Mid-Week Tech News Roundup – January 5th to January 9th 2026
07 Jan, 20266 minutesBoodil launches new website as payments platform broadens focus beyond open bankingPayments ...
Boodil launches new website as payments platform broadens focus beyond open banking
Payments technology company Boodil has launched a new website as it continues to evolve its product offering and geographic footprint, reflecting a broader shift in how the business supports merchants.
Led by industry veterans Harry Luscombe (CEO), Sam Owens (COO) with a focus on simplifying payments, Boodil has historically specialised in open banking. Over the past year, however, the company has expanded its approach to help merchants accept a wider mix of payment methods, including open banking, cards and alternative payment options.
The platform is now live across the UK, Europe and South Africa, with further market launches planned in the near term. Boodil says its services are increasingly tailored towards key verticals such as Shopify-based ecommerce, travel, automotive dealerships and collections businesses, where flexible payment options and reliability are critical.
Alongside the strategic repositioning, the company revealed that its new website was built using AI-driven tooling, highlighting its ongoing interest in applying automation and emerging technologies across the business.
Boodil now processes millions of transactions each year and supports thousands of businesses internationally, positioning itself as a provider of enterprise-grade payment capabilities with a focus on accessibility and hands-on support for growing companies.
Manchester consultancy Pixeltree targets further revenue growth after enterprise pivot
Manchester-based UX and digital consultancy Pixeltree is targeting another year of strong revenue growth after a strategic shift towards enterprise clients began delivering results.
Founded and led by CEO James Hamilton, Pixeltree supports organisations with the design, testing and delivery of digital products, combining design sprints with rapid build cycles. Over the past year, the business has remodelled its go-to-market approach, moving away from a startup-heavy client base and focusing more consistently on larger international organisations.
That shift has already translated into new enterprise wins, including work with the International Cotton Association, Yakult Europe and Big Bus Tours, the world’s largest hop-on, hop-off tour operator. Hamilton credits part of the transition to participation in GM Business Growth Hub’s ASCEND programme, which helped refine the company’s strategy and positioning.
While moving up the market, Pixeltree has deliberately kept its internal team lean. The company now operates with a small core team of senior generalists, drawing on specialist expertise only when required. This model is supported by increased use of automation and AI, which has replaced many traditional agency layers and manual project management tasks.
The business remains fully bootstrapped, having grown for more than a decade without external investment. After more than doubling revenue in 2025, Pixeltree is now aiming to double revenue again in 2026, focusing on a smaller number of deeper client relationships rather than rapid expansion.
Hamilton says the priority is working on complex, high-impact projects where the team can deliver meaningful outcomes and build long-term partnerships, rather than chasing volume for its own sake.
Ello Group marks 20 years with Dragonpass Group partnership to support global growth
UK loyalty and rewards business Ello Group is marking its 20th anniversary by announcing a new partnership with Dragonpass Group, as it looks to accelerate its next phase of growth.
Led by Matt Turner and Samantha Scott, business began life in 2005 with the launch of tastecard, originally known as tastelondon, funded with £20,000 of personal equity and built without external investment. Within its first year, the company reached profitability and over the following decade grew into a business valued at more than £100 million.
Today, Ello Group operates a portfolio of consumer and B2B loyalty brands including tastecard, Gourmet Society and Coffee Club. The group also runs loyalty propositions for major UK brands such as Compare the Market and Vitality.
Like many hospitality-linked businesses, Ello Group faced significant challenges during the Covid pandemic. Despite operating in one of the sectors most affected, the company has since returned to growth and is now approaching pre-pandemic levels of revenue and profitability.
The newly announced deal will see Jane Zhu, Andrew Harrison-Chinn and Mark Koch, Dragonpass Group acquire Bridgepoint Group’s shareholding in the business, ending a decade-long period of ownership. The partnership is intended to support Ello Group’s ambition to expand internationally, with Dragonpass bringing a global footprint and deep experience across airports, travel and premium customer ecosystems.
By combining Dragonpass’ international reach with Ello Group’s established loyalty platforms and hospitality-focused products, the businesses aim to build a stronger global presence across B2B loyalty, consumer services, hospitality and employee benefits.
As Ello Group enters its third decade, the move signals a clear focus on international expansion and the long-term goal of establishing tastecard as a global loyalty brand.
Apex Rides raises £420k to accelerate shift to app-first connected fitness platform
London-based fitness tech startup Apex Rides has raised £420,000 in new funding as it continues to evolve its connected fitness offering and widen access to studio-style workouts.
