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Half of adults want more effort from partners on Valentine’s Day

Helen Greaney
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Half of adults want more effort from partners on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day has been dubbed a waste of money with novelty mugs and cheap underwear amongst the worst presents.

More than half of the 2,015 adults polled, said their partner should make more effort, rather than splurge on presents they don’t even want.

Respondents reported the rubbish gifts they had received included ‘wrong’ perfume, socks, candles and even, a car mat.

But while most said the day of lovers is a waste of time, one in three said they’d be gutted if their better half did nothing to celebrate.

Travel together

The research by Railcard.co.uk, found that one in five said a trip away would be the best romantic gesture with the Lake District top destination in the UK.

Relationship expert and coach, Sarah Louise Ryan, said: “Couples who travel together often end up more fulfilled and happier in their relationship.

“There are many reasons for this; inclusive of the fact it encourages communication and can deepen feelings of commitment as they plan their trips ahead of time, looking towards the future.

“Travel allows more opportunities for romance and time outside of the day-to-day routine, meaning romantic sparks can be reignited.

“Where flowers and chocolates can play a part, this Valentine’s Day I’d encourage all couples to carve out some time to book and experience a romantic getaway, whether for a day trip or a long weekend.”

The study also found 36% had considered a trip together as a way to rekindle a floundering relationship.

Q:chi Enhances Harmoni Platform to Eliminate End-of-Quarter Marketing Spend Scramble

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Q:chi Enhances Harmoni Platform to Eliminate End-of-Quarter Marketing Spend Scramble

Q:chi, an enterprise marketing performance solution provider, today announced major enhancements to its Q:chi ) Harmoni platform.

Built to eliminate fragmented planning and budgeting silos, the enhanced platform gives marketing teams a connected infrastructure that ties strategic planning directly to real-time budget pacing and day-to-day execution.

Greg Evans, Founder and CEO of Q:chi said: “When planning systems and financial reporting function separately, marketers are forced to make important investment decisions using outdated information. When teams are working from figures that may be weeks old, they have no accurate understanding of how quickly their budgets are actually being consumed.”

According to Greg, this gap between financial information and operational activity is a fundamental driver of inefficient spending and lost pipeline.

“Without visibility into current spending, making timely adjustments becomes little more than guesswork,” he added. “By the time leadership discovers that budgets are being underspent, the opportunity to redirect investment strategically may already have passed. That information gap pushes marketing teams into reactive decision making and ultimately encourages them to put remaining funds into activities with limited ROI.”

The updated Q:chi ) Harmoni platform gives marketing leaders the ability to optimise budget pacing, connect execution to financial objectives, and prevent demand-generation opportunities from being lost through unspent or poorly allocated budgets. Its dynamic orchestration layer connects strategic and tactical plans with real-time budget and financial commitment data, removing the blind spots that can result in wasted capital.

“For far too long, Marketing has been expected to oversee millions in spending without the systems needed to properly understand it: no real-time budget visibility, no clear view of commitments, and no single source of truth”, said Greg.

“Harmoni provides CMOs and Marketers with the capabilities to break the cycle of lost demand and end-of-quarter panic buying, making sure every investment is deliberately directed toward measurable business growth.”

Key capabilities

Real-Time Burn Rate & Pacing: Immediate visibility into budget usage across campaigns enables teams to maintain consistent spending patterns, reducing mid-year underspend and removing pressure to spend heavily at the end of a quarter.

Synchronised Planning: Strategic direction is connected directly to execution. Each pound/dollar invested is tied to specific business objectives, helping maximise demand generation instead of simply consuming the available budget.

Unified Ecosystem: Planning and live financial allocations operate within the same environment, allowing leaders to see in real time how changes to campaign investment affect wider financial objectives.

Dynamic Scenario Modeling: Teams can move beyond fixed annual budgets by testing different funding scenarios and reallocating resources quickly before underspend becomes an issue.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Finance, Sales, and executive stakeholders gain a shared and transparent view of the marketing roadmap, strengthening confidence and reducing friction between departments.

