The Rundown: Edition 6
Edition 6: 25 July 2025
Welcome to The Rundown, a snapshot of news, views and intel from the fast-growth tech and investment scene.
Fintech Alpha Group bought by US rival for $2.2bn
Corpay’s cash deal for UK-listed payments business Alpha Group will support expansion in private markets as institutional investor clients seek more efficient and tech-enabled services. Reuters
Software platform Inforcer closes $35m Series B
UK firm, which enables Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to implement, configure, and manage Microsoft products, secures funds from investors, including Dawn Capital, to boost European growth. Computer Weekly
Stock trading app Lightyear raises £17m Series B
London-based startup, which was founded by early employees of payments giant Wise, completes funding round led by Finnish VC NordicNinja. UKTN
Talent network for startups Connectd secures £5.5m
UK- and US-based platform that connects startups with experienced fractional executives and advisors raises funds from Anker Capital, Stena & Swerve and existing angel investors. Tech.eu
Cybersecurity platform IdentifAI gets €5m
The Italian startup, which is tackling AI-generated disinformation, has secured capital in a round led by United Ventures. EU-Startups
Is AI to blame for a stagnant job market?
Just as the UK’s jobs market showed signs of revival, AI is enabling companies to rethink who they hire. If they hire anyone at all. Bloomberg
Slump in UK startup funding
VC investment into startups dropped to €6.7bn in the second quarter, down from €8.7bn in the same period last year – a surprising fall given the excitement around the defence and security applications of new technologies. Sifted
UK picks Teesworks site for AI data centre
Former steelworks site in North East England selected as location for new AI data centre as UK looks to ramp up compute capacity. FT
Trump announces action plan in bid to “win” AI race
The British Business Bank is back in the black
The UK’s state economic development agency has turned a profit of £144m following two years of losses. The Times
Online Safety Bill: New rules take effect
Age verification controls have come into force today, placing the responsibility on platforms to protect vulnerable users from viewing harmful content. UKTN
Show me the money. Please and thank you
Sharon Vosmek, CEO and Managing Partner of Astia, shares her advice for entrepreneurs and explains why an investor’s philosophy must be more than just a soundbite. Forbes
The UK’s startup industry is booming, so why aren’t more companies?
A new report by The Entrepreneurs Network, supported by Steve Rigby, Co-CEO of Rigby Group, reveals major flaws in the UK’s startup support infrastructure. Full speed ahead identifies how the Government can improve efficiencies and effectiveness. UKTN
Debt investing gets active
Venture debt is becoming more popular amongst founders looking for capital in a difficult funding environment. CIBC Innovation Banking was one of the 15 most active providers of such financing in Europe in Q2. Sifted
SpaceTech special – prototyping, supply chains, and innovation within the industry
Applied Atomics, CesiumAstro, Lodestar, Skyrora, and Virtus Solis are just a few of the innovative startups and scaleups redefining what can be done in space. Their achievements will have a significant impact on our lives on Earth. Startups Magazine
It’s well past time to close the female funding gap
Sarah Turner, CEO and Co-founder of Angel Academe, and Tom Britton, Co-founding Partner of SyndicateRoom, joined Daisy Moll on the ‘Profit meets purpose’ podcast to discuss the need for dedicated funding for female founders to overcome structural bias.
Sustainable Times
The UK Government signed a deal with OpenAI to use AI in public services and explore investment in AI infrastructure, in a move broadly welcomed by the tech sector. However, some critics questioned whether this can be done transparently and ethically, and fear we may be relying too heavily on private tech.
Ever wondered why AI appears to be lying, even in answer to basic questions? This excellent explainer from the FT delves into the “hallucinations that haunt AI” – a topic that is likely to run and run as use of AI agents and chatbots becomes more pervasive.
According to the World Bank, it will cost £390bn to rebuild Ukraine. Ben Spencer at The Sunday Times explores how British, Ukrainian and Dutch consortium S3RoU – the “safe, sustainable and swift reconstruction of Ukraine” – is recycling waste rubble into concrete. The project, Spencer finds, will be better for the environment than using raw materials to produce new concrete, which accounts for around 10% of CO₂ emissions globally.
Are we getting closer to resolving Trump’s tariff turbulence? Andy Bounds at the FT writes that the US and EU are near to finalising a reciprocal 15% tariff – similar to that signed between the US and Japan earlier this week. This would avoid Trump’s threat of 30% tariffs on European imports from 1st August. Stay tuned for how this develops…