Entries have officially been extended for the 2025 Startups 100, the seventeenth iteration of the prestigious Startups 100 Index, our showcase of the fastest-growing startups in the UK.

Organised by Startups.co.uk, the list is the longest-running of its kind, with the first Startups 100 Index being published back in 2008. 

Over almost two decades, it has given an early platform to some of the UK’s most successful startups, including tech unicorns Revolut, Monzo, and Deliveroo.

Businesses which have been founded since 2019 now have one more week to put themselves forward to compete for one of 100 hotly-contested spots on next year’s list.

New businesses wanted for 2025 Startups 100

The Startups 100 Index is designed to recognise and celebrate the UK’s thriving and world-leading startup community. Each year, 100 game-changing companies are chosen from hundreds of entrants to be named our ‘ones-to-watch’ for the year ahead.

In order to apply, entrants need only to be headquartered in the UK, and to have registered with Companies House after 1 January 2019. 

These broad entry requirements have helped to make the Startups 100 one of the most diverse business indexes in the UK. While the list is ranked, any startup from any industry has a chance of being named a Startups-100 featured business. 

Previous listees have ranged from vegan food producer, THIS™, to social mobility startup, Zero Gravity, and inclusive gaming brand, Frobelles.

Following an extension, the entry form will close on Friday 11 October 2024. After this time, the Startups.co.uk team, plus a panel of experts, will begin judging. The full list will be shared in early January 2025.

Entries are appraised on multiple criteria such as strength of concept and market opportunity. Information about the judging process can be found on the application page.

“An incredible platform for startups”

Business awards can often come with application fees that can put off new businesses from entering. But the Startups 100 is one of the few that remains completely free to apply to.

Even in today’s challenging inflationary environment, the index has no entry or listing fees, so that every founder feels welcome to apply.

The decision means interested startups have everything to gain and nothing to lose by applying. In previous years, featured companies have reported seeing an uplift in client leads, website traffic, brand awareness, and even investor interest.

George Lineker, founder of YourBusinessNumber which placed 43rd in the 2024 Startups 100 Index, said the accolade “gave YourBusinessNumber huge awareness and credibility.”

“The Startups 100 is an incredible platform for startups and SMEs,” Lineker added, “[featuring on the list] increased interest in the business and generated a lot of customers.”

‘COVID generation’ of startups grows up

The 2025 index will mark the first time that all eligible entrants were founded during or post-COVID. With every entrant having been founded after January 2019, it presents an excellent opportunity to take stock of how the ‘COVID generation’ of startups has matured.

Much has changed in the past half decade. The 2024 index made history when it crowned its first ever AI winner, Unitary. The tech-for-good content moderation product is designed to confront modern challenges like online misinformation, hate speech, and abuse.

With the UK now established as a hotbed for AI talent, next year’s list promises to be a similarly spectacular showcase of cutting-edge technology and innovation. 

Richard Parris, Managing Editor of Startups.co.uk, said: “The Startups 100 has always been proud to champion new UK businesses. But the latest Startups 100 is set to be a truly special one. For the first time, every single business featured will have been founded during the COVID pandemic, or in its aftermath when the cost of living crisis hit our nation so hard. 

“At a time when the UK, and the world at large, was facing some of its greatest challenges, entrepreneurs up and down the nation still found the inspiration to start something of their own. We can’t wait to recognise the very best UK businesses of the past five years in our upcoming Startups 100 index.”

When Black Mirror began, it was firmly futuristic. Each cautionary tale about technology felt eerily close to our daily lives, but was still far enough removed from reality. Not anymore.

With every series, the race between the anthology series’ writing team and the rapid advancement of technology gets closer. Fast-growth AI startups are now commonly described as “Black Mirror-like”. And, as we’ll explore fully, one or two might have made some of the show’s most famous plot lines possible.

Series 7 is set to bring yet more dystopian ideas in 2025. Now, though, we’re looking back. We’re returning to the Black Mirror episodes (not the pig one) you thought were impossible, but look close to real-life in 2024 — for better or worse. Spoiler alert, of course.

“The Entire History of You”

The third episode of Black Mirror introduced us to Grains, a wearable device that people could use to replay their memories in their head or on a screen. It goes about as well as you would expect (wife leaves husband, man’s memories get stolen, everyone ends up crying).

Clearly, the inventor of Friend isn’t a Black Mirror fan. The AI microphone-slash-necklace records every interaction you ever have. You can talk to it, and it can offer opinions on what you or your friends say. Founder Avi Schiffmann also apparently wants to add a camera.

“[Friend is] very supportive, very validating,” Schiffmann told The Verge. “It’s also super intelligent, it’s a great brainstorming buddy. You can talk to it about relationships.”

Friend is still a prototype. However, if you watched The Entire History Of You and thought ‘wow, what a great idea! What could go wrong?’ you can pre-order a Friend now.

“Be Right Back”

After her best friend tragically died, a tech founder decided to take their online messaging history and use it to ‘rebuild’ him as a chatbot. Yes, it’s almost the exact plot of Be Right Back, episode three of Black Mirror Series 2. But this actually happened.

The founder, Eugenia Kuyda, turned the project into Replika AI, a chatbot that users train themselves. Theoretically, you could plug in your favourite celebrity’s Instagram and chat to their Replika. If you’re a narcissist, you could plug in your own social media.

It might not have worked in Black Mirror world. But thankfully, Replika has been received much more positively. It’s an inventive take on the modern, AI chatbot, and has even been found to help with loneliness (it grew in popularity during the pandemic).

“I don’t think it’s meant to replace a person,” says Kuyda. “[Replika should] be a complement to your social interactions, not a substitute.” Tell that to Schiffmann.