“The ‘use it or lose it’ approach to budgets persists because marketing leaders have not had the tools required to accurately manage spending throughout the year,” added Greg Evans.

“Q:chi ) Harmoni enables leadership to respond to the board’s toughest questions with confidence, ensuring every dollar is deliberately orchestrated to deliver maximum impact.”

For more information, visit www.qchi.net.

Diisco to Showcase the Future of Hospitality Staffing at The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show 2026

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Diisco to Showcase the Future of Hospitality Staffing at The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show 2026

Diisco, the UK hospitality gig platform helping venues connect with reliable, flexible hospitality workers, has announced its participation in The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show 2026, taking place on 16–17 September 2026 at ExCeL London.

The event brings together hospitality operators, buyers, decision-makers, suppliers and technology providers from across the restaurant, pub and bar sector. Diisco will use the event to introduce its approach to flexible hospitality staffing and demonstrate how technology can help venues manage shift-based staffing more efficiently.

Staff shortages, last-minute absences and the challenge of finding suitable workers remain significant operational pressures for hospitality businesses. Diisco is designed to make the process of filling individual shifts faster and more transparent by connecting venues directly with hospitality workers through its digital platform.

With Diisco, venues can register their business, post a shift in minutes, review applicants, assess worker experience and ratings, and confirm suitable workers directly through the platform.

The platform is purpose-built for hospitality and supports real-time shift management, worker availability, messaging, applications, confirmations and payment processes.

Rather than relying on traditional agency processes, Diisco provides venues with a direct way to access flexible hospitality workers while giving businesses greater visibility and control over their staffing requirements.

Workers can also create profiles, verify their identity and right to work, discover relevant shifts, apply directly and build their professional reputation through completed shifts and ratings.

Diisco is also introducing AI-powered shift creation, helping hospitality operators generate and post shifts more quickly and accurately. By using intelligent automation, venues can reduce manual input, standardise shift details and improve the speed at which roles are published and filled, making last-minute staffing even more efficient.

Hasan Shahid, CEO and Co-Founder of Diisco, said: “Hospitality businesses need staffing solutions that work at the speed of the industry. Last-minute changes, busy service periods and fluctuating demand mean venues need access to reliable workers without unnecessary delays or complexity.

“Diisco was created to make that process simpler. With the addition of AI-powered shift creation, we are further reducing the time it takes for venues to get shifts live and filled.”

Diisco’s participation at The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show reflects the company’s ambition to work more closely with hospitality operators and understand the challenges they face in managing flexible workforces.

Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to meet the Diisco team, learn how the platform works and discuss how digital staffing solutions can help restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, events businesses and other hospitality operators respond to changing staffing demands.

Alex Temprell, Director and Co-Founder of Diisco, said: “The real challenge in hospitality is not just finding staff, but finding the right people at the right time with minimal friction. Diisco is designed to make that connection simpler for venues and workers, giving hospitality businesses a more efficient way to respond to their staffing needs.”

The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show is part of the inaugural London Food & Drink Festival and will bring together thousands of food and drink trade buyers and operators alongside hundreds of exhibitors.

The show will take place:

Date: 16–17 September 2026

Venue: ExCeL London

Event: The National Restaurant, Pub & Bar Show 2026

Audience: Hospitality trade professionals and industry decision-makers

Diisco is inviting restaurant owners, pub operators, hotel managers, hospitality groups, event operators and other industry professionals attending the show to visit the team and discover how the platform can help simplify flexible staffing.

To find out more about Diisco, visit https://diisco.app

Safetell Calls on Schools and Public Buildings to Review Security Ahead of September Return

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Safetell Calls on Schools and Public Buildings to Review Security Ahead of September Return

Schools, workplaces and public buildings are being encouraged to use the remaining weeks of summer to assess entrances, access arrangements and physical security measures before normal activity resumes in September, says physical security specialist Safetell.

The return of pupils, staff, visitors, contractors and delivery teams can rapidly increase activity across a site. Temporary arrangements introduced during quieter summer periods can also remain in place, potentially creating gaps in access control or causing disruption once occupancy levels rise.

