Small Business (SMB) stories

ClearCourse buys Motasoft to expand in UK independent garages, adding embedded payments and AI to its garage management software suite.

Dell debuts 14in and 16in Premium laptops with OLED screens, Intel Core Ultra chips and RTX graphics, targeting power users and creators.

Xero launches Accountable Intelligence AI to automate bookkeeping while keeping decisions, audit trails and financial oversight with humans.

UK launches TechFirst drive with GBP £4 million women's tech programme, paid placements and returnships to plug digital skills gaps.

Sage expands AccountsPrep in Sage for Accountants as firms brace for MTD for Income Tax, targeting paper-based clients at GBP £3 per month.

Offshore wind software developer Kinewell raises GBP £750,000 to scale AI-driven design tools and nearly double its North East workforce.

AI-powered deepfakes and targeted malware ads are fuelling a new wave of scams, leaving UK small firms dangerously exposed online.

Canva launches Magic Layers beta, using AI to turn flat PNG and JPG images into editable, layered designs across key English-speaking markets.

Entrepreneurs increasingly see AI as a tool for efficiency and cost-cutting, not a springboard to new markets or sustainability goals.

TD SYNNEX and SAS launch a European SAS Viya demo environment to speed AI prototypes, cut setup costs and shorten partner sales cycles.

FinTech North will convene major brands, start-ups and policymakers in Liverpool next week as it seeks to cement the city as a key fintech hub.

Gumtree introduces verified badges and stricter checks for business sellers in the UK, aiming to boost user trust and deter fraud.

Cyber fears and skills gaps leave UK SMEs torn between bold 2026 digital ambitions and hesitation over AI adoption and data security.

ANNA Money wins HMRC approval for its Making Tax Digital for Income Tax app, enabling sole traders to file quarterly updates from 2026.

AI 'leaders' in finance rush to pilots but lack rules, data and governance to scale tools into core, high‑accountability workflows.

SMBs are bullish on AI but a new ECI report finds poor data, scarce skills and unclear use cases are stalling real-world results.

AI is speeding up shorter workdays but piling on more tasks, with rising collaboration, multitasking and weekend work, a study finds.

Mastercard launches its Virtual C-Suite AI agents, starting with a Virtual CFO, to give small firms automated executive-style insights.

AllPoints adds CityFibre's 1.7Gbps and 2.3Gbps full-fibre services to its aquila platform, expanding multi-gig wholesale options for partners.

Place Informatics launches PlaceVenueIQ to help UK retailers and hospitality brands benchmark, rank and de-risk new site decisions.