FTI Consulting News Bytes – 17 April 2025

FTI Consulting News Bytes

This week’s edition of News Bytes hops into your inbox a day early ahead of the UK Easter bank holiday. Incidentally, the UK is where we begin this newsletter, following reports that Britain is becoming Europe’s “innovation powerhouse”. Then, we lift off to space, following Blue Origin’s all-female spaceflight this week, which saw women including popstar Katy Perry go extraterrestrial. Elsewhere, in positive news for SMEs, we spotlight TikTok’s launch of an SME council in the UK. Next, what do quantum computing research and ‘Fitbits’ for cows have in common? Look no further than our summary of the UK government’s technology investment announcements this week to find out. Finally, it would be remiss to go without mentioning tariffs, as a US Commerce Department investigation suggests that chips and the electronics supply chain will not be excluded from US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans. Enjoy the chocolate-fuelled long weekend ahead!

This week’s news

UK surges ahead of France and Germany as Europe’s “innovation powerhouse”

UK innovation firms raised £3.2bn in venture capital in the first three months of 2025, leading HSBC Innovation Banking to name the UK Europe’s “innovation powerhouse”, according to City AM. Outpacing France, Germany, and Spain combined, fundraising was up 8% YoY for the quarter – with the healthcare sector leading the way. Megarounds from London-based Isomorphic Labs and Verdiva Bio at £455m and £312m respectively significantly bolstered the sector’s total, and strengthening the UK’s overall enterprise value. The UK is highlighted as the top unicorn breeder in Europe. With 31% of Europe’s unicons, London is in prime position to secure some of the most anticipated IPOs. Watch this space!  

Blue Origin blasts off with all female space crew 

The world bore witness to the first all-female spaceflight in more than 60 years as Blue Origin, the space exploration company founded by Jeff Bezos, successfully completed an 11 minute spaceflight this week. Reuters reports that the crew, consisting of a star-studded lineup including global popstar, Katy Perry and media veteran, Gayle King, travelled to the edge of space where they experienced brief weightlessness. Coming back down to earth, the mission has faced some backlash for allegedly promoting environmentally harmful consumer capitalism.  

TikTok forms SME Council to help businesses use power of digital 

The Times reports that TikTok has launched an SME Council to give a voice to UK entrepreneurs using its platform. Bringing together 20 of the 1.5 million small and medium sized businesses using TikTok to boost sales, the group are working together to contribute their insights to a commerce manifesto which will be shared with the government this autumn. The Council comes at a crucial time, with recent research finding that 76% of UK consumers plan to make purchases on social media platforms like TikTok Shop as the appetite for integrated social-shopping platforms booms.  

Quantum and ‘Fitbits’ for cows: an unlikely duo   

The UK government has announced notable investment plans in both quantum computing research and innovations in farming technology this week. According to Data Center Dynamics, the government has announced a £121 million investment package to support quantum technology, the latest part of the government’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, established to help support the commercialisation of quantum technologies. Elsewhere, The Standard reports that farmers who roll out new inventions and technologies like fruit picking robots and livestock health monitors on farms will receive a share of more than £45 million in government grants. Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said grants will help farms to develop and implement tools that increase food production, protect nature and boost profits into their businesses. 

US probe into chip imports paves the way for new tariffs 

The US Commerce Department is conducting a national security investigation into imports of semiconductor technology and related downstream products. According to CNBC, the official document — which calls for public comments on the investigation — further confirms that chips and the electronics supply chain will not be excluded from US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans despite his statement on Friday that many of those products were exempt from his “reciprocal tariffs.” As part of the probe, the Commerce Department will investigate the “feasibility of increasing domestic semiconductors capacity” in order to reduce reliance on imports and whether additional trade measures, including tariffs, are “necessary to protect national security.” 

Top Tweets of the Week

• Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: This World Quantum Day we’re allocating £121 million to the UK’s industry. 
  Providing more support for quantum computing, networking and sensing 
  Boosting investment in our National Quantum Computing Centre 
  Enabling the Quantum Software Lab to continue its vital work
• BBC Breakfast: ‘There are concerns in terms of privacy’ Dr Kate Miltner, AI lecturer at Sheffield University, spoke to #BBCBreakfast about the social media trend using tools like ChatGPT and Copilot to re-package themselves as pocket-sized dolls and action figures
• Aisha Gani, Fintech Reporter at Bloomberg Business: Friday PM scoop: Revolut plans to add UK stocks to its trading platform in the coming days as some investors look to diversify away from US equities

Number of the week

$5.5bn The financial hit Nvidia expects to take as a result of new US controls on American chipmakers’ sales to China. (The Financial Times)