Safetell is urging facilities and estates teams to consider how buildings will actually be used when normal operations resume, rather than assessing security measures separately from one another.

Key areas to review include:

  • Staff, pupil and visitor entrances – checking which access routes need to be operational and removing any temporary arrangements introduced over the summer.
  • Automatic and manual doors – looking for slow operation, inconsistent closing, visible damage and outstanding faults.
  • Visitor control – reviewing reception areas, controlled access points, call systems and visitor management procedures.
  • Gates, barriers and delivery routes – checking for damage, unreliable controls and temporary solutions that may still be in use.
  • Access permissions – removing credentials that are no longer required and confirming that new employees, contractors and temporary staff have appropriate access rights.
  • Fault escalation procedures – ensuring facilities, reception and security teams are clear on who to contact if a critical entrance or access system stops working.

Jason Guy, Head of Servicing and Maintenance at Safetell, said: “September can change the way a building operates almost overnight. Entrances that were relatively quiet during the summer may suddenly be supporting large numbers of staff, pupils, visitors and deliveries.

“The return-to-site period is a useful opportunity to check that access arrangements still reflect how the building needs to operate and that known faults or temporary workarounds have been addressed before demand increases.”

Safetell also advises organisations to confirm that accessible entrances remain available and to ensure any faults reported before the summer closure have been properly resolved and formally closed.

If technical issues are identified, any necessary repairs or adjustments should be completed by suitably trained and competent personnel rather than relying on temporary fixes.

Cirrus Assessment and Schoolyear Partner to Strengthen Security Across Supervised Exams

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Cirrus Assessment and Schoolyear Partner to Strengthen Security Across Supervised Exams

Cirrus Assessment and Schoolyear have announced a new partnership designed to give universities, awarding bodies and professional testing organisations an additional way to protect in-person examinations.

Through the integration, institutions can deliver Cirrus exams within the Schoolyear secure environment. Throughout an assessment, the candidate’s entire device is locked down, preventing access to unauthorised websites, AI assistants, virtual machines and remote-access software.

The partnership comes as institutions seek stronger safeguards for supervised assessments. Cirrus already provides several security measures, including live and AI-assisted remote proctoring, Safe Exam Browser and test centres, allowing institutions to select the level of control appropriate for each assessment. With AI tools and remote-access software increasingly accessible, Schoolyear provides an additional option that secures the whole device.

Candidates can download and launch Schoolyear themselves when their exam begins, removing the need for IT teams to install or configure software in advance. Schoolyear verifies that the device is secure and ready before the assessment starts. The environment operates in the same way on both institution-managed and candidate-owned devices, enabling exam teams to run supervised assessments at scale using hardware candidates already have.

Each exam session also produces a detailed activity log, providing exam teams with documented evidence should a result subsequently be challenged.

“Different exams call for different levels of control, and our job is to give institutions the right option for each one,” said Jeroen Fransen, Head of Product at Cirrus Assessment.

“For supervised exams where the stakes are highest, Schoolyear lets institutions secure the whole device, not just the browser, and it does that without asking IT to touch every machine first. Just as important, it does not come at the cost of accessibility. Candidates who rely on tools like ReadSpeaker keep them inside the secure environment, so strong security and a fair exam go together.”

“We built Schoolyear around prevention, stopping malpractice before it happens, and giving institutions access to the highest level of security,” said Wim Graas, Founder and CEO of Schoolyear.

“Cirrus is a modern platform, built by a team that keeps improving it for the institutions and candidates who depend on it, which makes it exactly the kind of partner worth building with. Bringing prevention together with Cirrus’s assessment expertise gives institutions a more complete way to protect every result.”

Schoolyear only collects the limited information required to operate an exam. The solution does not use screen recording, webcams or microphones, and all personal data remains within the EU.

The integration is available now and includes full support from both Schoolyear and Cirrus before, during and after each exam.

“This is only the beginning”, says Connectus’ founder as firm marks 15 years and doubles user base

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“This is only the beginning”, says Connectus’ founder as firm marks 15 years and doubles user base

Connectus Business Solutions is “only just getting started” according to the company’s CEO – as the IT and cyber security provider marks 15 years in business having doubled its user base and completed seven acquisitions.

