Leading UK travel insurer, loveit coverit, have collected and collated real Instagram data to determine the most snap-able locations on Earth, helping customers make better decisions about their summer holidays – with some shock contenders making their way onto the list! All of the information has been calculated and turned into an interactive resource so would-be holidaymakers can easily find their next favourite destination.
– Chile, Barbados and Greenland all beat the USA as the most Instagrammable location in North America with a combined total of 67.4 million likes a week!
– Iceland beats traditional European hotspots (including the UK) with 97 times more Instagram likes than residents, with Reykjavik accounting for 2 million likes alone.
– Italy has the most likes out of every popular European country when compared to their population, with 148 million weekly.
– Surprisingly, Kuwait is highlighted as one of the most Instagrammable countries in Asia, with over 56 million likes compared to a population of just 4 million.
– Samoa and Guam both appear as hidden gems in Oceania with combined Instagram likes of 5,600,000.
Post-COVID, the travel industry is booming. Most restrictions have been lifted, allowing people to experience the world again. Cheap airfare that began during COVID is continuing into the summer of 2022, so now is the perfect time to book a holiday. All customers need to decide is where to go.
To celebrate the return of travel, along with the launch of their new travel insurance product, loveit coverit is encouraging and helping customers seek new experiences. Using their own personally developed system – which weighs the population of countries against their popularity on social media – they have determined the most Instagrammable places on Earth.
So, social-savvy holidaymakers can find all-new locations and have peace of mind knowing their trip is covered by loveit coverit travel insurance.
loveit coverit have compiled all the most Instagrammed destinations in one place for the first time. With this online tool, keen travellers can discover unknown cities and hidden gems at the touch of a button, so they can find locations they may never have dreamt of visiting.
Customers can not only find the countries with the most Instagrammability but also see the top locations being snapped within these countries. With this information, budding backpackers and experienced jetsetters can easily choose their next favourite holiday spot.
And the best part is travellers with a penchant for holiday photography can be certain that their shots will get the attention they deserve. Equally, for those that want to avoid the crowds and tread their own path, now know the locations to avoid when they set off.
Some of this information uncovered by loveit coverit is unexpected, throwing up some Instagram hotspots that many people would never have thought of travelling to before. For example, one of Asia’s most Instagrammable countries is Kuwait, whilst Greenland makes the list of top Instagram locations in North America. This creates new travel ideas for customers and saves them time they would’ve spent researching locations.
Speaking about the research, loveit coverit Brand Manager, Jonathan Owen, said:
“As we approach this critical point in the post-COVID era, and travel is starting to come back to the forefront, we are thrilled to launch this new research and tool. At loveit coverit, we are always looking for ways to engage and inform our customers outside of our insurance products.”
He continued, “With this, we are providing a seamless online experience for loveit coverit customers who are interested in discovering new regions for their next holiday and booking insurance to ensure they stay protected whilst travelling. This is a wonderful step forward for loveit coverit and we’re excited to see it come to fruition.”
Discover the most Instagrammable locations for yourself: https://www.loveitcoverit.com/news/articles/the-worlds-most-instagrammable-destinations-revealed/
Author
uma
Productsup acquires World of Content to power frictionless commerce experiences
The combined capabilities provide businesses with full control over their product information within the commerce ecosystem
Berlin, 21 June 2022: Productsup, the leading product-to-consumer (P2C) software company, today announced its acquisition of World of Content, a rapidly-emerging product experience management provider. By adding World of Content’s innovative product content syndication (PCS) capabilities, seamless vendor-retailer collaboration, and full GDSN support to its P2C platform, Productsup strengthens its position as the only global, scalable solution equipped to bring high-quality product information to consumers and power frictionless commerce experiences.
“In a fast-changing market, World of Content’s accelerated growth is extremely impressive,” said Vincent Peters, CEO at Productsup. “Combining their talent and high-performing software with our existing PCS capabilities provides companies with a unique commerce solution that can further improve channel performance, expand market reach, and maximize global sales. This acquisition better positions both of our customers to deliver on their P2C strategy and overcome commerce anarchy.”
The availability, quality, and consistency of product information have become one of the most significant factors in today’s purchasing decisions. According to Productsup’s Commerce shortfall report, one of the top factors that would entice consumers to shop with a different brand or retailer is having more information about their products.
