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Midlands angel network Minerva refocuses to connect growth-stage start-ups and investors. Marking its 30th anniversary, the University of Warwick-linked network is tightening its remit to support companies raising up to £500,000, with a renewed emphasis on hands-on angel involvement and deeper founder-investor collaboration.
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January’s UK M&A signalled confidence, but buyers stayed disciplined overall. A £7.7bn approach for Beazley set the tone, while EQT’s Coller deal and Accenture’s Faculty acquisition underscored private markets’ pull. Healthcare remained strategic, and take-private logic persisted. For leaders, readiness, clarity, and integration discipline mattered more than bravado this month.
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SpaceX has completed the largest technology acquisition ever recorded globally. Elon Musk’s aerospace company has acquired his artificial intelligence venture xAI in a transaction valuing the combined business at roughly $1.25tn, unifying two of the entrepreneur’s most ambitious projects under a single corporate structure.
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UK manufacturers reduce US exports due to tariff uncertainties. A survey reveals that 20% of factories have already reduced exports, with 16% planning to follow. Despite this, the US remains a key market, though manufacturers are shifting towards local sourcing.
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January reopened Europe’s deal engine, with scale back in focus. From Zurich’s £7.67bn approach to Beazley to Deutsche Börse’s €5.35bn Allfunds agreement, buyers prioritised distribution, fee resilience, and control. Private markets consolidation accelerated, while mining mega-merger talks reminded boards that 2026 could still deliver surprises. Across the continent, scrutiny intensified.
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US and India strike trade deal easing tariffs and reshaping energy flows. Washington will cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18% as New Delhi commits to ending purchases of Russian oil, a move already reverberating across equity markets, energy supply chains, and bilateral trade expectations.
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Zevero acquires Inhabit to enhance sustainability advisory services. Carbon accounting startup Zevero has acquired Inhabit, a provider of sustainability solutions, to bolster its advisory capabilities. The transaction will integrate Inhabit’s tools and services, enhancing Zevero’s platform with advanced automation and data visualisation.
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UK leaders link agentic AI adoption to reviving economic productivity growth. A House of Lords summit has called for wider deployment of agentic artificial intelligence to support small businesses and lift productivity, as the UK economy continues to show limited momentum following a subdued second half of 2025.
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Gateshead-based Thrift Energy Group has transitioned to employee ownership status. The retrofit specialist becomes one of the UK’s largest employee-owned businesses in its sector, as founder Derek Campbell steps back from day-to-day leadership following more than four decades in the industry.
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A new platform aims to expand women’s access to capital. Scottish entrepreneur Veenoo Sharma has unveiled a global initiative designed to increase women’s access to investment, influence, and policy networks, with its first public launch held at the Houses of Parliament earlier this month.