Tech workers union Prospect is asking UK lawmakers to examine the diversity efforts of US multinational companies operating in the UK to ensure they comply with UK regulations and values. It has written to Parliament’s Women and Equalities, asking them to review American businesses rolling back DEI efforts. “Prospect represents thousands of UK tech workers, including in companies like Meta, and we have been alarmed to see how these companies have acted since Donald Trump’s inauguration as President,” the letter stated. It added “Not only have the CEOs of many
Deloitte recently shared that it would scrap its diversity goals and urged government contract employees to remove gender pronouns from their email signatures. However, in the UK, Deloitte’s senior partner and chief executive Richard Houston informed staff in an email that diversity “remains a priority” despite the US firm’s plans for DEI. Deloitte US rolling back on DEI efforts. The Financial Times reported that the firm told consultants to remove pronouns highlighting their gender from external emails to align with emerging government client practices and requirements,” as stated by people with
Solar tech startup GRYD has secured £1 million ($1.2 million) in pre-seed funding, according to Tech Funding News. GRYD was created in 2023 by Mohamed Gaafar, Scott Whiteside, and Tom Jordan to make solar energy accessible to everyone by allowing solar-as-subscription to newly built homes. The trio met at the Antler accelerator program, where they devised the idea for a company that would provide homeowners with zero-cost residential solar systems as energy costs continue to rise in the UK. The pre-seed round saw investments from SFC Capital and Black Seed
The UK startup Domna has secured a £70 million ($87 million) majority investment from private equity firm Leon Capital, according to Tech Funding News. The company is one of the leading home energy efficiency and retrofit services, and it has now received one of the biggest first-time raises for a female founder team in Europe. The team plans to improve home energy efficiency and support sustainability initiatives. Their outlook on home energy efficiency examines the UK’s retrofit challenge by combining advanced software with practical expertise. Now that Domna has the
Robin AI, a Black-owned legal AI startup, has won second place on the Startups 100 index. The startup uses AI to automate contract reviews, slashing costs and freeing up legal teams. Last year, it raised $25 million in a unique extension of its Series B funding round. The company was founded in 2019 by former Clifford Chance lawyer Richard Robinson and machine learning researcher James Clough. “Robin AI are truly ground breaking in their innovation, aiming to cut down legal processing times. Despite the challenges, the UK is still a
Fundment, a Black-owned all-in-one tech platform for financial advisers, raised £45 million ($55.4 million) in Series C led by Highland Europe, as per Tech Funding News. The investment will scale the team, develop the product, and achieve future growth. Financial advisers are under more pressure than ever, which is why the global financial planning software market is set to amount to $18.1 billion in the next decade. For this reason, Fundment aims to create innovative solutions for financial advisers that will allow a smooth experience for their clients. “Financial advice is
Every UK Black History Month, we shine a light on Black British-owned businesses making a difference. This year’s standout is Frobelles, a UK-based dress-up game championing the beauty of afro hair. Created by mother-daughter duo Yvonne Ottley and 12-year-old Alyssa Ottley, Frobelles has over 100,000 users and recently made its debut in the US. The Birth of Frobelles The idea for Frobelles was sparked by a simple question from Alyssa, who was just six years old at the time: “Why don’t any of my game characters have Afro hair like mine?” This question
Propelle, a new investment platform tailored specifically for women, launched on September 25 with an ambitious aim: to close the UK’s gender wealth gap. The platform, founded by 40-year-old Ayesha Ofori, a former Goldman Sachs Executive Director, empowers women to invest confidently and build wealth. Closing The Gender Investment Gap During her six years at Goldman Sachs, Ofori managed over £500 million ($663 million) in client assets and saw firsthand how the investment world primarily benefited the wealthy—and predominantly men. With the UK’s gender investment gap currently standing at £1.65
The Black Founders Programme, by Digital Catapult and Sony Music UK, is back for its second year, supporting Black British entrepreneurs in creative technology. Ten new startups have joined the 2024 cohort, applying immersive technologies like virtual, augmented and mixed reality to creative industries. Supporting Black Deep Tech Innovation The initiative focuses on improving investment readiness through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and partnerships. Last year, over 80% of participants saw growth in investment readiness, securing key corporate partnerships and investor interest. This year’s cohort explores immersive technology in storytelling, music production,
Enerpoly, a cutting-edge battery technology company led by Eloisa de Castro, has opened the world’s first zinc-ion battery megafactory. This new facility, located in Rosersberg, near Stockholm, is a massive step in the global efforts to transition from reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy. Safer, Greener Batteries Batteries are vital to the transition away from fossil fuels, but energy storage needs to increase six-fold to meet COP28 goals of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030. The new 6,500m² Enerpoly Production Innovation Center (EPIC) aims to produce 100 MWh of
