If you are anything like us, you may have felt like the last year’s events have felt like something out of a film. We’re facing unprecedented event following unprecedented event, what was once customary to us is long gone, and this new normal that we find ourselves adjusting to is sure to be around for some time to come.  

With businesses transitioning to the online world – where applicable – and with Londoners moving out of the city to be with their families throughout lockdown, it certainly seems like a different place than what we are used to, that is for sure.  

As we begin to emerge ever so gradually from the most recent lockdown, businesses may well be in the process of considering what they can do moving forward to prepare for the transition from home working to being back in the familiar office environment.  

Naturally, with a decision such as this comes many mixed emotions, both from yourself as a business owner, trickling down to the more junior members of staff. Trust us; we have all been there! It is an entirely normal and warranted response when in a situation like this.  

With this in mind, we have created this helpful blog post detailing some of the ways you can help reduce the worry that your employees might be experiencing and their workloads. No matter where in London you are based and your company’s size, we are confident there is something of value here. 

Read on for more, and feel ready as a business owner to tackle these issues head-on!  

How to Reduce Worry and Anxiety in Your Employees 

On paper, this is something that seems easier said than done, particularly when attempting to establish and differentiate what exactly is causing these feelings in your employees. However, you must remain the level-headed business owner, for there are ways of doing just this, and that is where we are here to help!  

Before attempting to reduce the feelings of anxiety and worry that your employees have, you will need to go to square one to determine the cause of their emotions and whether there is anything you can do from the ground up to help.  

Within any industry, there are internal and external factors that could cause heightened worry levels, and these should certainly be considered when wanting to reduce and alleviate the ongoing feelings of worry.  

Some of the most common causes of worry, stress, and anxiety within the workplace include the likes of workplace tension, heavy workloads, long working hours, and job insecurity. As a business owner, there are things that you could implement within your company to assist in reassuring the employee concerning these causes.  

What’s more, once you have addressed any heavy workloads, you would, in a roundabout way, be making proactive decisions in reducing the worry that your employees are feeling as well.  

So, on that note, let’s jump right into what you could do as a business owner to help reduce worry over these things. 

Reducing Workloads 

Another thing that seems easier said than done is an element of the working world that can be done with some strategic planning and implementation. While you may not possess the resources within your business to ease the heavy workloads that an employee might be experiencing, there are services and resources available from external companies that are worth considering when in this position.

There are various options to consider when aiming to reduce the heavy workloads that your employees might be facing. Heavy workloads are not necessarily the fault of one specific person within a business and could result from various factors. This is something that needs to be remembered at all times. None more so than if you have discovered an employee is struggling with their workload.

While bearing this in mind, one way that you could reduce the workload that someone in your company is struggling to manage is by implementing the use of external IT support in London, provided by companies such as ourselves and many others.

By outsourcing some of the jobs that you have within your business to professionals within their industries, you can alleviate the pressures of the workload for not only your employees but for yourself as well. Not to mention, it could even save you money in certain situations.

Specifically, by ensuring that you have adequate and secure IT networks within your business, you are minimising the risks of anything happening to documents and information that is crucial to your company’s everyday workings.

Different ways that you can work to reduce the workload of an employee can include such things as the following:  

• High Levels of Communication: It goes without saying, but to get to the bottom of any emotion, there needs to be some sort of communication ongoing between involved parties. As much as we would like to be, we are not mind readers! By ensuring that you are engaging in regular contact with your employees, you can differentiate how they manage their workloads and other related aspects of their jobs. Doing something proactive like this will not only build up a level of rapport between you and your employee but will enable you to spot signs of burnout and overwhelmingness from workloads before they become too much to handle. Furthermore, engaging in conversation regularly will give you an idea of whether you will need to outsource any of the work that your employee might have. Once you have distinguished where your employee is struggling, you will be able to create a plan of action together to help them through this period. This leads us to the following point.  

• Prioritise Projects as a Team: By making a list of the work that you have to complete as a team and distributing this based on strengths and weaknesses, you would not only be alleviating the feelings of stress that an employee may be experiencing but could also discover another way of working as a business. Listing projects based on their priority level and eliminating the prospect of multitasking to focus entirely on what is in front of you will further contribute to easing the worries your employee might face both generally and concerning their workload. While prioritising projects is essential when considering the ones you already have to hand, it can also be considered when onboarding new projects. One thing to note here is that you do not take on too much at once, more so if you have discovered that your employees are already struggling with emotions or workloads. As a business owner, you do not want to be adding to the emotions that your employees are feeling. After all, they are the ones who are crucial to the everyday workings of your business, so you want to make sure that they are looked after.  