“The Waldo Moment”

The Waldo Moment was more about distrust of politicians than the threat of AI. In it, a discontented comedian who voices the animated children’s bear, Waldo, gets elected as a local MP, as Waldo. It will probably elicit a chuckle, until you learn about AI Steve.

AI Steve is the AI avatar of Steve Endacott, a tech founder. AI Steve ran as an MP for Brighton Pavilion in this year’s general election. And he proved a persuasive candidate.

AI Steve could chat to constituents 24/7. He used algorithms to represent his constituency fairly, and he was devoid of human bias (but he did stop existing if the WiFi turned off).

AI Steve may not have made it into the House of Commons, but Endacott’s point was made. AI political candidates are not a sci-fi invention; they’re on the ballot today.

“San Junipero”

The fourth episode of Black Mirror Series 3 lit up viewers’ imaginations more than others. Set in a beach resort town that turns out to be a simulated reality for the elderly to inhabit, it piqued fans’ interests, as a rare, optimistic prospect they actually want to happen.

San Junipero isn’t possible today, and it will likely be a while before uploading your mind to the cloud remains far-fetched. But DeathTech is developing rapidly. A big new player is Czechia-based, Somnium Space.

The company has created what it dubs ‘Live Forever Mode’. Combining virtual reality and AI, it is trying to create digital avatars of loved ones for future generations to interact with them.

There is no doubt a market for this kind of immortalising tech. Less morally dubious is Story Locker, a Startups-100 listed company that records podcast episodes with relatives for you to store in a family ‘memory’ locker. Who wants to live forever?

“Arkangel”

To most, the story of a single mother who implants a sophisticated tracking technology, Arkangel into her daughter, would have raised some red flags. Others saw it as inspiration.

Two years after the episode aired, Swiss entrepreneur Alexander Clavel gave us the probably-not-coincidentally-named Angel Watch, a ‘child-safe wearable mobile phone’ that lets parents track their youngsters and ‘discreetly’ listen in to what they’re doing.

The Angel Watch has proven popular with nervous mums and dads, and it’s not too far off grown-up watch designs such as the FitBit. Less certain is how kids feel about their privacy being invaded day-by-day. After all, why trust your children when you can track them?

“Crocodile”

Just your regular, run-of-the-mill Black Mirror plot line. Woman kills several people over ten years but eventually gets found out when police use a memory recall machine on a pet guinea pig who witnessed one of the murders from its cage. You know the drill.

Amazingly, this one is arguably already feasible. In 2023, researchers confirmed they had successfully trained an AI model to recreate images based on brain scans. After testers viewed photos of a clock tower and a teddy bear, the AI drew them. And fairly accurately.

The technology is unlikely to be arriving in everyday homes any time soon. But if large institutions, such as medical centres, can get hold of it then the applications are endless.

Doctors may use it to help paraplegics and coma patients, while it could help neuroscientists to interpret dreams. Researchers could use it for brain mapping. And yes, go on then, you could probably use it to see inside your pet hamster’s brain.

“Hang the DJ”

When Bumble founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd suggested that dating app users should have a “dating concierge” who “could go and date for you with other dating concierges,” Black Mirror fans immediately spotted the similarity with series four’s fourth episode, Hang the DJ.

Lead characters Amy and Frank are essentially the concierges. They are virtual versions of real-life singles, and both are matched into relationships for fixed lengths of time by an algorithm that eventually determines if they would be right for a lifetime partner.

Introducing AI to dating will naturally cause some technophobes to recoil. But in an era of ghosting (chat to a lucky someone for two weeks and then disappear) and breadcrumbing (give your date the bare minimum amount of attention to keep them interested) it could be the solution for those who feel their dating life has become a time waste.

“There is a world where your dating concierge could go and date for you with other dating concierge … and then you don’t have to talk to 600 people,” added Wolfe Herd. Tempting.

“Joan is Awful”

Barely one year after the Black Mirror Series 6 premiere, Joan is Awful, and it already looks like it could have been set in 2024. Joan is a tech boss ‘shEO’ type who discovers her life has been adapted in real-time into a television series starring Salma Hayek.

It’s a fairly messy episode with a lot of different themes, but the key takeaway is that, thanks to AI, our identities are now for sale. Salma Hayek, it turns out, has signed away the rights to her appearance and has been turned into a CGI-based virtual actor, who plays Joan.

Life imitates art. In May of this year, Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson alleged that a new version of ChatGPT, which could respond verbally, had mimicked her voice. Worse, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared to confirm the deception.

The episode is just one in a red-hot debate that is raging about how AI sits with creative industries. Far from going away, it could be the first plotline the anthology series returns to.

Black Mirror Series 7 is set to air in 2025. Find out more about six dystopian business trends that we think belong in the next series.

Full-time workers in the UK could soon be given the right to request a four-day working week (4DWW) as the government leans on flexible working to improve productivity.

The 4DWW is a hotly-contested issue and the news, which was first shared by the Daily Telegraph, has proved emotive. Conservative shadow business secretary Kevin Hollinrake claimed businesses were “petrified” about the plans.

If true, their concerns might be misplaced. What Labour appears to be suggesting is actually a compressed workweek, a work policy that is commonly confused with the four-day week.

While both technically result in a day off for workers, trials suggest that a compressed week can actually result in negative repercussions for employee engagement, rather than positive.

Four-day week vs. compressed hours

The difference between a 4DWW and a compressed workweek has caught many employers out this year. Under a four-day week, as certified by the 4 Day Week Campaign full-time staff work 80% of their hours, but receive the same pay.

The government is reportedly proposing what is known as compressed hours. Under this policy, staff work 100% of their hours but over longer shifts, also for the same pay.