World of Content brings advanced product content syndication capabilities and in-depth knowledge to the Productsup P2C platform. The company’s distinctive features include smart content recognition and segmentation, and the platform is trusted by the world’s largest brands and retailers, like AB InBev, Beiersdorf, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and L’Oréal.
The acquisition benefits Productsup and World of Content customers, partners, and other stakeholders, in the following ways:
– Enhanced product data delivery: Productsup gains GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) support, which ensures companies their product information is shared efficiently and securely between trading partners according to local and global standards.
– Expanded global footprint: The combined market presence stretches Productsup’s reach further across Europe, North America, and ANZ and creates new business opportunities in other regions.
– Increased resources: World of Content’s team will be fully integrated with Productsup, providing additional talent and knowledge bases to support customers and research and development.
– Verticalized expertise: Leveraging their combined experience, the companies will expand their service to new sectors, such as fast-moving consumer goods, beauty, OTC drugs, consumer electronics, and industrial.
– Seamless collaboration: Communication and collaboration between brands and retailers will be able to take place within the Productsup platform.
“I’m proud of what we built and how fast we’ve grown at World of Content, and I’m fully confident that joining Productsup is our best move forward,” said Koen Looijmans, Founder and CEO at World of Content. “Our companies share the same vision for bringing order to the commerce space by helping companies gain back control over their brand presence, so combining forces allows us to continue delivering on that promise as a united front.”
This deal follows Productsup’s Series B funding round for more than $70 million (€65 million) led by Bregal Milestone and Nordwind Capital. The remaining funds will be used to focus on product development and pursue additional merger and acquisition opportunities. Positioned well for growth, Productsup currently boasts a gross revenue retention rate above 90% and a net revenue retention rate above 120%. World of Content grew its ARR by nearly 300% in the last 12 months, and 92% of its generated business is recurring revenues.
Erasmus University Rotterdam launches new energy transition education programmes for future leaders
by uma
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) aims to educate the future leaders of the energy transition with a new range of holistic and multidisciplinary educational programmes, which will be hosted by the business school of EUR, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM). This fall, the first executive programme will start and the first courses, electives and specializations around energy transition will be introduced in the undergraduate and graduate phases.
Energy transition is a complex issue that – to be successful – requires a holistic approach. Technical innovations are a crucial part of the solution but knowledge about legislation, finance, geopolitics, economic models, capital markets, behaviour and social innovations are also essential. RSM intends for students to gain knowledge about the energy transition during their education and plans to give the topic a place in its undergraduate and graduate studies, as well as develop programmes for executives currently in leadership roles.
Much attention in the programmes will also be paid to the required development of leadership skills such as complexity and systems thinking, leading transitions, stakeholder management and communication and storytelling. To ensure that this knowledge and these skills are given a broad foundation, RSM is working with convergence partner TU Delft and the other faculties of Erasmus University Rotterdam to ensure that all aspects that play a role in the transition are covered.
The demand to come up with additional educational offerings comes from Rotterdam alumni who are now themselves in leadership positions in the field. “We met for the first time a year ago under the leadership of the Erasmus Trustfonds, because we see in practice that the challenge of the energy transition is large and complex. We unanimously agreed that it is important for students to experience and participate early on in learning how they can make the energy transition a success now, and in the future”, said Eelco Hoekstra (member of the Executive Board at SHV Holding, previously CEO Vopak and former RSM Advisory Board member) who is one of the initiators.
Prof. dr. Derk Loorbach, Professor of Socio-Economic Transitions at EUR, agrees. “With this new, promising initiative, we can speed up the process of connecting our knowledge to the practice of the energy transition. We need to work smartly together on a just and sustainable energy future for everyone.”
The Erasmus Trustfonds, the university’s support fund (ANBI) has raised €1.5 million in donations together with 15 founding partners for the Energy Transition Fund as seed money to set up the new education programme and manages these funds. The partners will share learnings from practice for the programme development, but EUR is responsible for the design and management of the programmes. In addition to setting up the education program, there is the intention to set up a research institute.
“There is a lot of interest in the topic of energy transition. I am incredibly happy with the collaboration with TU Delft and other partners that will enable us to put together a broad initiative. It is important that the current generation of students can break new ground and be prepared for one of the greatest challenges of our time. Our mission is to be a force for positive change – and educating future leaders that help to make this change happen is a core task of our academic institution”, says prof. dr. Ansgar Richter, dean at RSM.