While this is but a short insight into the things that you could do as a business owner when wanting to alleviate the stresses and worries that your employees might be experiencing, we hope that it has sparked some inspiration within you and that you can go forward knowing what you will be changing and adapting to help.  

We are confident that whatever you choose will make a difference to your workforce overall; we have faith in you!  

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Stressed in the City: How London Business Owners Can Reduce Worry and Workloads appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Rapid user growth in seven countries has led high net worth investors to back UENI for the fourth time. The London-based website and online tech company has now raised $30m in total, is valued at $100M and is throwing the gauntlet down before the tech giants.

UENI, whose mission is to ‘make all of the world’s businesses visible online’, has gained $12M from high net worth investors and entrepreneurs. Following its most recent round of investment, UENI’s value is now deemed to be worth approximately $100M by investors. This is reflected in their investments and equivalent equity stakes.

The company was founded by husband and wife team Christine Telyan – UENI’s CEO – and Anh Pham Vu, after the couple struggled to find a dentist online. The pair set out to tackle a lack of online visibility for small businesses and UENI now provides a free website and Google My Business listing to small businesses, following a five-minute sign-up.

Since launching its ‘freemium’ model in August 2018, which makes revenue through paid services such as a custom domain name, professional email address and enhanced search engine optimisation, it has attracted over 350,000 users. UENI’s product offering is growing to include ecommerce and curated third-party services that small businesses need to grow, such as business bank accounts, insurance, and payment processing.

UENI’s latest funding round, completed in October 2019, involved 36 private investors, with 95 percent of the money coming from 10 backers.

Among the named investors are Michael Hartweg, co-founder of Leonteq Securities AG, a Financial Services and Fintech company listed on the Swiss Exchange and entrepreneur Thierry Manni, former chairman of Novares Group (Mecaplast Group) and founder of Stajvelo, a high end electric bicycle producer in Monaco.

“This is a massive endorsement from our angel investors. Our existing investors have been impressed by our growth and are backing us to do more,” says CEO Christine Telyan.

Telyan points out that the company has not had the need for institutional investment so far. However, with very ambitious growth plans to bring millions of small businesses online in the next few years, institutional investment could be on the horizon, she says.

“Our growth has been more like a consumer app rather than a service for businesses and entrepreneurs,” she continued. “We expect to have 600,000 users by the close of 2019 and two million by the end of 2020.”

UENI is currently signing up over 3000 businesses every day, with substantial demand in markets such as Mexico, India and Brazil.

“There’s a lot of demand for what we do. Growing markets such as India, Brazil and Mexico are fuelling our growth. The US is also a very exciting market with over 500 businesses joining every day,” says Telyan.

“Internet search is still dominated by major brands and we want that to change. Meanwhile, well known website builders aren’t that effective as most users abandon the process part way through. We know our customers aren’t techies or designers, they just want something that works. So we’ve created something super simple for them which ensures they complete the journey and actually setup a website.”

UENI currently operates in the United States, Canada, UK, Spain, Mexico, Brazil and India. The majority of its 60-plus staff are based at its headquarters in Hammersmith, London. UENI also has offices in Prague, Czech Republic as well as Dnipro and Kiev in Ukraine.

The latest funding round of $12m means UENI has raised $30m to date from business angels. The company gained its first investment of $1.95m from business angels in 2015. In September 2016 it raised $10.1m, a funding round in March 2018 brought in $6.3m.

“Our mission is to make all of the world’s small businesses visible online,” says Telyan. “Our investors see the market potential and so this investment is a major validation of what we’ve done so far.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Female-Led London Tech Company UENI Reaches $100M Valuation appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

The event, called Investment in Blockhain and AI, will be held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 14-16 October

14-16 October 2019 will see one of the world’s major industry events about blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. Following their highly successful inaugural edition in London last October as well as their joint edition with the Maltese partners this May, the second edition of CC Forum London will connect global thought leaders, policy makers, investors and startups from across the world for a 3 day top content event. The summit will be attended by the industry leaders, think tanks, institutional and private investors, family offices and VC firms.

Bringing traditionally together the elite of the space the event is privileged to have some of the world’s most authoritative speakers, some of whom are global movers and shakers.