In 2022, Startups’ employee survey showed that UK workers were also confused. Our findings suggest that, while most were still in favour of the policy, 70% of employees believed they would need to work extra hours to make up for lost time.

Asda failure

At first glance, the difference between a compressed workweek and a 4DWW seems small. However, the repercussions for the workforce can be huge; as Asda discovered this year.

The grocery retailer trialled a compressed workweek last year. Managers were allowed to work 44 hours over the course of four days for the same pay. However, staff complained about having to work 11-hour shifts, forcing the supermarket to roll back the perk.

Another retail giant, Morrisons also axed a 4DWW for its head office staff, after staff complained about having to work Saturdays to make the policy work.

Numerous flexible working trials where employees work reduced hours over a four-day week, for the same pay, have succeeded since. South Cambridgeshire district council said its 4DWW test run resulted overwhelmingly in improved employee performance.

The gap between Asda and Morrisons, and the many UK firms that have successfully introduced a four-day week, suggests that compressed hours may not have the positive effect on staff wellbeing that the government hopes for.

Why a four-day week?

The suggested 4DWW policy reflects changing attitudes towards the traditional 9-5. Last year, Startups surveyed 546 SMEs about their opinions on the 4DWW. We uncovered a huge appetite for the perk; 12% of UK businesses said they planned to adopt it in 2024.

Numerous factors are influencing this cultural shift. More employees are reporting stress and burnout, resulting in many leaving the workforce.

Those who do show up to the office often engage in presenteeism (showing up to look busy, but actually doing the bare minimum). Last week, Keir Starmer suggested the government would explore flexible working to tackle the problem.

Flexible work arrangements have been shown to improve work-life balance by giving employees the right to switch off, which can boost productivity levels.

Ironically, though, compressed hours could make things worse. As Asda and Morrisons discovered, forcing staff to work longer shifts is likely to raise, not lower, stress levels.

What could the new rules look like?

Implementing a four-day week requires a careful hand, and it’s understandable that companies might feel worried at the proposed law change.

However, the new policy will likely take a similar shape to the Flexible Working Bill, a set of legislation that allows employees to request flexible working from day one of employment.

Under the bill, employers can still refuse a request if they feel it is unreasonable. Ministers have confirmed that the 4DWW rules would not impose the change on staff or businesses, suggesting that organisations could choose for themselves whether to accept a request.

“Any changes to employment legislation will be consulted on, working in partnership with business,” said a spokesperson at the Department for Business and Trade.

Employers should visit the Startups.co.uk website to keep an eye on employment law changes. We’ll cover them, and their impact on businesses, right here.

If you use Amazon For Business, Gmail or Facebook for Business within your organisation, you may need to change your password urgently.

Hackers have been targeting these platforms through password-stealing attacks. Research by Kapersky reported around 26 million attempts to get users to access malicious sites impersonating these brands – an increase of 40% compared to last year.

Here’s what you need to know, and how you can protect your business accounts.

Google, Amazon and Facebook are more prone to password hacking

Kapersky reported that Google, Amazon and Facebook passwords are targeted the most by hackers. 

The cybersecurity provider reported a 243% increase in attack attempts for the first half of 2024, with around 4 million of these attempts being blocked by Kapersky itself. Meanwhile, Facebook users saw 3.7 million phishing attempts, while Amazon experienced 3 million. 

Olga Svistunova, a security expert at Kapersky, warned that a criminal who gains access to a Gmail account can “potentially access multiple services”. This means that not only can business information be leaked, but personal information on customers is also at risk of being exposed.

Hackers seek account credentials for these platforms, as getting access enables data theft, malware distribution and credit card fraud. Google accounts in particular are seen as particularly valuable, as the main key to unlocking other account credentials and personal information to commit fraud.

Who else is being targeted?

Other tech giants like Microsoft and Apple have also been targeted. Other companies include DHL, Mastercard, Netflix, eBay and HSBC. 

A report by cloud security provider Netskope revealed a 2,000-fold increase in traffic to phishing pages sent through Microsoft Sway – a cloud-based application that enables users to create visual documentation, newsletters and presentations.

Through the use of “quishing” – a form of phishing through QR codes – hackers have been able to trick users into logging into malicious websites, stealing their passwords in return. Hackers can take advantage of bogus QR codes as they can often bypass email scanners that only examine text-based content. Moreover, as QR codes are often used with mobile devices – which typically don’t have as tight security measures compared to desktops and laptops – victims become more vulnerable to attacks in turn.

How to protect your business accounts

Keeping your business and customer information safe is crucial and both you and your employees need to remain vigilant. Here are steps your business can take to protect your business accounts from phishing attacks.

1. Be aware of the signs

Hackers are becoming better at impersonating legitimate platforms and brands, but there are a few red flags to look out for in a phishing email or website. These include:

–Generic domain extensions: This is a tactic to disguise malicious communications. For example, an email from a “@gmail.com” address instead of a corporate domain (like @company.com) might seem legitimate at first glance, especially if the display name mimics that of a real employee or organisation. Attackers exploit these generic email addresses to impersonate businesses, executives or trusted contacts, bypassing security checks that may flag suspicious domain names.

–Misspelt domains: Hackers may use domain names that are near-identical to legitimate ones, only changing a single letter or adding a number. A domain like Facebook.com could be altered to “Faceb0ok.com”. Deceptive domains like this are known as “typesquatting” or “URL spoofing” and are designed to look almost identical to the original website, luring users into entering their credentials or downloading malicious software

–Email/website content: When checking the legitimacy of an email or website, pay close attention to the content. Look out for any spelling errors, grammar mistakes or unprofessional formatting. Remember that legitimate companies typically have teams to ensure that their communications are polished and professional while phishing emails and fraudulent websites are often created hastily and may constrain typographical errors, awkward phrasing or inconsistencies in branding.

