Sage reports strong growth after AI Assistant launch
Sage, a Newcastle-based accounting software firm, has announced a significant increase in revenue and profits, driven by the growing popularity of its cloud-based products. For the year ending September, the company reported a 7% rise in statutory revenue to £2.332bn and a 43% surge in statutory operating profits to £452m. Annualised recurring revenue climbed 11% […]
CloudGuard celebrates multi-million pound growth boost
CloudGuard is the latest North West tech firm to benefit from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. The Manchester-based cybersecurity start-up has secured multi-million-pound funding from NPIF II-Praetura Equity Finance, managed by Praetura Ventures. The investment will enable CloudGuard to create up to 20 new cybersecurity jobs over the next year. The company plans to use […]
Mindtech raises over £4.4M to power the future of computer vision training
Mindtech Global, a Sheffield company that works in the field of synthetic data for AI vision systems, has successfully secured £4.4 million in a funding round led by Edge, with participation from Mercia Ventures. The investment, sourced from Mercia’s own funds and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, will allow Mindtech Global to further develop its […]
Northumbria University to host the inaugural AI safety summit for the North East
Northumbria University and Dynamo North East Collaborate to Present Dynamo Talks: The North East AI Safety Summit” In partnership with Dynamo North East, an industry-focused membership organization dedicated to advancing the tech sector in the North East, Dr. Kimberley Hardcastle and Dr. Colin Richardson from Northumbria’s Newcastle Business School are set to host an event […]
Uni of Sheffield develops AI system to detect sewer blockages and reduce river pollution
In a recent trial, a cloud-based artificial intelligence AI system designed by engineers from the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Yorkshire Water and Siemens, for sewer blockage detection has demonstrated an impressive accuracy rate of almost 90 per cent. The early detection of sewer blockages is important in mitigating pollution incidents that have a negative […]
Sheffield City Council uses AI sensors to track traffic flow and monitor new Clean Air Zone
VivaCity, a pioneering transport technology scale-up dedicated to making cities more intelligent and efficient places to live and work, has joined forces with Sheffield City Council to closely monitor the impact of the recently implemented Clean Air Zone (CAZ) across the city. Under this collaboration, Sheffield City Council has deployed a network of 17 cutting-edge VivaCity […]
2021 tech predictions: from COVID-accelerated opps to new jobs
No-one can argue that the pace of change in 2020 was accelerated due to the pandemic, with companies unable to rely on traditional business strategies they’d set up at the start of the year from March onwards. But, up here in the North of England, technology companies implemented a whole host of innovations to ensure […]
Nasdaq Ventures purchases stake in Newcastle regtech firm
Nasdaq Ventures, the investment arm of electronic exchange Nasdaq, has purchased a minority stake in Caspian, a Newcastle-based anti-money laundering firm. Caspian’s automated investigation technology uses machine learning alongside human expertise to help global banks fight money laundering and financial crime. The two companies will also look for opportunities to combine their research and development […]
Avoira launches thermal cameras to help fight coronavirus
A Bury-based tech firm is helping to lead the fight back against coronavirus by launching a range of “smart” thermal detection cameras. The cameras are being sold by Avoira and use artificial intelligence to detect a person’s skin-surface temperature in just one second, and can scan both individuals and groups. The cameras also automatically alert operators when detecting […]
Lancaster Uni enhances student engagement with cloud-based chatbot
Lancaster University is using Amazon Web Services to enhance the development of a voice-enabled “online companion” with machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve student engagement. The university launched a trial of Ask LU, a chatbot running on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud, delivered via mobile phones and Amazon smart speakers set up in […]
Veterinary tech start-up secures £1M for new diagnosis app
A Leeds-based veterinary research and development start-up has secured £1m in funding. Founded in early 2017 by technology specialist Paul Hallett and experienced veterinarian Robert Dawson, Vet-AI’s Joii app enables pet owners to diagnose and receive recommended treatment, and is set to launch in April of this year. The company has received investment from several key stakeholders […]
Homecare tech business Cera Care invests in AI chatbot to assist elderly
Homecare tech firm Cera Care is investing in new technology by developing an AI chatbot called Martha, which provides decision support to carers based on questions they ask. The aim is that Martha will be able to successfully foresee health deteriorations to pre-empt more serious illnesses and avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital. Cera Care has […]
Pennine establishes partnership with European AI developer Xdroid
Bury-based technology firm Pennine, has secured a partnership with a leading European artificial intelligence developer. Pennine, a communications, data and networking specialist has signed the agreement with Hungarian voice analytic software company Xdroid. The deal will give Pennine’s UK contact centre clients access to automated speech technology which can detect emotions such as displeasure, happiness […]
Peak reaches £5m funding to meet customer demand
Inteligent business system specialist Peak has been backed by a further £1.5m funding boost to help it meet market demand and accelerate its R&D efforts. Peak’s secured capital to date now stands at £5m and has allowed it to expand its operations, taking headcount from ten to 60 in the last two years with plans in […]
E-commerce software firm secures half a million investment
York-based e-commerce software developer, PureClarity, has secured a £500,000 investment from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Fund Managers and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF). PureClarity’s technology uses big data and artificial intelligence to analyse customers’ behaviour and recommend the most relevant products when they search for goods in online stores. […]