# Public and academic

UK AI minister working ‘extremely rapidly’ on non-compete changes

Kanishka Narayan’s comment come after UK founders and investors backed an open letter calling to restrict the use of extended notice periods and garden leave.

The VCs that could run the UK’s £1bn Scale-Up Fund

From Octopus Ventures to Molten Ventures, here are the investors that could land the mandate to manage the pot

Ineffable, Recursive, Fractile call on UK to limit non-competes

London neolab Inherent has coordinated an open letter — and removed non-competes in its own contracts

Northern Gritstone CEO: Exiting to US acquirers isn’t a failure

Duncan Johnson talks scaling the north of England tech ecosystem, Gritstone’s new San Francisco office and why portfolio exits are coming

UK Sovereign AI Fund in talks to back raise for drug discovery startup

Head of ventures Josephine Kant is reportedly set to join Potential Sciences’ board

Are VCs doing their AI safety due diligence?

Founders report mixed interest in safety discussions from their investors

Revolut faces questions over ‘deeply concerning’ data breach

A group of hackers is reportedly threatening to release stolen customer data

UK government seeks fund manager for £150m northern scaleup fund

The fund, which will come from money already allocated to the British Business Bank, will provide investments of £5m-15m to companies in the north of England

VCs rejoice as UK government rules out spinout exit tax

Reports had suggested an incoming levy on university spinouts that move abroad

Matt Clifford's move to Anthropic draws criticism: 'Not cool'

Some believe it's a shame that one of the UK’s top tech leaders is joining a US company

Renewed online debate about German bureaucracy sparks criticism over startup scene: ‘Things need to change’

An X post by Stripe CEO Patrick Collison over the weekend highlighted the laborious procedures startups have to go through in Germany

Inside the FCA’s Scaleup Unit: ‘Don't be frightened of the regulator’

The British regulator just announced the latest cohort of its scaleup support programme

UK government under pressure to change non-compete rules

Pressure is mounting on the UK government to make garden leave optional for employees

University of Glasgow spinouts looking to raise

The university currently supports 30 spinout companies that have collectively secured over £190m in funding

UK spinout investor Northern Gritstone to open San Francisco office

The north of England investor launched in 2021 and backs spinouts from the universities of Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Liverpool

QMUL spinouts looking to raise

Sifted breaks down grant-stage to Series A spinouts from the university that are courting investors

UK expands talent visa to more than 100 companies

Notably absent from the list are the country’s latest cohort of AI labs

Europe starts enforcing AI Act rules

Companies found in breach could face fines of up to 3% of their annual global turnover

222 spinouts, €4.9bn raised: Europe’s top universities for spinout funding in H1 2026

Where did DSIT go? Inside the UK’s tech reshuffle

AI, science and tech policy responsibilities have been scattered across Westminster

UK defence tech has ‘high hopes’ for new finance minister John Healey

Founders and investors say appointment 'signals seriousness' to NATO allies

Can Kanishka Narayan make up for the loss of DSIT?

Narayan has been promoted to a cabinet-level position covering AI

Reynolds appointed business secretary as DSIT scrapped

Kanishka Narayan promoted to become first AI minister to attend cabinet meetings

Burnham sparks backlash over reported plans to ditch DSIT

UK tech leaders warn overhaul would be a ‘big mistake’