–Sense of urgency: Hackers will create a sense of fear in their messaging, urging victims to act fast to avoid negative consequences. Scare tactics, such as warning of account suspensions, unauthorised transactions or security breaches are used to instil fear and pressure recipients to act fact to avoid negative consequences. This panic makes victims more likely to click on malicious links, download dangerous attachments or provide sensitive information, such as passwords or financial details.

-Unusual requests: Be cautious of any unusual requests in emails or messages, especially those asking for money or personal information, or prompting you to click a link or download an attachment. Hackers will disguise themselves as trusted entities (eg a boss, colleague or company) to deceive recipients into complying with these requests. They mask ask for sensitive information like passwords or banking details under the guise of urgent updates, security checkers or unanticipated financial transactions.

2. Install security software

Make sure to install strong security software for your business accounts, such as firewalls, spam filters and antivirus software to prevent phishing attacks. Additionally, investing in web filters can help restrict access to certain websites, preventing employees from visiting malicious websites or downloading dangerous files.

Keeping your software up to date with the latest upgrades is also crucial, as this helps patch vulnerabilities and protects against new threats. Platforms like Hack the Box offer valuable resources – providing a hands-on learning experience where employees can practice identifying and defending against different cyber threats, including phishing attacks. 

3. Use multi-factor authentication

A strong password alone isn’t enough to protect your business accounts nowadays. If a hacker manages to access your accounts through a single password, it can have dire consequences for your business.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is designed to prevent unauthorised access, as it prompts users for a second factor when signing into their account, such as through a code sent to their email or phone, a fingerprint scan or answering a secret question.

With hackers continuously targeting major platforms, the security of your business credentials is crucial for preventing fraud and protecting personal information. 

Make sure to stay aware of any suspicious emails while using these platforms, keep an eye on your security software and keep your credentials secure to avoid falling victim to phishing attacks. 

For more information on how to avoid being scammed by email, head here.

Seventeen years after the last Labour government banned smoking indoors, Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed Whitehall is exploring introducing an outdoor smoking ban to pubs.

Under the proposed rules, smoking in pub gardens, restaurant terraces, and rooftop bars would be banned, in order to curb the number of preventable deaths caused by smoking.

Health leaders have praised the policy as necessary to reduce the strain on the NHS. Yet, with younger people more likely to smoke and vape than older people, it could signal yet another way that the pub industry is pushing out Gen Z.

Gen Zers are already less likely to drink than any other generation. With many locals already being forced to close this year, the smoking ban might save the NHS, but kill hospitality.

Smoke-free

For decades, the number of people who are taking up smoking has been decreasing. In 2023, however, a study showed that the decline has ground to a halt, due to the growing number of 18-24-year-olds who are picking up the habit.

The news is obviously disappointing for public health. Smoking has been proven to cause lung disease, which can lead to emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and lung cancer.

However, it is undeniable that more young people are choosing to take up smoking or vaping and many of this group want to enjoy their ciggie in a beer garden. If the act becomes illegal, there is a concern that pubs might lose one of their key demographics.

Outdoor spaces were a liferaft for hospitality when the 2007 indoor smoking ban was introduced. At the time, smokers simply swapped glasses for plastic cups and moved outdoors. But a complete ban would have more of an impact. Pubs have also invested in improving their smoking areas since the coronavirus pandemic.

A more extreme outdoor smoking ban could see young people ditch the taproom altogether. We have seen how this would devastate sales. After a wet summer this June, sales were 1.5% down at UK pubs as consumers stayed away from beer gardens and terraces.

£7 a pint

Gen Z is already putting a poor attendance at the pub. One study from YouGov found that 39% of 18-to-24 year olds now self-describe as fully alcohol-free.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that young people have gone cold turkey on pubs. But they are certainly looking elsewhere for less boozy places to socialise, swapping a pint of bitter for a matcha latte, and a hangover for a morning run.

They’ll say it’s about health, but cost is also likely a factor. Historically, pubs have been viewed as a popular haunt for students. Yet price rises at many beer houses have meant the drinks menus are no longer affordable for younger people on lower salaries.

Earlier this year, research found that the average UK pint would cost more than a fiver for the first time in 2024, as hiked staffing costs force pub chains to push up their price list. Meanwhile in London, buying a pint will drain your wallet by £7.15, on average.

This is almost two thirds of the hourly minimum wage and a significant chunk of payslips. Those who attempt to save by going alcohol-free are also in for a shock. Today, soft drinks cost almost as much as a pint. No wonder Gen Zers need a cigarette to take the edge off.

Why do pubs need Gen Z?

Some might say it’s best that Gen Z stay out of the pub. They’re whiney, they use confusing slang, and they won’t stop telling you to have a Brat summer. But the truth is, pubs need the next generation if they are to stay upright.

As the percentage of pubs closing each year surges, and with 769 pubs having called last orders in the last year alone, the outdoor smoking ban could have very poor consequences for the industry; especially with tobacco usage on the rise.

Other suggested policies, such as raising the age that a person can legally buy cigarettes each year, might be a smarter way to wean Brits off cigs without hitting hospitality in one go.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of trade group UK Hospitality, told the Today programme that the policy must be better thought through “before we damage businesses, economic growth and jobs”.

“This is not without economic harm, and it’s not without economic cost to businesses that are providing outside areas for smokers and non-smokers, and also vapers”, she added.

Amid the cost of living crisis, people have felt the pinch when shopping for groceries.

