Mid-Week Tech News Roundup – October 13th to October 17th 2025
15 Oct, 20256 minutesFrame appoints tech leader Liam Bateman as Non-Executive DirectorManchester-based AI consult...
Frame appoints tech leader Liam Bateman as Non-Executive Director
Manchester-based AI consultancy Frame has appointed Liam Bateman as a Non-Executive Director, joining co-founders Hannah Bratley and Liam Fulton on the board as the business enters a new phase of growth.
A well-known figure in the North West tech scene, Bateman founded Silverchip in 2008 and scaled it into one of Manchester’s leading digital agencies before its acquisition by CTI Group in 2022. Since then, he’s co-founded new ventures and advised fast-growing companies as a fractional CTO, aligning technology strategy with business goals.
Hannah Bratley, CEO of Frame, said: “We’re at a really exciting point in Frame’s journey. Businesses are no longer asking ‘should we use AI?’ – they’re asking ‘how do we make this work for us, quickly and effectively?’ Liam’s experience in scaling technology businesses and driving strategic growth will be invaluable as we continue to expand.”
Bateman added: “Frame has built a strong reputation for proving that AI can deliver measurable ROI — that’s a rare proposition. I’m excited to support the team in bringing their results-first approach to more businesses across the UK and beyond.”
Founded in 2020, Frame has worked with major brands including AO, delivering projects in marketing mix modelling, computer vision, and large-scale automation. The consultancy also partners with scaling businesses such as Birl, recently helping secure £350,000 in grant funding to accelerate its AI roadmap.
Nanoco secures Innovate UK grant for semiconductor quantum dot ink development
Cheshire-based Nanoco Group plc has been awarded new funding from Innovate UK to accelerate the development of a semiconductor quantum dot ink designed for one-step coating of image sensors.
The six-month project, valued at £100,000 and 70% funded by Innovate UK, builds on Nanoco’s core quantum dot materials and aims to create an ink that enables single-step deposition of lead sulphide (PbS) nanomaterials — a move expected to significantly improve processing efficiency.
CEO Dmitry Shashkov said: “A one-step ink formulation will enable our customers to apply PbS nanomaterials to their sensors faster and at a lower cost, and to test Nanoco’s industry-leading materials in their products and production processes. This initiative should lead to further downstream revenues of our production-ready PbS material, as well as overall acceleration of this young and dynamic industry – Quantum Dot based sensors.”
The funding marks another key milestone for the LSE-listed nanomaterials specialist, which last year reached a “transformative” $150m legal settlement with Samsung over intellectual property use — a deal that granted Nanoco full freedom to operate across all markets and product types.
Earlier this year, Nanoco also launched fresh legal action against LG Technologies, alleging “wilful infringement” of several patents relating to its cadmium-free quantum dots used in televisions, further asserting its position as a leader in advanced nanomaterial innovation.
KOMI Group expands Ancoats HQ following record growth year
Manchester-based KOMI Group is expanding its Ancoats headquarters after a record year of growth that saw revenue climb to £7.4m in H1 2025, up 94% year-on-year, and headcount rise by 76% to over 120 employees.
The latest expansion at Urban Splash’s Waulk Mill adds 620 sq. ft of additional space and 25 new seats, following the company’s original £750,000 investment in the office fit-out in 2020. Designed by Studio R2A, the extension continues the studio’s distinctive “home-inspired” aesthetic seen across creative venues like Madre and Mowgli, creating an environment that blends comfort, creativity, and collaboration.
The workspace features open-plan areas, high tables for team working, and quiet booths for focused tasks, all overlooking New Islington Marina and just steps from Cutting Room Square. The design philosophy focuses on longevity and social connection, positioning KOMI’s HQ as an inspiring alternative to working from home.
CEO Sam Lenehan said: “We take partnership seriously at KOMI, and Urban Splash is more than a landlord to us – they’ve been a true collaborator in bringing our vision to life. Together with Studio R2A, our office is a space we are beyond proud of and has been the result of genuine partnership.
