The Barclays Black Founder Accelerator from Foundervine and Barclays Eagle Labs is back for the seventh year running! If you are a Black-led business in the UK looking to become investment-ready and scale successfully, this bespoke 12-week programme is for you. Deadline 30 April. buff.ly/92RtO6q
Tech investment totals dipped compared to late 2025 but early-stage activity remains strong. From £3m raised by edtech startup Chalkie AI, to new university spinouts and a rise in seed funding, Q1 shows a growing pipeline of companies.
📈 Read the full Q1 2026 funding snapshot here: buff.ly/78BqWeT
Founders of the Future is a new transatlantic competition built for founders aged 25-and-under. Know a brilliant founder aged 25 or under? Apply for up to £500k investment and the chance to pitch live at London Tech Week.
The Shott Scale Up Accelerator from Royal Academy of Engineering equips founders and senior leaders with the leadership skills, networks and capabilities needed to scale deep tech companies successfully and reach your full potential.
Applications are open until 18 May. Learn more: bit.ly/47nCpC6
Metalysis, the South Yorkshire-based global leader in advanced manufacturing of metal for various sectors, has been awarded nearly €1 million by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop a sustainable process for titanium production using the patented Metalysis FFC Process. buff.ly/TtO95Gc
The Santander X UK Awards 2026 offer £150k to support ambitious UK university ventures, startups and SMEs. The programme provides funding, national visibility and a route to global competition. Apply by 6 May. buff.ly/l0w1IW6
Chalkie, a Sheffield, UK-based AI-powered, provider of an education technology platform, raised $4M in funding.
The round was led by TriplePoint Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its development efforts. Congrats to the team! buff.ly/rqokgch
Sumo Digital is excited to collaborate with Arm, the industry’s highest-performing and most power-efficient compute platform, to technically evaluate how AI-powered neural technology can be applied to mobile games graphics.
iPhone 27? £40 pm mobile bill? Still struggle to lookup cinema times, despite being in the city?
Martin from the #SYMCA / #SYDIT may have answers, thanks to bin lorries 🚛 & the Mobile Coverage Map.
Is #webperf important in an age of 5G?
🎟️ www.meetup.com/front-end-sh...
cc. @techsy.bsky.social
The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has launched a new programme to help deep tech companies scale manufacturing in defence, aerospace and energy. AMRC Scale-up is built for Series A and later-stage companies preparing for scaled production.
This Innovate UK competition helps high-growth SMEs overcome barriers to commercialisation and scaling within advanced manufacturing supply chains. Projects should be tech used in automotive, batteries, aerospace, space, advanced materials, and/or agri‑tech. Closing 22 April.
Meet likeminded folks starting and growing businesses at the next Startup Social in Sheffield. Expect relaxed conversation and quickfire pitches. Next event is on 30th April at Hideaway in Sheffield. buff.ly/j5RJW1N #SheffEvents
Smart Food Advance Programme
Opportunity for six South Yorkshire SMEs to access to the Advanced Food Innovation Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, home to £10m of state-of-the-art facilities, expert teams and cutting-edge demo technologies. With an AI & Digital Adoption pathway. For info email Amanda at SHU: afic@shu.ac.uk.
IntelliAM CEO Tom Clayton
Local AI software firm IntelliAM AI plc has acquired Scotland-based RBM Lubrications & Monitoring Solutions Ltd (RBM Lubrications), strengthening its operational capabilities and presence in the central belt of Scotland, having worked together as part of the supply chain for more than seven years.
Great to see South Yorkshire tech trailblazers Bumper, FourJaw Manufacturing Analytics, The Curve, Automated Analytics, Twinkl Educational Publishing, Connectus Business Solutions Limited and UniHomes all making the shortlist for the 2026 Northern Tech Awards. 🙌 buff.ly/ZdBHO5K
Calling all tech founders in South Yorkshire! Business Sheffield's TechForge Accelerator series starts on 16 April.