Roy Shelton, CEO of Connectus Business Solutions, said the milestone, which falls on 11 August 2026, lands at the busiest point yet in the company’s growth, with more scale-up activity to come.

“Fifteen years in, the pace is only increasing,” he said. “We’ve gone from a standing start in Doncaster to supporting more than 700 businesses and 15,000 users, and this is the most active period of acquisition and investment we’ve had in the business’s history. This isn’t a moment to slow down and reflect; it’s only the beginning of the next 15 years.”

The anniversary comes weeks after Connectus completed a strategic investment in Glu Digital, the fastest transaction the company has ever taken from announcement to delivery, with two joint projects delivered within weeks of the deal, forming the new Digital Connect Group.

The business has grown from 380 clients and 7,000 users in 2020 to its current scale of more than 700 businesses and over 15,000 end users, having completed seven transactions in total, including Cybersity, YouCloud Solutions, Mango Tech, IT 4 Growth, the PCSC customer base, the assets of i7 Technologies and, most recently, Glu Digital. Recurring revenue has risen at double-digit rates for three consecutive years, with turnover now set to exceed £6 million.

Connectus was founded in 2011 as Eximus Solutions, a spin-out of Peel Telecoms, building a full fibre network at Doncaster Sheffield Airport in 2013 and launching its UCentrix hosted voice platform in 2014. The company was acquired in 2018 to form Connectus Group, backed by FW Capital and chaired by Paul Ruocco. In 2019, Shelton, alongside Commercial Director Andy Marden and Operations Director Phillippa Shelton, set a target of building a 500-customer managed services business, a goal the company has since more than doubled.

Shelton said the milestone reflected discipline as much as ambition. “We didn’t just hit that target, we grew beyond it, more than doubled the number of users we support, completed seven transactions and built a great team along the way,” he said. “What matters most is that we’ve kept our standards. We still treat customer 700 exactly the way we treated customer one. That consistency is why partners like Glu Digital want to build something with us.”

The company, which remains 100% privately owned with every share held within its own team, launched its Connectus Evolve AI-as-a-Service platform in 2025 and was named SME of the Year at the Doncaster Chamber Awards the same year. It has also strengthened its regional ties, moving from Club House Sponsor to front-of-shirt sponsor of Doncaster Knights.

Looking ahead, Connectus says its next phase will include further acquisitions across both its managed services and channel businesses, deeper investment in AI-driven managed services through Connectus Evolve, and continued expansion across the Northern Powerhouse, Midlands and wider UK. The company has identified Microsoft-stack-focused managed services businesses as priority acquisition targets for 2026 and 2027, alongside continued organic growth in cyber security, business connectivity and telephony.

“We are privately owned, team-owned and completely in control of our own pace, which means we can be bold,” Shelton added. “The market does not need another IT provider that just keeps the lights on. It needs partners who reduce cost, complexity and risk while genuinely innovating. That is what Digital Connect Group is about, that is what Connectus Evolve is about, and that is what the next 15 years of this business will be about.”

Summer Event Businesses Warned Not to Overlook Food Temperatures During Transport

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Summer Event Businesses Warned Not to Overlook Food Temperatures During Transport

London Van Hire is advising businesses supplying food and other temperature-sensitive goods to summer events to treat transportation between the kitchen, cold storage and final venue as an important part of the food safety process.

Sustained warm weather has arrived during one of the busiest periods in London’s events calendar, with outdoor parties, food markets, weddings, community events and festivals taking place throughout August. One of the month’s major occasions is the 60th anniversary of Notting Hill Carnival, which will take place over the August bank holiday weekend.

Food Standards Agency guidance requires cold food to be maintained at 8°C or below in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The agency recommends setting refrigeration equipment to 5°C or below to create additional protection against temperature fluctuations. In particularly hot conditions, however, that buffer can disappear more quickly when vehicle doors are opened frequently or loading takes longer than anticipated.

