Business

Preply has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round led by WestCap, valuing the global language learning marketplace at $1.2 billion and marking its transition into unicorn territory. The round, for which Goldman Sachs International acted as sole placement agent, will be used to accelerate product development, expand Preply’s AI and data capabilities and fuel international growth as the company seeks to reshape education through personalised, tutor-led learning supported by artificial intelligence. Founded...

Labour has been urged to stop workers accessing their private pensions from the age of 55 in an effort to curb early retirement and tackle rising unemployment, according to a leading think tank. The Resolution Foundation, which has close links to senior Labour figures, said current pension and tax rules encourage wealthier workers to leave the labour market years before state pension age, worsening labour shortages and weakening the public finances. Under existing rules, savers...

Apple is developing a wearable “AI pin” capable of listening to conversations and responding to spoken commands, as the iPhone maker looks to regain momentum in the fast-moving artificial intelligence race. The disc-shaped device, which would be equipped with speakers, microphones and cameras, is at an early stage of development but could eventually go on sale later this decade. According to reports, the wearable would be designed to clip onto clothing or be worn as...

Calling a colleague “old” because they struggle with computer skills does not, on its own, amount to age discrimination, an employment tribunal has ruled. The decision came in the case of Farah Janjua, 39, who brought claims against her former employer, Harvey Jones Ltd, after a younger manager told her her lack of IT skills was “because you’re old”. Ms Janjua argued that the comment, made by a colleague in his late 20s, amounted to...

The builder of the superyacht Bayesian, on which British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch died, has launched a £400 million legal claim against his widow, alleging that the tragedy caused a catastrophic collapse in its sales. The Italian Sea Group (TISG) has filed a €456 million (£399 million) lawsuit in a Sicilian court, claiming that the yacht’s crew and the vessel’s holding company were responsible for the sinking and the resulting damage to the company’s reputation...

Nigel Farage has renewed his threat to strip commercial banks of billions of pounds in interest payments made by the Bank of England, reviving a controversial proposal that has already alarmed financial markets and the banking industry. Speaking at a Bloomberg event on the fringes of the World Economic Forum, Farage confirmed that Reform UK still intends to scrap the interest paid on reserves held by banks at the central bank, money created during the...

UK businesses are being urged to tighten controls around their use of artificial intelligence in 2026, as legal experts warn that poorly governed AI systems are exposing companies to mounting legal, financial and reputational risks. From unclear ownership of AI-generated content to data protection breaches and misleading outputs, advisers say many organisations have adopted AI tools faster than they have put safeguards in place, leaving them vulnerable as regulation accelerates. Copyright and ownership disputes remain...

A bitter trademark dispute over the Beckham name has emerged as a key factor in the growing rift between the Beckhams and their son Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz, underscoring how intellectual property law can collide with family relationships when a surname becomes a commercial asset. The row centres on control of the Beckham name, which has long been protected as a trademark across multiple commercial categories. While the dispute has played out...

Government borrowing fell sharply in December after a surge in income tax and national insurance receipts helped narrow the monthly deficit, offering short-term relief for the Treasury but little comfort over the longer-term health of the public finances. Figures published by the Office for National Statistics showed public sector borrowing fell to £11.6 billion in December, £7.1 billion lower than the same month a year earlier, a 38 per cent reduction. The improvement was driven...

A Leeds-based technology start-up has raised £23 million to accelerate the commercial rollout of its light-powered computer chips, in a move that could strengthen the UK’s position in the global race to develop next-generation artificial intelligence hardware. Optalysys will use the funding to scale its photonic computing technology and expand operations into the United States. The investment round was led by Northern Gritstone, with backing from the UK government’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund. Optalysys...