As businesses increase prices to keep up with inflation and their own rising costs, the idea of luxury shopping feels like a distant dream for many. 

But among the high costs and conscious spending of today, supermarket chains are racing with each other to offer lower prices to attract customers on a budget. Even chains that are considered “upmarket”, such as M&S and Ocado, are slashing the prices of thousands of items.

As the cost of living crisis continues and spending priorities change, could luxury labels be on the way out?

Ocado and M&S announce recent price cuts

Online grocer Ocado has announced its sixth round of cheaper prices in its latest Big Price Drop scheme – cutting the cost of more than 450 products by around 17%. 

The company stated this decision was made to continue to “offer reassuringly good value” for customers”. Ocado’s CEO, Hannah Gibson, previously acknowledged that it had been “perceived as expensive” and that it “needed to address” the cost of its goods. 

Gibson also stated: “When I started 13 years ago, our customers would have been wealthier, they would have been more foodie. I still think we absolutely cater for those people who have a bit more disposable income.”

This comes a few months after major supermarket chain Marks & Spencer slashed the prices of 65 products, in addition to the 200 price cuts made in October. 

With the aim to become the nation’s middle-class supermarket of choice – setting to beat Waitrose after a successful Christmas period – the company announced the price drop for items within its “Remarksable Value” range, including baked beans, instant coffee and long grain rice.

The company’s Family Matters Index previously revealed that four in ten also reported they would remain conscious of their spending habits, aiming to save more in 2024. Value for money was also considered the top food and drink trend for 2024.

The luxury slowdown: Is it coming to an end?

With more people budgeting their weekly food shop, forking out on luxury labels seems out of the question. As more customers become more conscious of money and seek affordability, high-end brands have faced a hit in declining sales. Most notably:

• Ted Baker fell into administration in March, resulting in the closure of 11 UK stores and the loss of around 120 store jobs.
• Burberry was recently demoted from the FTSE 100 Index, with shares slumping over the last three months following a decrease in demand and stalled brand revamp.
  
• Michael Kors reported a decline in UK sales, with revenue down by a tenth in-store, but online transactions remained strong from the beginning of the year to April.
  
• Hugo Boss reported a decrease of shares by 10% in the UK due to weakening demand – its lowest level since 2021.

On the other hand, footwear brand Kurt Geiger reported record profits, hitting £40 million in profits for the year to February. The company’s CEO Neil Clifford stated: “We have put a lot of time and effort and creativity into our product but are at a price point that is lower than all our competitors and I think that is working.”

As shoppers seek to scrimp and save, luxury grocery products and high-end fashion simply aren’t a priority at the moment. 

With typically expensive brands like M&S, Ocado and Kurt Greiger now changing their offerings to attract a broader audience, it seems the luxury label is being put aside to make way for affordability and good value for money.

It’s one of this summer’s hottest memes. Now, the content creator behind the “Very Demure” TikTok trend is attempting to register it as a trademark.

Jools Lebron went viral when she jokingly described how women should behave in the workplace, advising that female staff act in a “demure” and “mindful” manner.

The phrase has catapulted Lebron to internet stardom, with thousands of marketers and brands hopping on board the trend. The savvy TikTok user planned to trademark the phrase. But, according to Lebron, at least two people appeared to have beaten her to the filing.

Lebron lives in the US, where laws on trademarking are different to the UK. Below, we explain what the rules are for British business owners on copyrighting a word or phrase.

Not very demure, not very mindful

In a now-deleted video, Lebron previously told her following that she had not been fast enough to trademark the phrase. Celebrity news site TMZ reported that one was a man in Washington state, Jedderson Bates, who had filed to trademark “very demure, very mindful”.

Presumably, the entrepreneurial Bates planned to print the phrase onto t-shirts and hoodies to capitalise on the momentum; something Lebron was originally planning to do herself.

Source: tiktok.com/@joolieannie

In the post Lebron, who is a transgender woman, reportedly said she wanted to use the money earned from her newfound fame to pay for her transition. “I wanted to do so much for my family and provide for my transition,” Lebron said. “I just feel like I dropped the ball.”

Large brands such as Netflix and Verizon had already begun employing Lebron for marketing purposes. However, if the rival filing had been accepted, Lebron wouldn’t have been able to use the catchphrase on any official merchandise or in any sponsored content.

Can you trademark a phrase?

American trademarking laws are very different from the UK. For companies in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, it is possible to trademark a slogan or catchphrase. However, it is trickier than registering a run-of-the-mill logo trademark.

This is because the only requirement for trademarking a slogan in the UK is that it is “distinctive”. Filings will also generally only be accepted if they:

• Become well-known through repeated use, such as on marketing materials
• Contain a ‘word mark’ that has already been registered with Companies House (such as your business name)
• Are not generic or descriptive (eg. ‘the nation’s favourite credit card’)

Based on the above requirements, it is unlikely that a generic, non-recognisable statement such as “very demure, very mindful” would qualify for trademark registration in the UK.

However, a key difference across the pond is that, in the US, you acquire rights to a phrase through use. In the UK, it’s through registration, even if there is prior use by another party.

Because Lebron has already become the face of the demure trend and has used the catchphrase in previous partnerships, this may have protected her in the trademark battle.

Happily, she has since revealed in a new TikTok post that the trademark dispute has been “handled”, suggesting that the two competing filings may have been rejected.

That said, the event underscores the importance for UK founders of registering a trademark. If a competitor pips you to the post in ol’ Blighty, there is very little you can do to argue.

Trademark wars

The story of a viral, homemade TikTok video that captures the attention of giant global corporations is truly a tale for our times. But there have been crazier trademarking battles.

