Business

Premium franchise expands with single-store partnerships and regional supply chain improvements CoCo Bubble Tea, a global leader in the bubble tea industry, has achieved significant milestones in both Europe and the UK, thanks to its innovative franchise model and support for small-business owners. After launching single-store partnerships earlier this year, CoCo has focused on strengthening its supply chains and providing enhanced assistance to its franchisees. To further showcase its unique offerings and business opportunities, CoCo will be attending The National Franchise Exhibition on October 4-5 in Birmingham, UK (Booth T40), where entrepreneurs can learn more about becoming part of the…

x-hoppers, an innovator in AI-based retail communication solutions, convened a critical roundtable discussion on 9 October to address the disturbing rise in retail crime, now at its highest level in 20 years. With the busy holiday shopping season approaching, industry leaders and law enforcement came together at House of Spells in London, an early adopter of x-hoppers technology. The session was led by CEO Ian Rowan and featured prominent speakers, including retail specialist Kate Hardcastle, MBE, Superintendent Patrick Holdaway of the City of London Police, Tenby Stores owner Fiona Malone, and x-hoppers’ CTO Graham Dixon. Addressing the Urgent Crisis The…

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to enhance its strategic partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) by hosting the Multilateral Industrial Policy Forum in October 2024. This significant event underscores the Kingdom’s commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive industrial development, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Development As part of its ongoing efforts, Saudi Arabia aims to bridge the development gap between nations while boosting industrial competitiveness. This collaboration focuses on stimulating investment and adopting advanced technologies in critical industrial sectors. By engaging with UNIDO, the Kingdom seeks…

Kent-based company Zendbox, a prominent eCommerce third-party logistics provider (3PL), has witnessed an impressive 300% growth in the past year, expanding from 20 to 80 employees and from one to four advanced fulfilment centres. With its market-leading 10pm cut-off time, sustainable business practices, and advanced inventory management technology, Zendbox enables direct-to-consumer (D2C) retailers to compete with “eCommerce giants.” Zendbox specialises in order fulfilment for rapidly growing SMEs and established brands, including PRIME, USN, Puresport, and fourfive. In 2023, the company processed more than three million orders, linking eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, eBay, and Amazon with its proprietary technology, Zendportal,…

Zendbox, a prominent provider of eCommerce fulfilment services, has revealed that offering later order cut-off times significantly boosts eCommerce conversion rates, customer loyalty, and revenue. Recent findings show that 35% of online orders are made between 4pm and 9pm, prompting the company to introduce a new 10pm order cut-off time. This move has enabled merchants to provide next-day delivery to more shoppers, resulting in a 15% average increase in conversion rates for its clients. James Khoury, the founder and CEO of Zendbox, stated: “After analysing the eCommerce SMEs, and major brands that work with us, we have discovered that merchants…

Expend, a leading digital platform for business expense management, has announced a record uptake of their innovative product, Card Connect™. The company is the first in the UK to offer real-time processing of business expense data from Mastercard and Visa transaction feeds, directly integrated into its expense management platform. Revolutionising Expense Management with Instant Processing With Card Connect™, Expend clients can now benefit from instant expense settlement, simplifying financial processes and boosting operational efficiency. Johnny Vowles, CEO of Expend, emphasises the platform’s standout features: “Card Connect offers two key functionalities. It allows businesses to connect all their business cards to our…

Revolutionising AI Accessibility for SMBs Enreach, Europe’s leading provider of converged contact solutions, has officially launched the DialoX marketplace, designed to offer channel partners access to pre-configured conversational AI applications. This initiative aims to enhance operational efficiencies and reduce operating costs for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The new marketplace builds upon Enreach’s existing DialoX platform, which allows partners to create custom AI solutions using low-code and no-code tools. This feature enables Enreach partners to deliver tailored conversational AI solutions that address their customers’ unique communication challenges, even without extensive expertise in AI. Key Features of the DialoX Platform At…

A new report has uncovered that just 34% of Black academics in the UK believe their workplace fosters an inclusive environment. The study, titled Unblocking the Pipeline: Supporting the Retention, Progression, and Promotion of Black Early-Career Academics, is a collaborative effort by the Society of Black Academics, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), and GatenbySanderson. Key Findings Highlight Inequality The research paints a concerning picture of the challenges Black early-career academics face in higher education. The report reveals that: Only 34% of Black academics feel their workplace is inclusive. Just 38% believe they receive adequate support for both mental and…

On September 26, the 2024 New Energy Industry Development Conference & Invest in Changzhou Summit commenced, attracting academicians, experts, business leaders, and financial institutions from around the world to discuss new energy sector growth and collaboration. Key Highlights and Investments The event marked significant progress for Changzhou, as 42 projects were signed, securing a total investment of 39.7 billion yuan, including nine foreign-funded initiatives worth 1.16 billion USD. In addition, provincial financial institutions agreed on key financing projects, with a credit total of 120 billion yuan. Changzhou, often recognized as “China’s Capital of New Energy,” continues to expand its new…

The 2nd Annual INNOVA Europe Competition held its Grand Finale today at STATION F in Paris, where students and young entrepreneurs from Europe’s leading business schools gathered to showcase their innovative solutions for global challenges. This year saw heightened competition as nine of the continent’s top schools participated, pushing entrepreneurial boundaries to create impactful, sustainable business ideas. Grand Finale Winners: Solar Optic and Reduco The Rising Stars category crowned Solar Optic from KSE Graduate Business School as the grand prize winner. Solar Optic, a groundbreaking technology that channels sunlight into buildings without electricity, won €20K in prize money, alongside a…