“Heat causes problems when transport is treated as an afterthought,” said Amit Sandhu, Director of London Van Hire.

“The van is only one part of the cold chain. Caterers need to know the temperature their goods require, load them at the correct temperature and plan each drop so the doors are not left open longer than necessary.

“That matters on an ordinary delivery. When a large event brings traffic restrictions, timed access and several unloading points into the same journey, it matters even more.”

London Van Hire advises businesses to carry out five checks ahead of an event delivery. These include confirming the required temperature for the goods, pre-chilling or freezing products before they are loaded, checking the vehicle’s specifications, arranging the load according to delivery order and planning the route to the venue around potential road closures and access restrictions.

The company also stresses the importance of choosing a vehicle according to the temperature requirements of the load rather than relying solely on its capacity. Fresh produce, prepared food, dairy items, flowers and certain beverages may require chilled transport, while ice cream and other frozen products need vehicles capable of sustaining significantly lower temperatures. Choosing a vehicle based only on the amount of available space could therefore mean the goods are transported within an unsuitable temperature range.

Among its commercial vehicle options, the Ford Transit LWB refrigerated van is listed as operating between −20°C and +5°C, with a payload of up to 1,200 kg and around 13 m³ of insulated load space. Subject to availability, the vehicle is marketed as an option for food delivery and catering operations.

The company’s full London van hire fleet includes medium and long-wheelbase vehicles capable of freezer operation, alongside ambient vans and larger box vans. This gives businesses the option to assess temperature requirements alongside the space and payload needed for an individual delivery, rather than selecting a vehicle based purely on its size.

Sandhu added: “The useful question is not simply, ‘Do we need a refrigerated van?’ It is, ‘What temperature does this particular load need from collection until handover?’ Once that is clear, the vehicle, loading plan and route can all be chosen around the job.”

134 Labs Secures £55,000 Investment to Expand Philosophy-Led Business

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134 Labs Secures £55,000 Investment to Expand Philosophy-Led Business

134 Labs Limited, the family-run company founded around the work of Stoic philosophy educator Tanner O. Campbell, has secured £55,000 in investment from US-based EcoTeq Ventures LLC as it prepares to expand its operations.

The investment supports the company’s mission to make a 2,300-year-old philosophical tradition practical and accessible, while demonstrating that helping people develop better ways of living can also form the basis of a sustainable business.

134 Labs brings practical Stoic philosophy to a broad audience through journaling programmes, newsletters, online courses, private mentorship, keynote talks, and corporate workshops. Its business-focused programmes explore ethical decision-making and maintaining sound judgement under pressure, with all of its work grounded in Stoic theory.

Campbell’s educational content has reached people in more than 140 countries. He is co-author of “What is Stoicism? A Brief and Accessible Overview” and presents the award-winning Practical Stoicism podcast. Until this investment, Campbell had managed the entire operation independently.

The new funding will support customer acquisition, establish a dedicated sales function for the company’s corporate training offering, and introduce marketing systems designed to expand its journaling and course programmes beyond a one-person operation. 134 Labs aims to achieve its first scaled-revenue milestones within eight months.

“Venture capital always seems to go to software, or AI nonsense, or to cool devices in slick packaging,” said Tanner Campbell, founder and director of 134 Labs.

“It seems to never go to things like what we do. I can count on no hands the number of times I’ve seen private equity write a cheque to something as ‘analogue’ as philosophy. That’s what makes this a big day, and not just for me. It says heart-led, philosophy-forward business is investable.

“People are desperate for meaningful content these days, and such content can be damn hard to find because it isn’t rewarded by the algorithms as much as entertainment or divisive news stories. Until this week I was working to serve that demand in whatever spare moments I could find outside the day job that kept the lights on and food in the fridge. Now it’s my only job. It’s an incredible feeling.”

The investment has been structured as a convertible loan, allowing the early-stage company to secure funding without establishing a valuation at this stage. The arrangement gives the investor the option to convert the loan into equity at a later point. Campbell and his co-director, his wife Ross, continue to hold majority control of the company.