In this year’s edition, the line up of speakers will include the likes of Nouriel Roubini, global economist and RGE Monitor President; Lord Marland of Odstock, Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Chairman, Roger Ver, Bitcoin.com Chairman and Founder or Brock Pierce, who currently holds the Chairman of the Board at The Bitcoin Foundation. And these are only few of the more than 100 that are already confirmed.

“Max and his team are at the forefront of knowledge transfer in blockchain and innovation. They put together a spectacular event in London. I’m sure the next event will be even better. Speakers and attendees were world-class interesting. Don’t miss the gala dinner, it’s worth bringing a tux for,” commented David Siegel, CEO of Pillar Project and 20/30, about last year’s event.

The programme of the event is highly intense: a muli-track conference, a buzzing exhibition floor, keynotes, panels, fireside chats, duels, pitching contests, workshops, round tables and a number of networking events.

The event’s highlights include:

• 2 500+ attendees
• 100+ speakers
• 70+ exhibitors
• Blockchain battle with a confirmed 100K pounds sterling prize draw
• Networking programme ranging from welcoming drinks reception to networking investors’ dinners

This time, the event will be returning to London for a second edition after last year’s success. Talking about it, Nick Ayton, CEO and Founder of Chainstarter commented: “The CC Forum in London was a revelation, a great event that engaged both the audience and the speakers in a format that was genius. CCF is now part of the event calendar for the true crypto evangelist and Blockchain professional. Max is a true professional and has raised the bar when it comes to Blockchain events. I look forward to participating more of Max’s events as they are a breath of fresher air and the format really delivers for the enthusiast and the professional looking to get to grips with the Blockchain Revolution. As one of the leading speakers and Blockchain evangelists I have spoken at many events all around the world but I have to say the CCF summit in London was one of the best events.”

The event’s agenda will address a wide range of issues including Institutional and Private Investment in the space, Blockchain & AI and Foreign Direct Investment and the Regulatory Framework of Blockchain & AI.

Part of the event’s programme are one-to-one duels where heavyweights will engage in heated public debates on the big issues of the space with the conference audience being involved.

The blockchain battle with a confirmed 100K pounds sterling prize draw will be held.

Last, but not least, the Forum abounds in a rich networking programme ranging from welcoming drinks reception to networking investors’ dinners. It will culminate in our traditional black-tie VIP Gala & Award Giving Ceremony on 15th October.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post CC Forum Event To Gather More Than A 100 Blockchain And AI Experts in London appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

International mobility has increased significantly in the last few years, with more and more people residing outside their country of birth than ever before. Professionals, both young and old, are moving abroad in search of a better quality of life, career opportunities, and education. Expats currently account for 0.7% of the global population. And a new study, commissioned by German online mortgage broker, LoanLink, has revealed the best cities around the world for an expat.

The research found that Ottawa, in Canada, ranks first as the best city for an expat, featuring the best Work-Life balance, an impressive start-up ecosystem, the highest levels of safety among its citizens, a very affordable house price to income ratio and being seen as a friendly city overall.

The study analyses 70 cities from around the world for a total of 24 criteria across four categories: Economics, Experience, Environment and Urbanisation, and Family and Society. The criteria within each category define or suggest a high living standard, such as Average Earnings, Healthcare Expenditure, Traffic Congestion, and even Hours of Sunshine. For those fortunate enough to be able to relocate to their country of choice, this index includes a full range of factors to help individuals, couples, and families select the best city to take their next steps.

Likewise, Canberra, Australia, ranks second overall on the index. The Australian capital has an excellent Work-Life Balance, with a 38-hour working week. Ranking third, Wellington, in New Zealand, closes the podium. This city offers an affordable and effective public transport, safety and a relatively low rent prices.

In mainland Europe, Bern, Switzerland, ranks sixth. The Swiss capital scores full marks for Average Earnings, but ranks poorly for Friendliness. Madrid, Spain, can be found in seven place with a thriving startup ecosystem, job opportunities and ranking high on the environment performance index.

Elsewhere in the world, Washington D.C. ranks highest in the United States for expats. The capital also boasts a thriving Start-Up Ecosystem, along with high Healthcare Expenditure, low Air Pollution, and an appealing ratio of House Price to Income. And in Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, ranks last on the index. While Cape Town has a strong House Price to Income Ratio, the city has poor Safety, Traffic Congestion, and Unemployment.