“The current industry leaders themselves can share their knowledge and experience for a few more years, but then they really pass the baton for this complex challenge to the next generation. We want to feed the young generation with knowledge and perspectives from science, government and business as soon as possible and they will feed us vice versa”, Hoekstra said. “I am therefore more than thrilled that RSM has enthusiastically embraced the initiative, sharing with us the urgency that it will take more than just technological knowledge to manage the necessary transition.”
Intelligent-recycling entrepreneurs and Imperial College London graduates Victor Dewulf (25) & Peter Hedley (27) win Young Inventors prize 2022
by uma
- European Patent Office honours Belgian-British duo for their efficient AI-based waste-sorting system
• With a computer vision system trained to recognise waste items on a conveyor belt and a robotic arm to pick out valuable material, the invention increases the speed, accuracy and purity of waste-sorting
• The system has been rolled out to recycling facilities in the UK and Europe through the inventor duo’s London-based start-up Recycleye and can increase the volume of recycled waste and make recycling more financially attractive
Munich, 21 June 2022 – The European Patent Office (EPO) today honoured Belgian environmental engineer Victor Dewulf and British computer scientist Peter Hedley with first place in the inaugural Young Inventors prize. The pair have developed an intelligent recognition and sorting system that enables waste management facilities to quickly and accurately separate rubbish, ensuring that more is recycled.
“Victor Dewulf and Peter Hedley are using cutting-edge AI technology to tackle a substantial problem – how to drastically reduce our waste,” says António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office. “By increasing the likelihood that waste will be recycled, their innovation contributes to a cleaner world for us all and this is exactly the type of sustainable venture that the Young Inventors prize was set up to recognise.”
The Belgian-British team was honoured at a hybrid event watched online by a worldwide audience to announce the winners of the 2022 edition of the European Inventor Award, one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation prizes. The EPO created the new Young Inventors prize under the auspices of the European Inventor Award especially for innovators aged 30 and under. It offers a monetary reward to young innovators who have developed solutions that contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and positively impact our lives. Dewulf and Hedley were named one of two first-prize winners alongside Erin Smith, a US-based Parkinson’s researcher. The duo and Smith will receive a cash prize of EUR 20 000 each.
AI for quick picks
Dewulf and Hedley’s system consists of two parts, which can be used separately or together. The waste recognition system uses a cellphone-quality camera mounted above conveyor belts to take photos of the passing waste and send them to an algorithm, which ranks them for picking priority. Instructions on where to pick up and place the waste are then sent to a
6-axis robotic arm for sorting. The entire solution can make 55 successful picks from a conveyor belt every minute.
The idea for the invention began when Dewulf visited a recycling facility as part of his degree at Imperial College London. He was surprised at the level of manual labour involved, making sorting waste prohibitively expensive and limiting the volume of recycled material. Dewulf suspected that a type of artificial intelligence called computer vision could improve the process and turned to his friend Peter Hedley to partner on the project.
The pair began developing their system in the garage of Hedley’s parents in Poole using a camera, a treadmill and a pile of dumpster-dived trash. After successfully training their initial computer vision system, Dewulf and Hedley founded their company, Recycleye, in 2019. They have since raised millions of pounds in funding and have so far deployed 17 vision systems and five robot arms, with more in the pipeline.
Dewulf and Hedley see their work as a key step in creating a sustainable economy. “Applying computer vision and new technologies like robotics means that we can start accelerating the automation of (the waste) industry,” says Dewulf. “Ultimately that means accelerating our economy’s transition to a circular economy to the point where our removal chains can be merged back into our supply chains.”
Menlo Security launches free Security Assessment Toolkit to help companies identify Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) fuelling ransomware and data and credential theft
by uma
Infosec Europe 2022, ExCeL, London; 21 June, 2022 – Menlo Security, a leader in cloud security, today announced that it has released the HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit designed to provide organisations with the ability to assess their levels of protection and current exposure to Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT). Since July 2021, Menlo Security has seen a 224% increase in HEAT attacks. These attacks allow threat actors to deliver malicious content, including ransomware, to the endpoint by adapting to the targeted environment.
The HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit includes a HEAT Check test and a HEAT Analyzer that runs on the Splunk Platform. The HEAT Check enables customers to run a light penetration test to identify if they are susceptible to HEAT attacks. The Menlo Security HEAT Analyzer App for Splunk provides organisations with visibility around HEAT attacks that their network may have been exposed to over the past 30 days.
What is a HEAT Attack?
Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT) are a class of cyber threats targeting web browsers as the attack vector and employs techniques to evade multiple layers of detection in current security stacks including firewalls, Secure Web Gateways, sandbox analysis, URL Reputation, and phishing detection. HEAT attacks are used as the initial access point to deliver malware or to compromise credentials, which in many cases leads to ransomware attacks.
“Ransomware, data and credential theft and other malware are on the rise. Couple this with the Log4J vulnerability, the Lazarus and Conti groups increased attacks targeting web browsers and the result is security teams worldwide facing a nearly non-stop barrage of incidents,” said John Grady, Senior Analyst, ESG. “Tools such as the HEAT Security Assessment can help ensure companies are aware of potential attacks before they have a chance to happen.”
HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit
The HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit provides a lightweight penetration and exposure assessment to help an organisation better understand their susceptibility to HEAT attacks.
“HEAT attacks are defined by the techniques that adversaries are increasingly using to evade detection by traditional security tools,” said Mark Guntrip, senior director of cybersecurity strategy, Menlo Security. “HEAT techniques can be used individually or in combination for any type of attack that targets the user, endpoint, or applications, including ransomware. The HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit is critical to helping companies ensure they are protected against these attacks.”
HEAT Check
The HEAT Check enables customers to run a light penetration test to find if they are susceptible to HEAT attacks. The assessment leverages several real-world HEAT attacks currently being used by threat actors, safely enabling the user to determine their exposure.
The HEAT Check does not deliver actual malicious content. It uses an industry standard EICAR file to test an organisation’s existing HEAT exposure. If the EICAR file is delivered without triggering an alert inside an organisation’s current security stack, then the security technology is not providing the requisite level of protection to defend against HEAT attacks.
Menlo Security HEAT Analyzer App for Splunk
To assess current HEAT exposure, the HEAT Analyzer, now available on Splunkbase, provides organisations with visibility around HEAT attacks that their network may have been exposed to over the past 30 days. This assessment tool analyses the company’s web traffic to determine the scale of HEAT exposure currently in their network and identifies the associated websites that were accessed.
The Menlo Security HEAT Analyzer provides organisations with a simple and effective way to perform a URL & category analysis of the visited websites. The HEAT Analyzer Report will highlight a customer’s exposure to HEAT attacks as well as the number of legacy URL reputation evasions, including click time mis-categorisations, specific categories serving up Legacy URL Reputation Evasion techniques (LUREs), as well as frequently seen domains.
How to Get the HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit
To get started using the Heat Security Assessment Toolkit and understand your susceptibility to HEAT attacks, please visit https://www.heatcheck.security/
The HEAT Analyzer app is available now on Splunkbase
For a video demonstration of the HEAT Security Assessment Toolkit: https://vimeo.com/721568134/17fb9bb97f.
A woman who landed a £75k job at Maxwell’s empire – only to discover it did not exist – releases a book about her corporate journey.
by uma
A WOMAN who broke the glass ceiling in 1987 after she landed a £75,000 a year position at Robert Maxwell’s rising satellite TV and communications empire – only to discover that the job did not exist – has released a book about her corporate journey.
Dr Catherine A. Baudino was filmed accepting the position on BBC2’s Money Programme, in The Apprentice-style reality television show, following a series of interviews with a headhunter and Maxwell himself. Footage from the programme shows Maxwell handing her the contract after she beat two male candidates to the coveted position.
But three months after her appointment as Head of the European Business Channel, which Maxwell was looking to launch, Dr Catherine arrived at The Daily Mirror building, the company’s HQ, and learnt there was no European Business Channel.
She said: “I did not have an office, I did not have a desk, I did not have a phone. I had been hired at a fabulous salary (the equivalent of £225,000 today) for a job that did not exist!”
Growing up in Central London as the only child of strict disciplinarian French parents, Dr Catherine quickly learnt that an obstacle was something to be overcome – not something that would limit her.
Aged 17, she presented herself to eminent heads of departments and professors at her three preferred London universities and fearlessly explained that the French Baccalauréat was at least as good as English A Levels. She eventually obtained her PhD in Literature, aged 23.