“We backed Tanner because the demand is proven and the ceiling has been the founder’s hours, not the addressable market,” said Rory Sanchez of EcoTeq Ventures LLC.

“Tanner’s catalogue, his audience, and his products and services already exist. Capital just means he can grow what he’s doing and have more of an impact; a greater chance at making the world a better place.”

Over the next twelve months, 134 Labs intends to demonstrate the proposition underpinning the investment: that a company centred on helping people learn to live well can scale in the same way as other startups, while showing that philosophy can also become a commercially sustainable enterprise.

For more information, visit hello134.com.

JMW achieves profit increase and invests £10m in new flagship Manchester offices

Helen Greaney
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JMW achieves profit increase and invests £10m in new flagship Manchester offices

JMW has announced its financial results for the year 2025/26: the firm achieved a 4% uplift in revenues, with turnover up from £94m in 2024/25 to £98m in the year to April 30, 2026.

The firm, which has offices in Manchester, London and Liverpool, achieved £18m net profit, up from £17m of 2024-25.

Chris Sutton, Managing Partner (pictured), said the increase reflected the excellent standard of work delivered to the firm’s clients, maintaining year-on-year financial growth even as the firm made a £10m investment in its new flagship Manchester offices, 125 Deansgate.

JMW 125 Deansgate external 1

JMW signed a 15-year lease with Worthington Mancap LLP and now occupies the top four floors of the Grade A landmark Manchester building – which counts No 10 North as a close neighbour – uniting its Manchester workforce, previously split across two separate buildings, in the 42,260 sq. ft. Category A fit-out offices.

During the last financial year, many departments across the firm saw an increase in revenue, and a new offering, JMW Signature, was launched, a bespoke service reflective of the growing amount of work the firm has been doing in the Family Offices and high net worth space, spanning both corporate and private client activities.

JMW’s Corporate team enjoyed a stand-out year, with the average size of transactions growing significantly, resulting in an overall deal value of circa £600m.

The IP and Commercial team brought in a significant number of high profile clients, including Manchester City Football Club, Whitehouse Leisure, Warwickshire County Cricket Club, The Energy Desk and Home Instead. The firm’s Real Estate Commercial team further cemented its reputation as one of the region’s most in-demand teams, advising on the acquisition, for £19.5M, of Manchester Business Park, and advising on the £120m Durham city centre project, Milburngate.

Chris said: “Across all three of our offices we have not only retained our valued clients but attracted many new ones, which is testament to the depth and breadth of talent within the firm. Our people remain our greatest asset and the driving force behind our outstanding record of growth.”

Strong sixth form results see Bishop Challoner students progress to leading universities

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Strong sixth form results see Bishop Challoner students progress to leading universities

LONDON, UK. August 13th, 2026: Bishop Challoner Catholic School is celebrating another impressive set of sixth form results, with students achieving strong outcomes and securing places at a wide range of leading universities and further education destinations.

Overall, 44% of students at the Tower Hamlets school have secured places at Russell Group universities, including the University of Birmingham, the University of Bristol, the University of Exeter, King’s College London, the University of Leeds, the University of Nottingham, Queen Mary University of London, UCL (University College London) and the University of Warwick.

Strong performances were recorded across the sixth form, with particularly impressive results in Biology, where 100% of students achieved A*-A grades. In Chemistry, 80% of students achieved A*-B grades, while Sociology saw 92% of students achieve A*-B grades.

Vocational courses also delivered excellent results, with 92% of students achieving DDD*-DDD grades in BTEC Business and 90% achieving DDD*-DDD grades in BTEC Health and Social Care.

Executive Headteacher Adam Hall said: “These results are a wonderful celebration of everything our students have achieved. At Bishop Challoner we believe in ‘doing ordinary things extraordinarily well’, and this year group has embodied that philosophy through their everyday commitment, perseverance and ambition. We are immensely proud of every one of them.”

Head of School, Ranjit Pabila, added: “We are incredibly proud of our students and their achievements this summer. These results are a testament to their hard work, resilience and ambition, as well as the outstanding commitment of our staff.