Glasgow and Edinburgh, best cities for expats in the UK

Ranking five and twelve respectively, Glasgow and Edinburgh boast high scores for House Price to Income Ratio and Price of Food. The Work-Life Balance is particularly good in Glasgow.

The capital, London, doesn’t do really well in the index, however. Home to an impressive number of co-working spaces, investors, and venture funding: London ranks third on the index for Start-Up Ecosystem, but 43 overall. The UK capital may be the ideal place to launch a business, but for expats searching for an outdoors lifestyle, London’s minimal Hours of Sunshine and high Traffic Congestion may not appeal. Furthermore, the capital scores poorly for Experience, with high costs of rent and food.

The UK scores poorly for Average Sunshine Hours, with Glasgow ranking last in the UK for this criteria. The UK ranks well on the index for Air Pollution. Edinburgh ranks first in the UK and London ranks last.

However, not everything is bad news. In fact, the UK ranks ahead of Australia and New Zealand for Healthcare Expenditure.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post The Best Cities for Expats: Ottawa Ranks First In The World And Glasgow The Best in Europe appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

• Scaleup tech investment 2.5x higher than expected based on the relative size of the UK economy in 2018
• UK leads Europe and fourth in the world for scaleup investment after US, China and India
• UK remains hotbed for tech talent – employing 5% of all high-growth tech workers globally – placing the UK ahead of Japan, France and Indonesia
• To date, 35% of Europe and Israel’s tech unicorns ($1bn valued businesses) have been created in the UK
• UK number one in the world for scaleup investment into fintech firms – generating £4.5bn in funding between 2015 and 2018

Tech Nation, the leading scaleup-network for UK entrepreneurs, has today announced the release of its annual Tech Nation Report with data from partners including Companies House, PitchBook, GitHub, the OECD and Streetbees, and in association with the World Economic Forum.

The report provides a comprehensive look into the evolution of the UK’s tech ecosystem, exploring the drivers that underpin and power economic growth within the sector.

For the first time, the report explores the wider international landscape, looking specifically at international and national tech investment, areas of potential growth and related specialisms, talent hubs and more.

Talking about the report, UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon Theresa May MP, commented: ‘‘The UK is a global tech powerhouse. I am immensely proud of our country’s ambitious tech scaleups. These companies are delivering significant economic value to the nation through the investment they raise, the jobs they create and the innovative products and services they deliver’’.

Likewise, Eileen Burbidge, Partner, Passion Capital & Chair of Tech Nation said: “The UK has an incredibly pivotal role in the global tech scene. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Fintech sector where the UK is ranked number one in the world; an enviable position that has been established with decades of hard work, entrepreneurial talent, innovation and supportive policymakers. I’m confident that we have all the ingredients needed for continued success and even greater acceleration of the tech sector here in the UK.”

And Gerard Grech, CEO, Tech Nation added: “The UK continues to exceed all predictions when it comes to tech growth. This report shows how the UK is a critical hub when it comes to global technology developments, with scale-up tech investment being the highest in Europe, and only surpassed by the US, China and India. This is a testament to the innovation, ambition and tenacity of tech entrepreneurs across the UK. These valuable findings will help inform how the UK as a nation can continue to foster competition and collaboration in an increasingly interconnected world.”

Investment

“The UK tech sector continues to grow strongly with UK firms attracting the most venture capital funding in Europe and investment in  digital scaleups growing by almost two-thirds in a year. We are supporting British innovation so we can drive growth, jobs and higher living standards, including through £2.5 billion for the British Business Bank. This funding will help high-growth firms to access the finance they need to succeed,” pointed out the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP.

The UK tech sector performed particularly well in investment last year. In 2018, the UK managed to attract 5% of global high-tech scaleup investment, placing it fourth in the world – ahead of Germany, France and Sweden.

Investment for UK high-growth digital tech firms also grew 61% between 2017 and 2018 – driven in large part by ambitious UK tech scaleups (tech scaleups delivered the majority of all tech investments in the UK in 2018 – £5bn of £6.3bn).

The UK’s strongest tech sub-sector, and where it currently ranks as number one in the world, is fintech, with investment in UK high-growth fintech firms achieving £4.5bn between 2015 and 2018.

London continues to remain the UK’s leader in attracting high-growth tech investment, receiving £9bn from 2015 to 2018. Cambridge is second, at £583m, with other UK cities continuing to make considerable ground.

Looking beyond high-growth tech companies, the last 12 years have seen a much greater distribution of investment across the UK.

