Business News Round Up (20/05/2025)
British businesses welcome UK-EU trade deal but raise concerns over regulatory alignment
British business leaders have welcomed the UK’s latest post-Brexit trade deal with the EU, calling it a vital step towards restoring trade stability, while also warning of key challenges ahead — particularly around regulatory alignment and future sovereignty. The agreement, seen as a reset in the UK-EU relationship, includes removal of many border checks on British food exports and steps toward greater collaboration in energy markets, tourism, and youth mobility. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) praised the deal, especially its provisions to ease trade in perishable goods. Helen Dickinson, the BRC’s chief executive, urged the UK government to consider closer alignment with EU environmental and product safety standards, saying this would further reduce friction and benefit exporters. Similarly, the hospitality and tourism sectors backed the agreement’s inclusion of a proposed “youth experience scheme”, which could allow young people to live and work more freely across the continent — a key issue post-Brexit.
Number of women startup founders nearly doubled over a decade
The number of women startup founders has risen by nearly half over the past decade, new research has revealed. This is according to analysis from Fuel Ventures, which analysed the thousands of startup pitches the VC firm received each year. Pitches now average around 6,000 a year. The number of women founders since 2014 rose by 45%, with an increase of 30% just in the past five years. The firm’s analysis also found that co-founded startups were more likely to receive funding, as 76% of successful pitches have come from startups with co-founders rather than a single founder. Further, while London still remains the most popular location of startups in the UK, other cities are closing in. Birmingham (120%) and Manchester (95%) have both seen large increases in the number of startups over the past decade, ushering in more regional diversity in the UK startup landscape.
https://www.digit.fyi/number-of-women-startup-founders-nearly-doubled-over-a-decade
Scotland must learn from Singapore to halt ‘managed decline’
Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter has urged the nation’s political and business leaders to unite and implement radical changes to counteract what he describes as Scotland’s “managed decline”. The Hunter Foundation has commissioned an independent study by Oxford Economics that draws on the lessons and successes of Singapore – one of the world’s most prosperous nations – to hopefully inform a debate on Scotland’s future. The findings delve into the strategies used to transform its economic outlook over the past 60 years from a country with a GDP per capita less than a quarter of the UK’s, to the eighth highest GDP per capita globally, surpassing the UK along the way. Some standout insights from the report focus on Scotland’s potential to create a business-friendly environment centred on trade, a strategy for attracting more and value-added inward investment with pro-business policies, low levels of taxation and a market-driven healthcare system.
Deloitte launches new technology centre creating 100 new technology jobs in Manchester
Deloitte has today announced a significant investment in its North West business, launching a dedicated technology centre in Manchester and committing to creating 100 new roles over the next three years. The announcement reaffirms Deloitte’s commitment to digital skills and regional growth, supporting the UK’s wider ambition to be a global technology leader. The move responds to increased client demand for business solutions and technology expertise in the UK. Based in Deloitte’s Manchester office at 100 Embankment, the new technology centre, part of Deloitte’s Technology & Transformation business, will initially bring together 50 of the firm’s existing highly skilled technologists. The team will design, build and run technology solutions that directly address the evolving needs of UK businesses. This will include designing apps, cloud engineering, and embedding AI into software, devices or systems such as SAP, helping clients to transform their businesses.