Her book, STEPPING INTO MY SHOES, speaks to ambitious male and female executives who want to overcome obstacles to climbing the career ladder.
The book describes
• How wandering around the Mirror Group building searching for a desk, phone and chair eventually landed her a position as the new Chief Executive of Pergamon GED, a joint venture involving Maxwell Communications.
• How through a seized moment with Maxwell’s son Kevin in the lift one day she delivered ‘The Elevator Pitch’ that successfully secured her title as Chief Executive of Maxwell Satellite Communications.
• Strategies she used to (re)gain control of Maxwell’s “authoritarian attitude towards employees” – although she comments, “I was greatly helped, though, in that I was not an alpha male in his jungle so I was not perceived as a threat.”
After leaving Maxwell, Dr Catherine went on to become the first-ever European Business Director of the NASDAQ Stock Market – securing face-to-face meetings with the likes of Olivetti, Benetton and Parmalat or political figures like Romano Prodi, Prime Minister of Italy, and British MPs such as Michael Heseltine and Cecil Parkinson.
Next, she founded a company in the early 1990s to set up solar parks on agricultural land in Italy… then everything fell apart: Dr Catherine said: “My elderly parents fell to Parkinson’s (mother) and Dementia (father). As their only child, I felt I had to take on their care – and did so. This meant giving up my new venture, particularly as I was the only Italian speaker amongst my partners.”
STEPPING INTO MY SHOES recounts the nine relentless years that followed, during which time Dr Catherine lost control of her freedom and identity. The 69-year-old tells how she gradually disentangled herself “from the abysses of despair” to recreate herself as an executive coach.
This is an unusual corporate adventure starring a courageous woman who trailblazed her way from academia to the boardroom and now works to inspire others through her war scars.
The construction industry is filled with dedicated workers. Come rain or shine, builders work tirelessly to build a better tomorrow in our society. To ensure the industry is able to continue its impressive work, employers can take steps to create a welcoming workplace.
Bernard McGovern, UK Managed Services Manager at Mobile Mini, specialist suppliers of container hire, weighs in on the conversation:
“The welfare of employees is of utmost importance. This applies to every industry, including construction. As builders often work in remote locations, a mobile welfare unit is the perfect opportunity to provide them with shelter, comfort, and basic necessities, such as clean water.”
Here, we will explore why your site can benefit from a welfare unit, from boosting employee morale to providing storage.
Relax and recharge
In the construction industry, staff work tirelessly to meet strict deadlines.This can often lead to long hours and early mornings. In order to avoid disrupting people with construction site noise during the night, the average working day for builders is 8am–6pm – but this doesn’t consider the amount of preparation required to undergo a project, meaning some workers will be in preparing for the day long before 8am.
To ensure your employees feel energised throughout their long shifts, you can ensure that they have somewhere to rest and recharge. According to UK legislation, every member of staff is entitled to a 20-minute break for every 6 hours worked. However, it can be difficult to find somewhere to wind down on a construction site.
This is whereyou can utilise a mobile welfare unit. These can be equipped with home comforts, such as couches and desks. The structures can also be a respite from unpleasant weather, as construction workers often work throughout the rainiest of days.
Socialise with the team
It doesn’t matter which sector you’re employed in, it is important to enjoy your role. To ensure the working day is enjoyable, employers can provide a space for social interaction. It can be difficult, however, to chat while working on a busy construction site.
A mobile welfare unit allows staff to socialise in an appropriate environment. Whether employees prefer to chat before or after their shift, this can improve morale and positive mindsets within the workplace. Considering happiness can improve productivity by 12 per cent, we can see why this is a good investment for your business.
Why not go one step further and think outside of the unit?Employers can create an impromptu games room equipped with a lightweight pool table or television. This will keep the good times rolling throughout the day, creating a positive work environment for your staff.
Drink fresh water
Everyone should have access to fresh water in the workplace. As construction workers often operate in remote areas, staying hydrated can prove to be troublesome. A mobile welfare unit can be equipped with fresh drinking water, as well as electricity to brew a perfect cup of tea. What could be more important than a builder’s brew?
