Small Business (SMB) stories
Missed calls at small firms are becoming a bigger revenue risk as Newo expands its AI receptionist tools beyond the US and into Europe.
Smaller businesses across Japan and Asia Pacific will gain wider access to CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform through expanded distributor-led partnerships.
Australia’s smallest employers face heavier payroll compliance as PaySauce targets 694,000 micro-businesses with new hires and AUD $4 million backing.
Pressure from regulators and Google is putting firms at risk of hefty penalties if they screen out unhappy customers before asking for public reviews.
Many firms could struggle to survive owners’ retirement, as most lack a documented handover plan and depend on the founder’s reputation.
Australian employers could cut duplicated HR costs as Employment Hero rolls out a platform to handle payroll and award compliance.
More than half of small business leaders report higher productivity after adopting AI, with spending linked to savings of up to 10 hours a week.
The hire comes as Wagepoint seeks to turn new products and a refreshed brand into wider uptake among Canadian small businesses and advisers.
Seven start-ups sought EUR 9.5 million at a Cork investor event as AxisBIC said demand for early-stage technology funding is rising.
As larger vendors bundle communications with cloud and security, smaller voice specialists face tougher competition and higher support risk.
Nearly all Scottish tech firms now use AI, with full adoption doubling to 18% as sales and cashflow improve despite softer confidence.
Wider use of new financial health tools could help 200,000 more UK SMEs a year secure lending, CFIT said after testing prototypes.
UK Xero users can now manage supplier, expense and employee payments in one place as Dext expands its payments tool with payroll.
Recurring revenue and AI subscriptions helped the Italian software group lift annual revenue 12% to EUR 1.15 billion and widen margins.
Businesses risk slower sites, weaker security and lost leads if they overlook core WordPress tools that help sites run smoothly and rank better.
A tougher fee regime is pushing the payments firm to offer SMEs more services, from POS and broadband to bookkeeping, beyond EFTPOS.
Business customers could soon get more automated spending controls as American Express buys Hyper to add AI expense tools to its commercial services.
More than 150 Alberta jobs are set to be supported as federal cash helps local manufacturers automate production and diversify exports.
The commitment could help Episode 1’s latest fund reach a first close and attract more private capital for early-stage UK start-ups.
The plan could deepen UK firms’ dependence on overseas AI providers unless ministers also spur wider enterprise adoption and infrastructure.