Here are five other trademarks that (almost always US) celebrities have tried to file for:

• “That’s Hot” – trademarked by socialite, Paris Hilton in 2004
• “This Sick Beat” – trademarked by singer, Taylor Swift in 2015
• “Yuuup” – unsuccessfully trademarked by rapper Trey Songz
• “Superhero” – trademarked by Marvel and DC Comics in 1979
• “Flavour Town” – trademarked by Guy Fieri in 2017

Read about six more bizarre copyright infringement cases in the UK, and who won.

Cash is King. Unless, that is, you’re shopping in Tesco, Morrisons, and Asda. The UK is close to becoming a cashless society, and many big grocery retailers have already taken steps to cut cash out in the past year.

Last week, Tesco announced it would be making some of its in-store cafes cash-free, in order to cut down on wait times and streamline the customer experience.

Customers have become increasingly concerned about what payment options are available at checkout. Shops can legally refuse cash, but the move is increasingly leading to pushback from consumers who prefer cash over debit cards, and fear they are being left behind.

Below, we list all the ways that major retailers are choosing cards over coins, as well as the shops that are joining the fight against creating ‘cash deserts’.

Tesco: cash-free cafes

Tesco caused uproar among shoppers this week when it confirmed it would ban cash payments at some of its cafes. The card-only policy will be rolled out to 40 in-store eateries.

The supermarket has reportedly taken the decision after a new electronic ordering system helped to significantly cut down queues. Those after a coffee or light bite will instead be required to order by a self-checkout machine.

While some self-service checkouts accept both cash and card payments, the new kiosks at Tesco cafes will not be built to accept coins or notes.

Martin Quinn, of Campaign for Cash, said it is a “mad decision”. “Many customers will be elderly or retirees who want to order in person, not press a computer screen,” he added.

Morrisons: card-only self-checkouts

Another store to automate the checkout process with self-service kiosks is Morrisons. Last November, the chain hung signs in a Surrey shop to warn customers that most of its self-scan tills would become card-only, prompting one customer to say they were “livid”.

Morrisons argued this was due to more buyers wanting to pay by card. But it is now regretful. Last week, CEO Rami Baitiéh said the supermarket went “too far” with the technology.

As well as pushing out cash payments, the retail self-service rollout has not been without teething problems. Many of these supposedly ‘unstaffed’ tills now often require a supermarket worker to be on-hand to fix unexpected problems in the bagging area.

Baitiéh has told The Telegraph that the business is “reviewing the balance between self-checkouts and manned tills” and will look to remove some from its stores.

Last month, Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts was forced to defend the company’s commitment to self-service tills, despite customer backlash against the technology.

Asda: cash runs out of gas

In January, troubled supermarket chain Asda confirmed that nearly 100 of its kiosks across 25% of its petrol stations would transition to become card-only.

The rollout began in April, and has already hit multiple UK locations from Darlington to Wrexham. Motorists at affected sites will now pay “at the pump”, meaning they can pay for their fuel without having to walk inside the service station and pay at the till.

There is a method behind what might seem like money madness. According to Asda, over 90% of customers now use a card or contactless device to pay for their petrol and groceries.

14 of the chain’s petrol forecourts are already cash-free.

However, the move triggered an upset among drivers who rely on cash to pay for their fuel, with many saying they would now boycott Asda as a result.

Which retailers are embracing cash?

While many of the Big Six supermarkets move away from cash, one chain has gone the other way, by reaffirming its commitment to bank notes.

Last month, The Co-operative Group trialled its first ‘super-ATM’ multi-bank deposit service, as part of a test run being organised by the campaign group, Cash Access UK. The idea is to help disadvantaged or isolated communities avoid becoming “cash deserts”.

Next month, new laws by The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will also force banks to ensure that local communities can access cash services like branches and ATMs.

The steps are designed to protect cash lovers, but they could also be important for businesses. Last month’s major IT outage left many high street brands unable to take payments, providing a convincing argument for not axing cash payments.

Should businesses back cash?

In July, banking body UK Finance recorded a 66% increase in the number of people who prefer cash for everyday spending in the last year. However, it also found that 22.1 million people now identify as living “largely cashless lives”.

The debate has created a fine line for businesses to tread when it comes to the question of what payments to allow. The answer is to strike a balance between the two warring sides.

Many major supermarkets have moved away from spare change this year. Their keenness could be an opportunity for cash and card-friendly SMEs to address what is becoming an unmet customer need for the loud minority who prefer cash and coins.

September is always a busy time in the business calendar. The school holidays are over and it’s time to knuckle down for Q4. This is also when business networking kicks off in earnest, as entrepreneurs regroup after some time away.

Whether you’re starting a business or already running one, networking events provide a space to forge valuable connections, learn some vital entrepreneur skills, and — perhaps most importantly — spend some time away from the desk.

Below, we’ve listed 80 business events around the UK that are completely free to attend this month. Scroll down to find the ideal opportunity for your sector, speciality, and city.

The lipsticked smile of Avon’s salespeople has been wiped. The brand’s US-based non-operational holding company Avon Products Ltd (API) has filed for Chapter 11, a legal process that shares similarities with a brand going into administration in the UK.

Avon has stacked up $78m in liabilities due to multiple lawsuits which allege that some of its products contain asbestos, causing cancer.

This is the setting spray that may have sealed the future for the company, which was purchased by the Brazilian cosmetics group, Natura in 2020. But it is also $1.3bn in debt, and in truth, its troubles began years before the current controversies.

Avon’s non-US operations have not filed for bankruptcy, so there will be no impact on customers in the UK. But the news still has repercussions for the wider Avon brand.

Below, we examine how Avon’s legacy became so smudged, and what small beauty businesses can learn from the 138-year-old company.

