Small Business (SMB) stories

UK firms ramp up travel and AI investment in 2025, even as advertising spend plunges 28%, signalling a sharper focus on productivity.

Object First posts 183% bookings surge as demand soars for immutable on-premises backup storage to combat escalating ransomware threats.

UK firms are bullish on quantum computing, but a talent squeeze and flat budgets threaten to slow progress from pilots to scale.

Square rolls out free AI assistant in the UK, helping SME owners query their own sales data in plain English to speed up decisions.

European cloud providers unite to onboard 10,000 SMEs into trusted data spaces within 18 months, easing access to secure data-sharing.

Late payments now make up 37% of global pay cycles, with firms waiting 51 days on average to be paid, Sidetrade data reveals.

Xero is boosting its Analytics tool with AI cash flow forecasts, behavioural insights and operational metrics on shareable visual dashboards.

CelcomDigi’s Lunar New Year push spotlights Malaysian artisans, youth ang pow designers and festive mobile offers in one campaign.

Collage appoints co-founder Ross Durbin as chief executive to spearhead AI-driven digital asset management growth from its Denver base.

Australian hiring managers say AI-shaped CVs and overqualified applicants are making it tougher than ever to spot standout talent.

Deel launches The Pitch, a global contest offering up to USD $15m in SAFE funding to seed start-ups, with APAC entries closing 21 April.

Exactly.com and GP Solutions team up to embed streamlined payments into travel platforms, targeting simpler, cheaper options for smaller firms.

Mailchimp expands eCommerce tools and AI-driven automation, rolling out SMS to 34 new EMEA markets to boost small business marketing ROI.

Kalaam adopts Luminance AI to centralise contract data, cut review times and standardise legal work across its Middle East and UK markets.

Google will expand AI R&D, cloud engineering, health projects and skills training in Singapore, deepening a USD $5 billion tech presence.

Malaysia banks on AI, chips and data centres to sustain 4-5% growth in 2026, as SME adoption and workforce skills emerge as key tests.

Sage sees four senior leaders named 2026 CRN Channel Chiefs as it leans on partners to drive AI-led growth for SMB finance and HR.

Constant Contact doubles down on AI-driven tools while keeping email the core link between small businesses and their customers.

AI bookkeeping startup Botkeeper shuts after 11 years, citing rapid client consolidation, lost revenue and an unsustainable path forward.

In 2026, business tech shifts from “digital first” to “frictionless flow”, as connected ecosystems quietly power work across every sector.