Black Stars Investments (2022 Winner: Fund Awards)

You Got the Loan. Now Read the Fine Print

You Got the Loan. Now Read the Fine PrintPhoto creditBorrowing Isn’t the Problem. Understanding What You Owe Is.In the age of frictionless fintech, getting approved for a loan takes minutes. Sometimes seconds. That’s the appeal: no meetings, no ban

Using Predictive Analytics for Proactive Wealth Preservation Strategies

Today’s financial market rewards precision over gut instinct, and predictive analytics is quickly becoming a must-have tool for serious investors. As markets grow more volatile and data becomes more abundant, financial professionals use these models to stay

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Why We Need a New Approach to Startup Funding

Dr Ardin Ramani, PhD, founder and CEO of Akadia Group It’s common knowledge that gaining startup funding is hard. Venture capital (VC) has easily become the dominant model, which leaves startups fighting to prove their worth. And only those that fit within t

Online Banking Habits That Will Boost Your Credit Score

Online Banking Habits That Will Boost Your Credit ScoreYour credit score plays a crucial role in your financial life, affecting everything from loan approval to interest rates. While many people focus on traditional credit-building strategies, developing smart

How Mortgage Automation Can Speed Up Loan Approvals

Efficiency and speed in dealings and decisions have become essential for progress in this financial age. Another important innovation is the automation of mortgages, which is changing how you get a loan. An ever-increasing number of lenders are adopting automa

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Wealtharc Now Connects to Over 140 Custodian Banks Worldwide, Solving the Toughest Data Challenge in AI-Driven Wealth and Asset Management

New-generation data feeds across Switzerland, the US, UK, Monaco, and the Bahamas mark a major leap in global coverage. WealthArc, the Swiss-born fintech revolutionizing wealth and asset management with AI-ready data infrastructure and intuitive portfolio mana

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Wealtharc Now Connects to Over 140 Custodian Banks Worldwide, Solving the Toughest Data Challenge in AI-Driven Wealth and Asset Management

Overcoming Financial Reporting Challenges With Dedicated Software

Financial reporting is an essential business process across all industries that allows companies to keep track of their overall financial health and maintain regulatory compliance. Accurate and timely financial data is also essential to identify risks such as

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Online Personal Data Enabled 72% of Elder Fraud Cases in 2024

Incogni’s analysis of the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)’s 2024 Report Shows Data Exposure Fueled $4.2B in Elder Fraud Losses Incogni, a leading personal data removal service and data privacy company, released a new report that analyzes inter

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Multigenerational Wealth Planning: Key Indicators You’ve Outgrown Robo-Advisers

Many people’s wealth planning needs go beyond the capabilities of a robo-adviser. These digital platforms may seem sophisticated and cutting-edge because they automate advisory services, but their one-size-fits-all mentality doesn’t typically work for mult

Secure business operations and financial data from cyber threats.

Android Financial Threats on the Rise: What Small Businesses Need to Know to Protect Themselves and Their Customers

By Tony Anscombe, Chief Security Evangelist at ESET The rise of mobile banking and financial management apps has changed how businesses and customers interact. The intent: offering increased convenience and efficiency. However, this shift has also opened new d

Why More Businesses Are Embracing Crypto Investment

By Peter Curk, CEO of ICONOMI Cryptocurrency investment has always been seen as too risky for businesses. Although potentially lucrative, it’s inherently volatile, with significant fraud potential, meaning that most businesses have preferred to put their mon

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Wealtharc Now Connects to Over 140 Custodian Banks Worldwide, Solving the Toughest Data Challenge in AI-Driven Wealth and Asset Management

Digital Deal: Tech Partnership Handshake.

Trustly and Paytweak Announce New Innovative Payment Solution for European Merchants

Trustly, the world’s industry leader in Account-to-Account (A2A) payments, announces the signing of a strategic partnership with Paytweak, a French fintech specialising in modern payment links. This 100% SEPA solution integrates Paytweak's smart payment conn

Digital Banking, Mobile Finance, Secure Transactions

Arma and DAI Magister Founder Launches Specialist Tech Investment Bank Artis Partners

Headed by Victor Basta and Steve Bachmann, the boutique firm will focus on delivering high-value exits for US and European growth stage companiesVictor Basta, together with Steve Bachmann and Dorian Maillard, has launched a new investment bank, Artis Partners,

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5 Essential Marketing Strategies for Lenders and Brokers to Drive Growth

By Nicola McCoosh, founder and CEO of Yada Yada Finance In today’s competitive financial services landscape, many lenders and brokers struggle to meet their growth targets when relying solely on ad-hoc or siloed marketing activities. Whether it’s sporadic