It’s not over until the Avon lady leaves

It’s hard to think of Avon without their famous doorstep sellers. Known as Avon ladies, or Avon men, these employees were an early example of customer advocacy.

Clients were brought on as staff who could then personally recommend products to Avon customers in a way that felt authentic. But in the years since, Avon ladies have gone from being the company’s best asset, to a blocker that has contributed to its fall from grace.

While it was ingenuitive in the 1950s, today’s era of Amazon Ring doorbells and scams has made doorstep pedlars unwelcome to many Brits. Perhaps this is why, although Avon’s door-to-door reps still exist, the company has pivoted away from them.

Like many brands, Avon has shifted towards the modern-day version of the doorstep seller; social media influencers. These affiliate partners are an excellent way to build rapport with younger shoppers. But as a global firm, Avon has been slow to innovate compared to shinier, celeb-backed newcomers, such as Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty.

Emulating Marks & Spencer, a fellow ‘granny’ brand that successfully turned the tide on its decline, the company hired a new Chief Marketing Officer this year for some anti-wrinkle cream. But coming as late as 2024, the strategy change is about playing catch-up.

We’ve written previously about how crucial marketing to Gen Z is and will remain in today’s e-retail landscape. Avon’s inability to win over this market has led to a steady decline in the eyes of the consumer, who today view the brand as something their Mum would wear.

Inability to innovate

At a time when retail has never felt less secure, Avon made the bizarre move of announcing plans to open their first ever brick-and-mortar stores last November.

For a multi-level marketing company (a business model which is famously direct-to-consumer or D2C), this was a big swing. It also, sadly, turned out to be a miss.

Avon shop fronts never materialised on the high street, and the sense grew that Avon was years behind their cosmetic competitors, many of whom have moved onto social media.

Niche make-up brands, such as Bread Beauty Supply, may sell wholesale in department stores such as Debenhams. But they will predominantly flog their products on TikTok and Instagram to an established, cult following, rather than trying to attract random foot traffic.

The issue suggests that Avon has lost sight of where its core audience is now based, which is making it harder for its product designers and marketers to hear Voice of the Customer.

That personal touch

Another problem for Avon has been its product line. As the UK’s beauty industry widens (it was estimated to be worth £22.6bn in 2022), brands are marking their territory by going niche; focusing on a particular sub-sector such as haircare or nail care.

Take the viral ‘blursh’ from Made by Mitchell, or P.Louise, which focuses on eyeshadows. Avon, in comparison, has had no hero product by which to introduce itself to new audiences, partly because its product lines are so diverse.

The problem comes back to personalisation. Whether diets or dandruff, consumers today want to buy items that solve their increasingly specific customer needs (just look at Hello Klean, the shower head for Southerners who hate washing their hair with hard water).

With consumers now searching for products that speak exactly to their hair type, skin colour, and complexion, the idea of a ‘do-all’ brand like Avon which can capture the attention of every consumer feels out-of-touch with today’s market trends.

It’s no wonder that Avon International reported a 17% fall in revenue to £267 million in the last quarter of 2023, due to weak sales across its beauty, home and style categories.

The Big C

It’s not a fun time to be in Avon’s legal team. The company has been fighting hundreds of lawsuits which allege that the talc in its beauty products contained asbestos, causing cancer.

There’s not much for cosmetics businesses to learn from here, besides don’t sell carcinogens in your lip balms. API has reportedly spent $225m to defend itself in 368 talc-related cases. Even with a billion-dollar valuation, it cannot afford the legal fees.

By filing for bankruptcy, the company has said it hopes to address its debt obligations in an “orderly manner”. When a business files for Chapter 11, all lawsuits are paused to give the bankrupted company breathing room to develop a contingency plan.

Owner Natura & Co has said it will buy back its non-US trading operations for £97m once the bankruptcy process is complete. The Brazilian beauty conglomerate also purchased and then sold vegan beauty chain, The Body Shop at the end of last year.

What’s next for Avon?

Avon, once a household name, has faced its fair share of challenges. But like a well-applied concealer, Chapter 11 can sometimes cover up the blemishes of the past.

It doesn’t mean Avon is ready to call it quits. The company’s UK arm will remain in operation and, for now, job cuts seem to be off the table.

However, there’s no denying that Avon needs a fresh coat of lipstick to appeal to a younger generation. The beauty landscape has evolved dramatically, and the brand risks becoming a relic of the past if it doesn’t adapt.

As the market becomes saturated, today’s make-up brands need a waterproof USP to build stronger connections with an increasingly segmented customer base.

Liam and Noel Gallagher have this morning confirmed the news that rock fans and 90s nostalgia lovers everywhere have been hoping for: Oasis will reunite for a tour next year.

In a press release, published on social media, Oasis commented: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

Oasis fans have been waiting for this news for 15 years, and many have already gone madferit. Since rumours of the Britpop boys’ return began over the weekend, #Oasis has been trending on X, while Google searches for ‘Oasis Tickets’ have surged.

The buzz is an example of nostalgic marketing, and it is everywhere today. Below, we explore how this marketing technique works, and why it proves so emotive for consumers.

Don’t Look Back In Anger

Oasis announced what will be its first live shows in 16 years on its website and social media pages. The duo will play multiple shows in Manchester’s Heaton Park and a record-breaking ten-night stint at Wembley. For Brits, tickets will go on sale this Saturday at 9am.

Image source: x.com/oasis

The reunion is likely due in part to the Gallaghers’ mended relationship (their insult trades on social media used to dominate showbiz media). But the timeline is no coincidence.

Indie sleaze – the early noughties grungy, long-haired aesthetic that Oasis originated – is back on the menu, having found a new audience in Generation Z, or those aged 16-27.