“We know the importance of in-person collaboration, and our office has become a magnet for it. We encourage people to treat our HQ as an extension of their home, and everyone who visits comments on its buzz. This latest expansion is an essential investment in our future, ensuring our team has the perfect environment to continue creating amazing things, together.”
The move caps a milestone period for the global digital media company, which has accelerated its scalability through platform diversification, particularly on YouTube, and the acquisition of five media brands over the past three years.
Grateful raises £1.5m from Calculus Capital to modernise tipping for frontline workers
Harrogate and London-based Grateful, the automated tip pooling and tronc management platform, has secured £1.5 million in seed funding from Calculus Capital to accelerate its mission to bring transparency, fairness, and efficiency to tipping in the service economy.
Founded in 2022 by Mason Potter (CEO), Jarrod Potter (Chair) and Damian Guy (CPTO), Grateful was born from the founders’ experience in the US, where well-managed tipping systems significantly boosted motivation and retention across hospitality teams. The platform replaces outdated, manual tip pooling methods with an automated, compliant system that streamlines admin for operators while giving frontline staff greater visibility and control over their earnings.
The investment will be used to advance Grateful’s AI-driven fintech and money management tools, strengthen compliance functionality, and support expansion into new markets. The business aims to become the category leader in frontline worker pay and benefits, building on its rapid 400% year-on-year growth and growing user base of more than 50,000 workers.
Grateful integrates with leading technology partners including Toast, EposNow, Deputy and PayCaptain, offering end-to-end transparency and compliance for businesses navigating new regulations such as the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023. The legislation, which mandates that all tips must be distributed fairly and directly to workers, has driven a surge in demand for automated, compliant solutions.
Alexander Crawford, Co-Head of Investments at Calculus Capital, said:
“We’re delighted to support Grateful and its exceptional management team with this £1.5 million investment as they transform how the hospitality industry handles tipping and tronc management. Grateful’s platform brings fairness, transparency and compliance to a space that has historically lacked all three, and we’re proud to be part of that journey.”
Mason Potter, Co-Founder & CEO of Grateful, added:
“Frontline workers are the backbone of the service economy, yet they remain underserved by outdated systems. With Calculus Capital’s backing, we can accelerate our vision to make tipping fairer, faster and more transparent for everyone — helping workers make their money go further and giving businesses the tools to stay compliant and efficient.”
Grateful’s platform is helping major hospitality operators reward, retain and motivate their teams by combining digital tipping, modern tronc management, and worker financial empowerment into a single, scalable solution.
BusinessCloud appoints non-exec chairman as growth accelerates
BusinessCloud has announced the appointment of entrepreneur Frazer Durris as its new non-executive chairman, marking the next step in the media company’s expansion strategy.
Durris, founder and former CEO of energy specialist Businesswise Solutions (acquired by Inspired Energy plc in 2021), joins after advising co-owners Jonathan Symcox and Chris Maguire informally for the past year.
Symcox said the appointment comes at a pivotal moment as the company gears up for its 10th anniversary and next phase of growth: “We’re absolutely delighted to secure someone of Frazer’s calibre as BusinessCloud gears up for our next stage of growth... We wanted someone from outside the industry but with a proven track record of scaling a business — and Frazer ticks all those boxes.”
Maguire added that Durris’s experience will help the company solidify its foundations: “Frazer’s appointment is part of an ongoing shift change for BusinessCloud. Having established ourselves as a fast-growing independent media organisation, we’re putting the structure in place to enable scale. With Frazer’s guidance, we’ll continue to focus on audience growth, commercial expansion and partnerships.”
Reflecting on the move, Durris said: “BusinessCloud is a hugely respected name in the media landscape and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the business over the last 12 months. Jon and Chris have ambitious growth plans, so it felt like the perfect time to formalise our arrangement by becoming non-executive chairman.”
The appointment follows a record year for the brand, which expects to double its website audience in 2025 to nearly one million visitors, as BusinessCloud continues its mission to bring “tech insight with bite” to a growing national audience.
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