Lost in Translation: Navigating the Global Financial Landscape with AI

By Lloyd Farrow, Sales & Marketing Director at LanguageLine Solutions UK As international markets become increasingly interconnected, financial institutions are extending their reach beyond domestic borders to access new markets and diversify their portfol

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6 Common Mistakes That Could Invalidate Your Business Insurance

Business owners are being warned to keep their providers up to date or risk invalidating their insurance. Insurance comparison experts from Quotezone.co.uk have highlighted six ways businesses may have unknowingly invalidated their business insurance

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Using Predictive Analytics for Proactive Wealth Preservation Strategies

Wealtharc Now Connects to Over 140 Custodian Banks Worldwide, Solving the Toughest Data Challenge in AI-Driven Wealth and Asset Management

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Private Banking Without the Banker: The Fintech Taking Wealth Tools Into Its Own Hands

Sidekick targets those who’ve moved beyond entry-level products but whose wealth is still too small for private banks For a growing number of UK professionals, personal finance has become a frustrating middle ground. They’re earning well and have built up

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70% of Employers With Overseas Employees Do Not Know Their Benefits Spend

The latest research from Towergate Employee Benefits reveals that 70% of employers with staff based outside of the UK do not know their total spend on employee benefits. Many companies will not have expertise in managing global benefits and may not know how be

Overcoming Financial Reporting Challenges With Dedicated Software

Online Personal Data Enabled 72% of Elder Fraud Cases in 2024

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Why We Need a New Approach to Startup Funding

Two in Five Finance Brokers Expect Surge in SME Demand for Loans Over £100,000 in Next Year, as Recession Fears Ease

New research reveals two in five (42%) SME finance brokers expect demand for loans above £100,000 to surge in the next year SMEs requesting large loans to realise growth targets –– a quarter (26%) of brokers say that firms are applying for loans over £10

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UK Cash Savings Surge to Record £2.05 trillion Leaving Savers Heavily Exposed to Falling Interest Rates

Cash savings have risen £51bn year-to-date to reach £2.05 trillion* Cash savings are now worth 80% of UK National Debt But despite high interest rates, cash has returned less than a third of that returned by stocks and shares this year Savers have missed out

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Why Your Business Won’t Secure VC Funding

UK start-ups raised £2.2 billion in new venture capital funding in the third quarter of 2024, marking a significant decline from the £4.4 billion secured in the previous quarter, according to recent data from HSBC. In this increasingly competitive landscape,

5 Essential Marketing Strategies for Lenders and Brokers to Drive Growth

Woman In Grocery Aisle Of Supermarket With Coupons

Coupon Expert Reveals How You Can Save Hundreds On The Weekly Shop

In today's world of rising living costs, finding ways to save money on weekly shopping is more important than ever. Making small changes to the way you shop, and mastering the art of couponing, can lead to significant savings, sometimes hundreds of pounds over

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70% of Employers With Overseas Employees Do Not Know Their Benefits Spend

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How Can Estate Planning Help Build Generational Wealth?

The average person toils to get ahead and leave a financial legacy for future generations. Handling estate planning correctly ensures the money goes where it's intended rather than getting eaten up by taxes and probate fees. Financial advisers can navigate cli

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Market Falls – How Long Does a Stock Market Recovery Take?

Aaron Gibbs, Personal Finance Commentator at Charles Stanley The recent tariff-induced market sell off saw some of the biggest daily stock market falls since the Covid-19 market crash in 2020. The well-known S&P 500 index in the US fell around 20% from its

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DIY Is Dead: Why Building Your Own Financial Tech Could Sink Your Business

By Philipp Buschmann, CEO and Co-founder of AAZZUR There’s an old saying: just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. This has never been more relevant than when companies consider creating their own financial tech from the ground up.&nbs

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finmid Expands to 20 Countries, Empowering Platforms to Drive SME Financing in Europe

With unmatched geographical reach, finmid enables platforms to close financing gaps for SMEs across underserved European markets. finmid enables B2B platforms to offer financing solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. Its modular financing infrastructu

A car dealer signs a contract for a new car at a car dealership.