In the past year alone, Blur, Pulp, and Girls Aloud have all returned to the stage, eager to capitalise on their OG fans’ now hazy, rose-tinted memories of past gigs. Now, the ‘Wonderwall’ singers appear to have caught Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).

Indeed, this tour has clearly been designed with Oasis’ core audience in mind. With no new music announced, each show will likely stay firmly in ‘tribute territory’, with those who are lucky enough to get tickets being treated to Oasis’ greatest hits.

That’s clear from the retro-style poster, shared as part of the band’s announcement, which harks back to iconic Oasis black-and-white imagery. Liam wears a high neck hoodie; Noel, a jacket from cult 90s brand, Carharrt. Some might say, it’s nostalgia marketing at its finest.

What is nostalgia marketing?

Nostalgia marketing is a sales strategy that aims to evoke positive feelings or associations with the past. The reason why nostalgia is such a successful marketing strategy is because it creates a strong emotional connection between brands and customers.

Studies have shown that humans tend to romanticise the past, and remember it as being better than the present. Linking memories from the past to your product, service, or brand is therefore an easy way to create a positive association with your business.

We’ve held out as long as we could, but it’s now time to mention Taylor Swift. Swift’s recent Eras tour, which broke numerous ticket sale records, hinged almost entirely on nostalgia, as thousands of millennials took a trip down memory lane with their favourite childhood singer.

It’s been over a decade since the pop star released any country music, but Swift’s influence made the cowboy hat a sellout item. Fans bought one to relive how they felt when they listened to her early albums, and fancy dress shops across the UK were emptied.

How to capitalise on the nostalgia economy

Nostalgia marketing doesn’t just chime with music fans. Take The Modern Milkman. At face value, it’s a grocery courier, akin to Deliveroo. But the name is designed to conjure images of the traditional milkie, making it feel familiar even to those who have never heard of the app.

The film industry has also become completely defined by nostalgia in recent years, with cinema schedules now chock full of reboots, spinoffs, and prequels.

The strategy went plastic fantastic last summer when Barbiemania took hold. Alongside taking over $1bn at the global Box Office, the film sent a ripple effect through the fashion industry, as consumer searches for pink-coloured items were sent skyrocketing.

Trends move in cycles. When a product is reintroduced to the market, savvy side hustlers and businesses who keep an eye on the changing zeitgeist can capitalise on the revival.

With Oasis’ teenage fanbase now grown up, their return in 2025 will likely send shoppers back to the 00s and searching for Umbro tracksuits and questionable metallic lipstick.

Brands should use customer insights, such as age demographics, to understand what their audience feels nostalgic about. Integrating this sentimentality into advertising campaigns can help their strategy to go Supersonic. D’You Know What I Mean?

A recruiter on LinkedIn has sparked a fierce debate online after she suggested that candidates who are overqualified are not the right hire for a vacancy.

An open letter to job seekers from a talent manager reads that “it doesn’t make sense for someone with five years of experience to apply for a role meant for one to two years of experience”.

The post has proved controversial. Many employees and people team experts have responded that it is not up to HR managers to say why a person wants to apply for a job.

The debate has raised a number of interesting questions about today’s labour market.

What does overqualified mean?

The poster aired their thoughts last week on LinkedIn as a plea for candidates to stop wasting time for recruitment teams.

“Please carefully review the job requirements before applying,” the post reads. “If a position requires two years of experience, the budget is set accordingly.”

Image Credit: linkedin.com

Hundreds have liked and reposted the commentary to their own channels. Some think that overqualified candidates are more likely to grow bored in a role and quit. Others agree that job seekers with less experience should be prioritised for entry-level and junior roles.

“Many times senior level people are taking entry level or graduate job positions”, one wrote. “Thank you for finally saying it!” said another.

Some clapped back with a complaint of their own: pay secrecy. Sharing job descriptions without a clear salary range is a common mistake that businesses make when hiring. “If no salary is listed or provided, then you cannot fully blame the candidate”, said one user.

Another reply opined that organisations cannot define when a person becomes ‘overqualified’ for a job if they meet all of the listed skills criteria.

“While the minimum experience is often mentioned, the maximum experience is not, making it unclear if someone with more experience should apply,” they said.

Job security

One reason why the post didn’t chime with LinkedIn users might be today’s tough jobs landscape. As mass layoffs dominate the media headlines, with some even firing staff without warning, many are taking issue with the idea that they might not be able to find work for having too many years under their belt.

“If you have a family to support you’re going to apply for anything,” one software analyst posited. “It’s not really any of HR’s business WHY an overqualified candidate is applying for the position if they are aware of the salary ahead of time”.

Last year, 37% of Brits said they had a ‘Plan B’ job lined up in case they were made redundant in their current role. For those staff members who aren’t prepared, switching to a more junior position could be the only option if you have bills to pay and mouths to feed.

An age-old question

There is an argument that the label of ‘overqualified’ could actually be discriminatory. Older workers who might have spent decades in a fast-paced sector may decide to move into a slower role, sparking accusations of ageism if their experience counts against them.

Mums and dads returning from parental leave might also choose to change jobs if they need to find a work placement that fits with their family commitments.

In both of the above cases, a candidate who can go above and beyond the job description should be viewed as an asset, rather than a flight risk.

“I’ve got so many declines for being overqualified,” one sales representative said in reply to the post. “It sucks to know I can do the position and HR wouldn’t even give me a chance”.

As long as they are clearly posting the salary band and experience level of a role, firms will be able to trust applicants to decide for themselves if they can perform it. After all, in a shrinking jobs market plagued by skills shortages, could an overqualified worker be so bad?