Their experienced tech advisors will cover funding, how investment works, building or refining your MVP, and how to grow. Attend any or all sessions for free! buff.ly/2qis0cO
Fresh tax incentives designed to turbocharge Britain’s start-up and scale-up economy have officially taken effect, with the government forecasting that the measures will channel an additional £100 million into high-growth companies across the country. buff.ly/NlY56j4
Hundreds of manufacturers across South Yorkshire are set to accelerate their digital transformation after the Government confirmed £2.4 million of new funding for Made Smarter from April.
The continuation of the programme unlocks a fresh phase of support for SME manufacturers. buff.ly/YiJInQc
People in Barnsley are set to benefit from shorter hospital waiting lists and fewer missed appointments under a new pilot scheme being trialled in the UK’s first ‘Tech Town’. Residents and local firms will also have the chance to gain AI skills thanks to a new Government fund.
South Yorkshire Black Tech Expo is a new community platform with a free event in Sheffield on 10th April about inclusive innovation.
If you're interested in tech, entrepreneurship, regional development or inclusive growth, this conversation is for you.
Register now: buff.ly/IM4AKXf #SheffEvents
South Yorkshire’s current ecosystem value is similar to where Helsinki and Pittsburgh were around a decade ago, with a graph.
South Yorkshire’s tech ecosystem is still emerging, but the data shows clear foundations for long‑term growth. Go deeper into the intelligence on spinouts, scaleups and ecosystem trends on our South Yorkshire Dealroom platform, and make sure your startup is visible there: buff.ly/zJlDwaO
A new hub has launched to help develop Sheffield's deep tech and sciences start-ups. 01 Silicon Square has been launched by Venture.Community in The Pennine Five Campus and on the Innovation Spine, will provide events, private offices and co-working spaces for up to 100 people.
A chart showing SY startup company outcomes and growth
The latest Dealroom analysis shows South Yorkshire has built a strong base of early‑stage and scaling tech companies. But the data also highlights structural barriers that continue to limit the region’s ability to convert early promise into later‑stage outcomes. Explore the data: buff.ly/r7AwPrw
The next DMC Women's Group in Barnsley is on Thurs 16th April. Julie Mathers Associates will deliver an interactive and empowering session on “Work Life Balance and Avoiding Burnout”. Enjoy a light lunch, networking and coworking space for free. Tickets going fast
A range of schemes in Rotherham, including business start-up support, Shop Unit Grants, and more skills and employment training, are being proposed as part of the new Local Growth Fund allocation.
UK-registered SMEs can apply for a share of £3 million from Innovate UK for frontier AI and machine learning feasibility studies. The project must focus on novel AI and ML technology development. Themes and project restrictions apply. Deadline 29th April, learn more:
Our latest analysis with Dealroom shows South Yorkshire has a strong pipeline of Physical Tech and Deep Tech startups, with early signs of late‑stage outcomes. These are the region’s top sectors along with SaaS and Health. Dig deeper into the data on the SY Dealroom platform: 👉
Great interview on BusinessCloud's Founder Friday with Applatch founder Samson Opaleyes about supporting kids to finding a healthy balance with their devices. “I found that outside of London, Sheffield is actually the UK city that supports startup founders the most”.
The Barclays Black Founder Accelerator from Foundervine and Barclays Eagle Labs is back for the seventh year running! If you are a Black-led business in the UK looking to become investment-ready and scale successfully, this bespoke 12-week programme is for you. Deadline 30 April. buff.ly/92RtO6q
South Yorkshire’s current ecosystem value is similar to where Helsinki and Pittsburgh were around a decade ago, with a graph.
South Yorkshire’s tech ecosystem is still emerging, but the data shows clear foundations for long‑term growth. Go deeper into the intelligence on spinouts, scaleups and ecosystem trends on our South Yorkshire Dealroom platform, and make sure your startup is visible there: buff.ly/zJlDwaO