Notably, the East of England has seen the greatest increase in capital invested across all tech companies, at 206%, followed by the West Midlands (54%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (51%).

On an international scale, UK cities continue to attract investment on the global stage. The table below shows international hubs with shared scale-up investment patterns.

Employment

In 2018 the UK continued to remain a hotbed for tech talent, employing 5% of all high-growth tech workers globally. This places the UK ahead of Japan, France and Indonesia (see Figure 3).

In the UK, Insurtech and Fintech were the biggest employers among high-growth digital tech firms in 2018, employing 24% and 18% of the high-growth workforce respectively.

Cyber, AI, and Cleantech all feature in the top ten sectors for employment in high-growth tech firms. Investment data shows that AI, Cyber and Big Data are growing in importance for UK tech scaleups. This means that the UK may be about to see more jobs generated in these sectors.

Growth

From December 2018 to February 2019, high growth firms in London grew by over 56%, more than anywhere else in the world.

Innovation

R&D expenditure in the UK in 2016 represented 1.67% of gross domestic product (GDP).

Businesses and government have put significant financial resources towards the development of a knowledge-based economy. Based on the most recent data from 2016, the UK was ranked 7^th globally for R&D expenditure, with spending up £1.4bn to £33.1bn, an increase of 4.3%. This is above the long-term annual average increase of 4.1% since 1990.

UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP, commented: “This report confirms the UK is one of the world’s leading digital economies, with some of the best minds globally working here and strong investment in the tech sector right across the country. We are working hard to continue this success and remain committed to making Britain the best place to start and grow a digital business.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Tech Nation Report: UK Leads The World For Scaleup Investment Into Fintech Firms appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

Taking blockchain mainstream, Blockchain Live is back and will be returning to London Olympia on 25th September as a festival of blockchain education. A one-day event, packed with engaging, thought-provoking and quality content, this year Blockchain Live will be moving away from the traditional exhibition model, in to a ground-breaking festival of content and collaboration.

This festival of education will not only be inclusive for everyone, as well as enable exhibitors and sponsors to network with a more targeted, tailored audience, but introduces all new content stages, immersive education features and unique networking concepts.

Unlike a lot of other blockchain events, Blockchain Live does not dilute its content with co-located technology shows, or overly crypto-focused content. Instead Blockchain Live focuses solely on the business potential of blockchain & DLT, encouraging grown-up conversations and debate on the topic of blockchain technology, whilst cutting through the hype and challenging the critics to educate, upskill and drive long-term thinking on the strategic benefit for businesses, governments and society.

The festivalisation of the event will deliver an open plan educational and networking environment, allowing for more hands-on learning, meaningful discussion and face-to-face meetings between attendees, exhibitors and sponsors, driving an honest discussion on the challenges and benefits associated with the technology’s adoption.

Industry experts are now joining the speaker line-up including blockchain expert, author and co-founder of the Blockchain Research Institute (BRI), Don Tapscott and Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Margot James MP. BRI have partnered with Blockchain Live to bring a syllabus of global expertise and business insight to the UK, whilst further-cementing Blockchain Live as a leading authority on blockchain for business.

Don Tapscott, who will be delivering a keynote address on the Headliner’s Stage, said: “Blockchain technology is fundamentally transforming the way business, governments, and individuals interact with one another. Understanding blockchain technology is crucial to succeeding in the next era of digital disruption and Blockchain Live, the festival of education, is paving the way to help businesses move beyond proof of concept to real-world solutions.”

Sponsors, exhibitors and speakers will showcase the many benefits and capabilities of taking blockchain mainstream with five feature stages, hosting market-leading quality content from the forefront of industry and blockchain innovation: Blockchain Live Headliner’s Stage, Tech Connect Stage, Future Finance Stage, GovChain Stage and Crypto Impact Stage.

Blockchain live also introduces four immersive education features including the Developers Den, Blockchain in Action, Training Studio and Solutions Showcase. Furthermore, the event will have several new features including live debates, expert seminars, connections zone and live bar.

With more speakers and exhibitors to be announced in the coming weeks, Blockchain Live are spearheading the conversation on mass blockchain adoption through bringing the whole blockchain ecosystem together under one roof.

