Government fund provides a "timely injection of capital"
By Catherine Woods
Octopus Ventures, which invests in entrepreneurial businesses, has welcomed the governments’ proposed £1bn innovation fund, saying it will support entrepreneurialism.

Businesses confident about surviving recession
By Catherine Woods
Most mid-size businesses believe they will survive the recession and most believe the downturn will end during the next 12 to 24 months.

Directors and officers business insurance: are you protected?
By Chris Langridge*
One question that should be being asked by directors in boardrooms in the current economic climate is: do we have adequate indemnity and business insurance cover in place?

Government announces £1bn innovation fund
By Kate Pritchard
In what Lord Mandelson describes as a "shot in the arm for the British venture capital industry,” the government has announced the creation of an Innovation Investment Fund to invest in technology-based businesses with high-growth potential.

Bank lending to business: latest figures
By Matthew Rock
The Bank of England this morning revealed the latest lending figures to businesses. Not pretty.

What VCs really think
By Kate Pritchard
Has business funding kept pace with the quality of entrepreneurs in the UK? Which entrepreneurs do investors really rate? Venture capitalists spill the beans on raising finance.

The “real” Tax Freedom Day
By Kate Pritchard
This year’s Tax Freedom Day, the date when entrepreneurs finish paying their tax burden for the year, was May 14 - the earliest since 1973. However, if you’re an economist who believes that government deficits are a form of deferred taxation and factor public borrowing into the equation, this momentous date actually falls tomorrow.

Will King issues "shaving bonds"
By Kate Pritchard
King of Shaves entrepreneur Will King has come up with a genius way of raising a £5m war chest for his shaving and skincare brand.

RBS splurges £300,000 on Wimbledon
By Kate Pritchard
Royal Bank of Scotland was last year saved from possible collapse with a £20bn injection of public money. Now it’s splashing out £300,000 on corporate hospitality at Wimbledon, treating its clients to £75-bottles of bubbly and double chocolate truffle tortes. Wildly inappropriate or a sound investment?

FD watch
By Catherine Woods
There have been changes to the finance function within John Lewis of Hungerford and Eatonfield.