collaborates with luxury fashion brands and designers to showcase how digital technology can create beautiful clothing with minimal environmental impact. Its innovative approach is the future of sustainable garment production.

    Spiber

    Spiber is now one of Japan’s most recognised fashion innovators internationally. Instead of making clothes directly, the company makes breakthrough biomaterials called Brewed Protein™ fibres.

    These fibres are produced using biotechnology and are designed to replace conventional materials such as leather, wool, silk and synthetic fabrics. They provide a sustainable alternative to the global fashion industry as they require fewer natural resources and have a smaller environmental footprint.

    Spiber has collaborated with top outdoor and luxury brands to demonstrate that high-performance and sustainable materials can compete with traditional textiles.

    FABRIC TOKYO

    FABRIC TOKYO is using technology to modernise custom clothing. The company sells made-to-measure business wear combining in-store body measurements with online ordering.

    Customers are measured once at one of the company’s showrooms, then order made-to-measure suits, shirts and businesswear entirely online. FABRIC TOKYO’s made-to-order process reduces inventory waste, while also giving customers better-fitting clothes and a more personalised shopping experience.

    airCloset

    Japan’s airCloset has changed the way people consume fashion with its clothing rental subscription service.

    Members receive professionally chosen outfits to wear, then return them for new selections. This enables customers to refresh their wardrobes regularly without buying new clothes all the time. The rental model supports sustainable fashion by extending the life of garments and making luxury fashion accessible at a lower cost.

    Sally127

    Sally127 is part of a growing digital fashion movement taking hold in Japan.

    The company builds virtual clothes and digital fashion experiences for gaming, social media, virtual influencers and the metaverse. Virtual fashion is allowing consumers to express themselves through digital identities while reducing the environmental costs of physical garment production, as digital identities are becoming more and more important.

    Digital fashion also presents new revenue opportunities for brands wanting to get into virtual worlds.

    OpenFashion

    OpenFashion uses AI to assist apparel companies in their design process. AI solutions to analyse consumer preferences, forecast fashion trends, optimise product development and improve merchandising decisions.

    Fashion companies that rely on data instead of intuition can reduce overproduction and create collections better aligned to customer demand.

    Makuake

    While not a traditional fashion company, Makuake is a crowdfunding platform that has become an important launchpad for emerging Japanese fashion brands. The platform is used by independent designers to validate new product ideas, secure early funding and build loyal customer communities before moving into full scale production.

    This lowers the financial risk and allows consumers to get behind the development of innovative fashion products from the start.



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    What Would UK Tax Rises Mean For Startups? /startups/experts-what-uk-tax-rises-startups/ Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:10:29 +0000 /?p=155589 Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said tax reform could be included in his long term economic plans. One proposal is...

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    Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said tax reform could be included in his long term economic plans. One proposal is a wealth tax on the UK’s richest households; a second option is bringing Capital Gains Tax into line with income tax rates.

    Those proposals don’t just impact tax bills when it comes to startup founders. Many of them build businesses for years without taking high salaries, hoping that selling the company one day will reward the risk they accepted at the beginning. Because of that, startup founders in the UK want to see what would come next.

    What Is Being Discussed Right Now?

    According to The Guardian, academics Gabriel Zucman from the Paris School of Economics and Ben Tippet from King’s College London believe a new wealth tax could raise £10 billion a year. Their proposal would introduce a 2% minimum tax on households worth more than £100 million and would affect fewer than 1,000 of the UK’s richest households.

    Burnham has also said Capital Gains Tax could become more aligned with income tax as one way of raising extra revenue. Speaking recently, he said he wanted people to feel “things are being done in the right way” and wanted to tax people “in a fair way” without creating fresh divisions in society.

    The academics believe their proposal would target only extreme wealth. Their report says, “The objective is not to create a broad based wealth tax affecting millions of households but rather a focused tax on extreme wealth that can make billionaires pay the same tax rates as the rest, raise meaningful revenues and dampen runaway inequality.”

    Gabriel Zucman said, “Given the small numbers of households that would be taxed, the UK government could implement this quickly.” Ben Tippet said, “The report shows that a well designed minimum tax on the very wealthiest households is a realistic, targeted reform that would make the UK’s tax system fairer while raising substantial revenues.”

    Why Are Startup Founders Waiting To See What Happens?

    Many founders say startup life looks very different from owning wealth. Building a business often means years of uncertainty, unpaid work and personal financial risk before there is any chance of an exit.

    Sam North, Co-Founder and CEO of SCALE, said, “I’ve spent years watching founders in this country make huge personal sacrifices to build businesses that create jobs for others and growth in their local economy. They’ve remortgaged their houses, walked away from safe salaries, and ploughed years of unpaid work into something they believe in. If Andy Burnham is recalibrating the tax system, it needs to distinguish between that kind of risk taking and simply holding wealth.”

    North said changes to Capital Gains Tax or Business Asset Disposal Relief would reach founders long before they reached the ultra wealthy. He said, “If Capital Gains Tax is equalised with income tax, or reliefs like Business Asset Disposal Relief are scrapped, the people who feel it first won’t just be the wealthy. It’ll be founders five years into building a company, betting everything on an exit that may never come, and the early employees who took equity instead of salary because they believed in the problem that company is trying to solve for society.

    “If Burnham and Healey get this wrong, instead of taxing wealth, they’re going to tax ambition. Britain doesn’t need more people making the safe choice. Growth can only come from taking calculated risks.”

    Could It Affect Investment And Hiring?

    Founders also worry about what higher taxes could mean for young companies trying to grow. Early stage businesses often need every pound they can find to hire staff, build products and attract investment.

    Nicholas Betts, Founder of ZERØTEC, said, “Further tax rises risk squeezing tech and AI start ups at precisely the point when they need the confidence and capital to invest further, recruit talent and scale. Speaking with other founders, there is great concern about the impact this would have in addition to significant existing upfront costs and limited early stage revenues.

    “Any increase in the burden of hiring, investment or growth could slow innovation and make the UK less attractive to founders and investors at a time when tech and AI has never been so critical for governments around the world. The UK must play its next moves carefully to retain relevance as a centre for innovation. Any tax increase needs to be offset with greater investment in the UK’s startup infrastructure.”

    North also believes geography is as important as tax policy, saying, “As for fairness, the government has to recognise that a founder building a business in Manchester isn’t the same as an investor sitting on an appreciating asset. Burnham knows growth starts in the regions. This is exactly why place matters in this debate, not just policy.”

    Aidan Harbinson, Co-Founder at Horrible Brands Ltd. also commented, saying, “A UK tax rise would not automatically be bad news for startups, but we need to be very careful.

    “Startups already face high costs, and limited access to capital, plus cash flow can be uncertain at the best of times with the current economic climate. Broad increases could make hiring harder and slow investment right at the point when young firms are most fragile.

    “The real question is how much more would they need to pay and what the money is actually going towards. Since tax also funds the infrastructure startups depend on, better-funded services could ultimately help to reduce pressure on founders and employees while creating a stronger economy in which new businesses can grow.

    “A better approach would protect early-stage businesses while asking larger multinationals and billionaires to contribute their fair share. I don’t believe that will trigger the mass exodus that people think it will either, but if some companies or individuals want to move away then let them go!

    “The fairest model has to be progressive. Give startups the breathing room they need and close tax loopholes used by global corporations, then direct more public money into grants and regional investment. Growth should be supported, but its rewards should also be shared.”

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