James Samuel, Portfolio Director at Blockchain Live said: “Blockchain Live is very excited to be back once again in London – the hub for frontier technologies, enterprise, investors and industry. We have purposely designed this year’s event to centre around a festival of content theme and the team have been exceptionally busy to provide this content in a variety of opportunities. Be it from our sponsors, exhibitors and speakers featuring across our five feature stages or our immersive educational features, it is safe to say Blockchain Live is going to be an action packed networking and content filled experience.”

Blockchain Live will take place on Wednesday 25th September at London Olympia, with doors opening at 9am. More thought leaders and speakers will be announced over the coming weeks in the run up to the event.

To register your interest for Blockchain Live please visit here.

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post ‘Ground-Breaking Festival’: Blockchain Live Returns to London Olympia In A Brand New Format appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

House prices in London’s commuter belt will be hardest hit in the event of a no-deal Brexit because it is home to some of the most polarised property markets in the country, property investment platform British Pearl revealed today.

Places like Stevenage, Watford and Hastings are braced to feel the full brunt of the no-deal ‘sledgehammer’ because the price gap between flats and houses are among the greatest in Britain and have widened the fastest, research shows.

Landlords and buyers are always keen to avoid speculative bubbles and over-heating local housing markets because of the obvious risk that prices can collapse further and faster in a correction.

The company found that the average detached house in Stevenage was 197% more than the average flat (£553,697 vs £186,422). This was the fifth largest gap anywhere in the UK and had grown 68.2% in five years.

The combination of these two measures makes the Hertfordshire town the most polarised property market in Britain, followed by Watford, Beds, and Hastings, East Sussex.

The price gap between flats and houses in Watford has grown 53.2% to 201.4%, while in Hastings it has widened by 63% to 184.7%.

The warning comes after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned a chaotic withdrawal from the EU could cause house prices to crash as much as 33% in a worst case scenario and send a financial shockwave through the economy.

The prospects for rapid depreciation in Britain varies wildly between areas. British Pearl used the two measures to rank the UK’s towns and cities to identify where investors and buyers would be more likely to see market cooling result in prices falling back down to Earth more rapidly.

The findings will serve as a warning to landlords, homeowners, first-time buyers and property investors who won’t want to risk placing big bets on markets where the gaps between different steps on the housing ladder have grown most dramatically ahead of Brexit.

The average difference in price across the UK is currently 50.6%, and has grown 24.2% in the past five years.

At the other end of the spectrum was Doncaster, where the average detached house was 140.6% more than the average flat, while the gap between prices over the five years increased just 18.4%.

Doncaster was followed by Stoke-on-Trent, with a price gap of 131.2% that had grown just 26.9%, and Blackpool where prices were 153.9% apart, after widening 12.3% in five years.

James Newbery, Investment Manager at British Pearl, commented:  “Parts of the UK property market have made considerable gains and, the relative value of homes in different price bands now poses a serious risk to homeowners and investors in the run-up to March 2019.

“The fallout from no-deal is most likely to be felt hardest in the capital’s commuter belt, where markets have moved too far and too fast. That is bad news for both ordinary investors and homeowners, particularly those who have borrowed to make their purchase.

“However, the study also shows being diligent about the area you buy in can help you avoid these increased risks, with huge variations being seen in this polarisation measure across the country.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Brexit Busting: Houses In London’s Commuter Belt Most At Risk Of No-Deal ‘Sledgehammer’ appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.

As the UK remains the top EU destination for foreign direct investment, Jenny Tooth, CEO of the UK Business Angels Association, comments on why UK angel investors are so important

Despite concerns over Brexit and the impact that it will have on international investments, London remains the number one city in the world for foreign direct investment. In addition to this, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham have also featured in the top 20 cities highlighting the fact that the UK contains many geographical regions that have growing industries outside of the capital city.

Jenny is of the opinion: “While it is great that the UK attracts a significant amount of foreign direct investment, it is vital that we continually recognise the importance of domestic investments and the value of angel investors in the UK. Angel investors provide crucial support and industry knowledge that mirrors their financial input. In order to ensure that UK entrepreneurs and investors can connect, the UKBAA  has launched many successful Investor Angel Hubs outside of London that serve as a focal point for the early stage investor community. These are designed to improve regional infrastructure with hubs in Manchester and Leeds opening soon. I am optimistic about British businesses and their ability to continually reach unprecedented heights, but we cannot become overly reliant on foreign direct investment, and must look at the benefits that angel investments can bring.”

Hernaldo Turrillo

Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.

The post Why angel investment, not foreign direct investment, is key for UK SMEs appeared first on OpenBusinessCouncil Directory.