Dutch artificial intelligence company Sentinels has raised £4.9 million (€5.7 million) in a seed funding round, led by INKEF Capital, complemented by strategic angel investors and industry leaders – including several members of the early Adyen team. The startup has now raised a total of £7.3m (€8.4m) to date.  

Cognigy, a global leader in omnichannel Customer and Employee Service Automation with its Conversational AI platform Cognigy.AI, has raised $44 million in Series B funding led by global venture capital and private equity firm, Insight Partners. DN Capital, who led Cognigy’s Series A round 18 months ago also participated alongside, Global Brain, Nordic Makers, Inventures and Digital Innovation and Growth. As part of the round, Insight Partners’ Managing Director Teddie Wardi will join Cognigy’s Board of Directors.

Ingenious has announced that Ingenious Real Estate Finance LLP (Ingenious Real Estate) has completed four new loans totalling £52million to fund new residential developments in Liverpool and across Greater London.

The 2021 Mayday Bank Holiday saw Great Britain’s windfarms set a new clean energy record as the blowy bank holiday weather helped onshore and offshore wind turbines make up almost half of the electricity grid across England, Scotland and Wales.

End-of-life admin service Settld has closed its initial seed funding round with £500,000 of new investment. Investors have been keen to get in on the startup action as Settld’s initial funding round closed £300,000 over-subscribed.  The investment comes as the death-sector disruptor creates waves in the bereavement and death-tech space - automating bereavement notifications and reducing end of life admin stress for grieving families and professionals who support them.

NEO KUMA Ventures, the UK’s first investment fund dedicated solely to psychedelic healthcare, has announced its investment in seven innovative healthcare companies.  The initial investments have proved successful with three of the seven companies going public this year, yielding between +180% and +680% return on initial investment.

HealthyHealth Group, a company focused on transforming the life and health insurance underwriting journey through digital data, 

After a turbulent 15 months for businesses, entrepreneurs and investors, Roger James Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Genius Group, has put together his top 5 investment trends for 2021. With many new and emerging non-professionals taking up trading as proactive investors or as a hobby during the pandemic, these trends have been identified to help grow a healthy and diversified investment portfolio.

Malt, the leading European freelance consulting marketplace, has entered into exclusive negotiations for a new funding of 80 million euros, led by Goldman Sachs Growth Equity and Eurazeo, to accelerate its tech development and international expansion. This funding will enable Malt to reinforce its leadership position within the freelance consulting market, currently estimated at 350 billion euros in Europe alone, by providing a "one-stop-shop" where freelance talent and companies can join forces to fuel digital transformation.

Automated digital content platform LivePreso (formerly known as SalesPreso) has posted a record quarter after landing several new international clients, including one of the UK’s most popular digital travel platforms Booking.com, and global travel company Flight Centre Travel Group. The Melbourne-based startup - which offers a cloud-connected suite of apps designed to automate sales presentations - recorded 43% growth and 100% contract renewal in the March quarter and plans to grow in the UK market this year.

Dividend hero investment companies have grown their dividends to shareholders well ahead of inflation over the past five years, according to new data from the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).

ikigai, the new premium fintech bringing self-care to personal finance, has closed its successful Crowdcube campaign raising £1,905,993 overfunding by 158%.  The funds raised will see ikigai continue to invest in its team and accelerate its product roadmap, which aims to integrate exceptional banking design, best-in-class financial technologies, and high-touch relationship management. ikigai will also continue to iterate their product, introducing new features that will redefine the way young and affluent users bank, empowering them to spend, save, and invest in line with their personal and financial goals.