The investment round included backing from FundMyPitch, alongside strategic angel investors and venture capital firms. The funding will be used to support further product development and Apex’s transition to a hardware-agnostic, app-first model.
Originally launched with its own at-home exercise bikes and companion app with Simon Cook and Charlie Lucas at the helm, Apex Rides is now repositioning itself as an open fitness platform. Its immersive app experience can connect with any Bluetooth-enabled bike, removing the need for proprietary hardware and significantly expanding its potential user base.
The shift is designed to lower barriers to entry and position Apex as a software layer for the growing global market of connected fitness users, rather than a hardware-led brand.
Charlie Lucas, co-founder of Apex Rides, said opening the platform to work with any Bluetooth-enabled bike was a pivotal step in making the product more accessible and unlocking a much larger market. He also credited FundMyPitch with helping to maintain momentum and close the round.
The latest raise builds on earlier investor confidence in the business. In 2021, Apex Rides secured a £3 million seed round backed by investors including former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan.
With this new funding, Apex Rides is doubling down on its ambition to make connected fitness more inclusive, affordable and accessible through a flexible, app-led approach.
Cred appoints Matt Trueman as CEO to drive next phase of growth
UK fintech Cred has appointed Matt Trueman as its new chief executive officer, as the business looks to accelerate growth and expand lending activity in 2026.
The appointment comes as Cred enters its next phase of expansion, with a focus on scaling new customer accounts and increasing adoption of its Credit on Demand proposition.
Cred positions itself at the intersection of lending and artificial intelligence, combining elements of a personal loan, credit card and overdraft into a single flexible credit account. Users are offered instant access to a guaranteed line of credit, with the ability to repay on their own terms through one clear interest rate and no hidden fees. The platform is supported by built-in AI capabilities designed to simplify borrowing and money management.
A key part of Cred’s roadmap is the development of an AI-powered credit co-pilot. The tool is intended to help customers manage cashflow more intelligently, while reducing interest and overall borrowing costs over time.
Trueman brings more than 20 years of experience across financial services, technology and credit operations. He began his career at UBS before leading product and technology at TDX Group, which was acquired by Equifax in 2015. He later co-founded Indesser, a joint venture managing more than £5bn in public sector debt, and has held senior leadership roles at Oakbrook Finance and Arum.
Commenting on the appointment, Quint Group co-founder and CEO Greg Cox said Trueman’s experience scaling credit businesses made him well suited to lead Cred through its next stage of growth. He added that Cred was built to address modern borrowing needs by offering more flexible and affordable access to credit.
Trueman said he was excited to lead Cred as demand grows for faster, simpler and more transparent credit products. He also pointed to the opportunity to work alongside Quint Group and leverage its broader capabilities as a key factor in joining the business.
With new leadership in place, Cred is aiming to build momentum in 2026 as it continues to develop AI-enabled credit products designed around flexibility and customer control.
Accenture acquires London AI start-up Faculty in $1bn deal
Global consultancy Accenture has agreed to acquire Faculty in a deal valuing the London-based AI company at more than $1bn, marking the largest-ever acquisition of a privately held UK artificial intelligence start-up.
The deal gives Faculty so-called unicorn status and represents a significant moment for the UK’s AI ecosystem. While financial terms were not formally disclosed, investors including Apax Digital and Mercuri confirmed the transaction values the business above the $1bn threshold.
Founded in 2014, Faculty has built a strong reputation for applying AI to complex, real-world problems across both the public and private sectors. The company employs more than 400 staff, including data scientists, AI engineers and researchers with advanced scientific backgrounds, and reported revenues of £41.7m for the year to March 2025.
Led by CEO Julie Sweet, Accenture said the acquisition will strengthen its ability to help clients redesign core business processes using AI, as consultancies increasingly shift away from traditional strategy work towards technology-led transformation. Faculty’s software and applied AI expertise are expected to play a central role in that pivot.
As part of the deal, Faculty CEO Marc Warner, who has previously advised the UK government on AI policy, will join Accenture’s global management committee and take on the role of chief technology officer.
Faculty is well known for its work with the UK public sector, including helping to build NHS data platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic and contributing to more recent AI safety and security programmes. In the private sector, it has worked with organisations such as Novartis, often alongside Accenture, which has partnered with the company since 2023.
The acquisition comes as large consultancies adapt to AI-driven disruption across the professional services industry, investing heavily in specialist capabilities while reshaping their operating models and workforces.
For Faculty, the deal provides access to Accenture’s global scale and client base. For Accenture, it represents a major bet on UK-born AI talent as it accelerates its push to embed artificial intelligence at the heart of enterprise transformation.
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