“Achieving ALPS 2 for A Levels places us in the top 10% nationally, while our ALPS 1 rating for BTEC places our vocational provision in the top 1% nationally. These are exceptional achievements and demonstrate the breadth and quality of education we provide.

“We are delighted to celebrate with our students today and wish every one of them the very best as they progress to university, higher and degree-level apprenticeships, employment and the next stage of their education and careers.”

Head of Sixth Form, Laura Griffiths, commented: “It has been a privilege to watch this year group develop into confident, ambitious young adults. Their results are richly deserved, and we are excited to see them flourish as they move on to university, apprenticeships and exciting new opportunities.”

Student Flavia-Alexandra said: “My teachers were absolutely amazing, I couldn’t have done it without them!”

Karl-Lewis added: “Bishop is a great school. They’ve been so supportive in helping me to achieve my goals and they’ve really pushed me to try my hardest. I’m going to the University of Greenwich to study Accounting and Finance.”

For more information about Bishop Challoner Catholic School, please visit www.bishop.towerhamlets.sch.uk, follow the school on Instagram at @challonercs and Facebook, or contact the school office on 0207 791 9500.

Glasgow start-up Velocity Edge brings smarter lubricant sourcing online

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Glasgow start-up Velocity Edge brings smarter lubricant sourcing online

GLASGOW, UK. August 12th, 2026 – Velocity Edge, a Glasgow-based technology start-up, has launched a new online platform designed to make lubricant procurement quicker, simpler and more transparent for businesses across the UK and international markets.

Founded in December 2024 by co-founders Callum Samuel and Josh Duncan, both in their early twenties, the company was created in response to a persistent challenge in the lubricant sector. Finding the right product for a specific application can often involve dealing with several suppliers, lengthy phone calls and varying levels of technical guidance.

The platform, available at velocity-edge.com, brings the process together in one online destination, allowing buyers to browse products, compare options and request quotes from some of the world’s leading lubricant brands. Products are organised by sector, including marine, aviation, automotive and industrial applications, with access to names such as Shell, Mobil, Castrol, Fuchs, Petronas, Total, Texaco and Petro-Canada. The range includes OEM-approved engine oils, industrial hydraulic fluids, specialist greases and aviation-grade lubricants.

Velocity Edge combines online convenience with technical expertise. Its team provides impartial advice to help customers identify the most suitable lubricant for their particular application, helping to minimise the risk of costly specification mistakes. The company’s single-source supply model also means customers can purchase products from multiple brands without having to coordinate with several different suppliers.

Despite only launching in December 2024, the founders have made rapid progress. Velocity Edge has secured ten key supplier contracts, welcomed its first customers and completed early international orders for destinations including Hong Kong, the UAE, Thailand and Malaysia.

The company’s development has also attracted support and recognition from across Scotland’s enterprise and technology community. Velocity Edge is an early-stage account managed by Scottish Enterprise and is a member of the Strathclyde Inspire accelerator, Barclays Eagle Labs and TechScaler. The business has also won the Strathclyde Inspire100 competition and the Scottish Young Edge Round 26 competition.

The team’s entrepreneurial drive is matched by deep industry expertise. Non-Executive Director Andrew Samuel, founder and chairman of Pure Lubrication, brings more than 30 years of experience in the sector and was recently named Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 at the Glasgow Business Awards. His involvement gives the young founding team valuable industry knowledge and credibility as the business continues to develop.

“Procurement teams shouldn’t have to spend hours on the phone chasing quotes and hoping they’ve specified the right product,” said Callum Samuel, co-founder of Velocity Edge.

“We built this platform so buyers can get straight to the products they need, backed by real technical expertise, without the usual back and forth.”

Josh Duncan, co-founder, added: “Our goal was never simply to sell oil online, it was to combine genuine technical know-how with the convenience of a modern e-commerce platform. Doing this from a base in Glasgow, and as part of the business community here, means a great deal to us.”

Velocity Edge also operates a “Become a Supplier” programme, giving manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to reach new customers through the platform.

With the platform now live, the founders intend to expand the supplier network and increase the breadth of products available over the coming months.

To explore the platform, visit velocity-edge.com.

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