In light of the spiralling cost of traditional forms of energy and an increasing urgency to hit clean energy targets, renewable energy solutions are becoming more attractive, which is why, more companies are investing in sustainability, cleantech and the drive to net zero. The period 2000 to early 2002 alone saw £80.95bn invested from 2,400 investors into the sector in the UK – equivalent to 18% of all European investment in the sector. Energy production had the highest level of investment at more than £20bn, followed by energy asset cleantech at £17bn.   In this article we look at some of…

Companies across the UK are facing changes to GDPR regulations but assurances have been given that new arrangements for UK companies will remain compatible with EU digital protection rules. Michele Donelan MP, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has reaffirmed the government intention to redraft rules on data protection following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. The Secretary of State believes the current data protection laws bind businesses with “ unnecessary red tape” and says this particularly causes issues for smaller companies. This is very likely to mean changes in how data breaches are reported, as…

Commissioning a bespoke piece of software to meet your business needs is often an essential element to business growth and operational improvements. However, the project needs to be delivered with a plan that ensures the final delivery matches your vision and that if problems arise, there is a clear route to remedy. The way to achieve this is via a professionally drafted contract which is agreed before the software development begins.   The document does not have to be overly long or complicated but should cover   scope and functionality  cost and time frame  intellectual property ownership  key protections to safeguard your…

When the New York Times purchased the free to play word game Wordle for a seven figure sum, eyebrows were raised. How could a new game that has never generated an income be worth so much? The New York Times purchased it as a method of potentially boosting subscription numbers which will increase revenue. No one knows if the strategy will pay off but The New York Times were aware of this and prepared to take the risk! There are numerous ways to value a business and so there is plenty of scope for valuations to differ but sometimes the…

The appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister is likely to boost the passage through Parliament of wide ranging legislation on crypto assets. Mr Sunak was among the architects of amendments to the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 with regard to cryptocurrency. The amendments received a second reading in the House of Commons on October 24, 2022, while Mr Sunak’s appointment as the new Conservative Party leader was confirmed the following day. If you are in need of legal advice for your cryptocurrency or blockchain company book a free introductory call with our Cryptocurrency Lawyers. The new PM is…

Whether or not you are starting to think about retirement, if you have any plans to sell your business in the future then there are steps that you can take to ensure that you achieve the best price for your business and to sell it on the most favourable terms. It is worth investing time and effort to ensure that your business is presented as attractively as possible before you start to market it to potential purchasers

The Government is introducing the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill as part of an upgrade of powers to Companies House, described as the organisation’s biggest upgrade in 170 years. Anyone who registers a company in the UK will need to verify their identity. The Home Office says this is necessary to tackle anyone who uses companies as a “front for crime or foreign kleptocrats”. Companies House will be given new powers to check and challenge information in a bid to make it into a “more active gatekeeper”, the Home Office states. If you are in need of legal advice for…

New rules are planned in the UK to support the need to speed up the development of offshore wind farms. The Government has unveiled a new Offshore Wind Environmental Improvement Package (OWEIP) to help to reduce the time taken in the planning process for proposed developments. It can currently take around four years to gain consent and the new process aims to reduce this to around 12 months. The OWEIP is designed to strengthen commitments in the Government’s British Energy Security Strategy (BESS). Published in April 2022, this set out how the UK will accelerate its transition away from oil and gas, moving towards renewable sources…

You may need finance for your business to fund growth projects, maybe to fund the purchase of plant and equipment, diversification, or expansion.  Maybe the need to raise finance is to complete a management buy-out, to acquire a competitor or a complementary business, to purchase a freehold or leasehold commercial property, or to invest in a new corporate project. Whatever the reason you need to consider the finance options open to you and their potential pros and cons.  The devil is in the detail when it comes to commercial finance. Once you have identified your preferred funding provider and cleared…

A former Government Minister has suggested plans to diverge from European Union data protection rules may be ditched, adding that such a move could result in the UK being no longer seen as a trusted partner in the field of data security and could cost businesses money. Lord Kirkhope says the change of Conservative Party leader, and by extension Prime Minister, offer an opportunity to pause post-Brexit divergence plans. The new Data Protection and Digital Information Bill puts forward a range of proposals to “remove the UK GDPR’s prescriptive requirements”, including reducing the requirements placed on firms to employ a…