Decoding Car Finance: Expert Tips for Selecting the Best Payment Plan

In recent years, 80% to 90% of new cars and an increasing number of used vehicles have been bought with finance agreements. With car prices continuing to rise, the growing need for car financing has become more evident as consumers increasingly rely on various

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The North and Midlands Lead Wage Growth as Regional Pay Rises Outpace London

The North of England and Midlands are seeing the largest wage rises in the UK, according to the latest data from Employment Hero. Employment Hero’s June Jobs Report uses real-time data from 105,000 employees across small and medium-sized busi

Private Banking Without the Banker: The Fintech Taking Wealth Tools Into Its Own Hands

Online Personal Data Enabled 72% of Elder Fraud Cases in 2024

Senior mature business woman holding paper bill using calculator

Aviva Study Reveals Critical Knowledge Gap About UK Pensions

53% of Brits claim to be knowledgeable about pensions but only a third can correctly identify a Defined Benefit (DB) or Defined Contribution (DC) scheme 20% don’t know what type of pension they have More than half (57%) do not know that the government contri

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Retirement Unlocked: Essential Insights for Every Age

People nearing state retirement age are reportedly saving less than any other age group in the UK, according to research conducted by investment, protection, retirement and in-house advice specialist, LV=. Data produced in LV’s Wealth and Wellbeing Research

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New Data Reveals An Estimated £47 Million Saved by UK EV Drivers Renewing Road Tax Before April Deadline

1,467% surge in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) renewals to secure final year of tax-free driving for electric cars. According to new research from cinch, the UK’s biggest online used car retailer, electric vehicle (EV) owners in the UK saved a potential £47,696,

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Getting Taxpayer and Stakeholder Feedback Is How Tax Policy Should Be Developed by HMRC

Electronic invoicing consultation invited businesses, sectors and advisors to all feed into new policy Getting taxpayer and stakeholder feedback is how tax policy should be developed by HMRC, say leading audit, tax and business advisory firm, Blick Rothenberg.

New Data Reveals An Estimated £47 Million Saved by UK EV Drivers Renewing Road Tax Before April Deadline

Busines using a computer to complete Individual income tax return form online for tax payment.

Intuit Unveils New QuickBooks Solution Ahead of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax

Delivering simplified experiences, on a single platform, for an additional 1.88 million self assessment tax filers Intuit Inc., the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, announced that QuickB

oung woman hand using calculator to calculating balance prepare tax reduction income

Awareness Without Understanding: Self Assessment Tax Payers Know About MTD—But Many Still Don’t Understand It

While 91% of UK self assessment tax payers have heard of Making Tax Digital (MTD) for income tax, new data reveals a critical gap between awareness and readiness. Alarmingly, 21% of taxpayers with untaxed income over £50k don’t believe they’re affected by

Middle aged senior couple sit with laptop and paper document

What Are the Tax Implications of Withdrawing From Your Retirement Fund?

Withdrawing funds from a retirement account can trigger a range of tax implications depending on the type of account and the timing of withdrawal. When advising clients on long-term planning, a solid understanding of these tax rules is critical to preserving w

Less Than Half of UK Adults Aware of Pension Tax-Free Cash Limits

According to data from investment, life insurance and retirement specialist LV=, only 46% of non-retired UK adults with a pension say they understand the financial implications of how much tax-free cash they can take from pension savings. The findings have bee

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Android Financial Threats on the Rise: What Small Businesses Need to Know to Protect Themselves and Their Customers

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Under Threat: Public Sector Facing Advanced and Relentless Cyberattacks

By AJ Thompson, CCO at IT consultancy Northdoor plc Third-party IT consultants can supplement internal teams allowing for a comprehensive view of where vulnerabilities lie. Public sector organisations in the UK are facing an increasingly severe threat of advan

7 Urgent OT Security Challenges Every Business Must Address

By IDS INDATA Experts suggest cyberattacks are evolving faster than you can keep up – Here’s how to protect your business. Ransomware is costing UK businesses thousands. Medium to large businesses face data breach losses of over £3.5 million, and Ra

UK Connect Elevates Cybersecurity Capabilities with BlueFort Partnership

Partnership enhances UK Connect’s offer to Britain’s biggest construction companies UK Connect CTO Joe Budnar-Hunt: “Cybersecurity integration is more important than ever before” BlueFort CTO Josh Neame: “Delighted to work with UK Connect’s suite o

ALSO Cloud UK Highlights Need for Robust, Proactive Cybersecurity Measures Against Ongoing Ransomware Threats

ALSO urges UK businesses to employ robust cybersecurity measures against ongoing, AI-boosted ransomware attempts. With a shift towards malware-free attack techniques reported by CrowdStrike's 2025 Global Threat Report, to be one of the defining tre

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Over a Third of Finance Leaders Fear Geopolitical Tensions and Economic Conditions in 2025

New data from the latest annual SAP Concur CFO Insights Survey* reveals the evolution of top priorities for finance leaders amid challenging economic conditions and geopolitical tensions – from AI to cybersecurity. The 2025 research highlights the oppor

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Fund Awards 2022

Black Stars Investments