Store belongings and change clothes
In addition to fresh water, mobile welfare units can provide workers with a place to change clothes and store their belongings. They can’t cart around a backpack while paving a driveway after all. Uniforms can encourage teamwork within a business, but a set of overalls has a much greater significance.
A uniform is especially important on a construction site. It can protect the workers while they operate on a building site. According to the Health and Safety Executive, it is the responsibility of the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE). These can range from safety helmets to eye protection and high-visibility clothing.
Use remote toilets
Last but not least, mobile welfare units can be equipped with chemical toilets. To follow legislation, employers should provide one chemical toilet per seven employees over a 40-hour working week. Some construction sites are based in remote areas, so this will ensure every employee has access to this basic necessity.
The type of toilet you choose may vary. A chemical toilet, for example, may be perfect if your workplace isn’t connected to the water mains.
The importance of mobile welfare units shouldn’t be overlooked. If you’re still considering whether your business will benefit from this, contact a professional supplier or have an open and honest chat with your team. This might be what is needed to make their working day that little bit better, every day and all year round.
Sources
https://www.goodto.com/family/family-news/what-time-can-builders-start-work-uk-595441
https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work
https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/
https://www.hbcw.co.uk/news/the-importance-of-uniforms-at-work
Imperial College Business School & Corndel launch mission to narrow UK data skills gap with new Apprenticeship Levy-funded programmes
by uma
Two of the UK’s leading education and professional development institutions, Imperial College Business School and Corndel, have expanded their highly successful partnership to launch a new suite of high impact skills development programmes, designed to address the needs of modern industry.
From September 2022, Imperial and Corndel will offer two new Executive Education programmes;
The Data-Driven Professional Programme, has been specifically designed to empower professionals working across core business functions such as HR, Marketing, Finance and Operations to enhance their data literacy and refine their capabilities for harnessing their organisation’s data and business intelligence to make better, quicker and smarter decisions at every level.
The more specialised Data Analyst Programme will enable professionals whose roles require them to prepare and analyse large amounts of data and build predictive tools to get to grips with cutting-edge thinking in machine learning, AI and data science.
Both programmes will provide participants with a thorough grounding in data literacy and refine the key skills needed to tackle modern industrial challenges that arise from increasing levels of digital business innovation. Those embarking on either programme will benefit from not just building their knowledge but also their efficiency and organisational agility.
Participants will benefit from a personalised and transformative learning journey, which combines Imperial’s academic expertise and future-focused teaching with tailored one-to-one mentoring and support through Corndel’s award winning coaching model.
By harnessing a pioneering digital learning curriculum, these new executive education offerings will take a blended approach to learning, enabling participants to fit studies around their careers, join online group seminars and attend masterclass sessions led by renowned Imperial academics and leading industry figures.
David Brown, Director of Executive Education at Imperial College Business School says;
“Strategic, impactful and scalable data skills are increasingly critical for business performance and the economy at large. Imperial College Business School is delighted to expand our partnership with Corndel in this major initiative to address the UK’s data skills gap. At Imperial, we are committed to increasing access to leading edge thinking and application for businesses and organisations. We help individuals translate learning into practice and make a difference immediately.. In partnership with Corndel, we will be able to deliver critical business skills development at speed and scale.”
The programmes’ launch comes amid recent warnings from the Learning & Work Institute that the UK is at risk of sleepwalking in a stagnation of vital skills, with investment in training spend per employee falling 28% in real terms since 2005 to a level less than half the EU average. Meanwhile, demand for data skills continues to rise significantly.
The new programmes, according to James Kelly, CEO of Corndel, provide a positive step forward to ensuring that UK industry can continue to compete in the 21st Century.
James Kelly, CEO and Co-Founder at Corndel says;
“I’m very proud that we’re expanding this pioneering partnership with Imperial College Business School. Data skills are at the core of what every business needs to equip themselves for future growth and we’re now able to offer new opportunities to learners at every stage of their careers. These high-quality, personalised courses combine world-leading teaching with practical training plans designed to make business sense and deliver real results for individuals and businesses.”
Prospective participants will also be able to take advantage of the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, which supports employers in providing workplace training for staff in order to boost skills in areas such as leadership, management, data skills and project management.
The Imperial College Business School and Corndel Data Programmes will be open to learners from September 2022. For further details of how to apply please visit our website and get in touch here.
EMBARGOED UNTIL FRIDAY 17th JUNE 2022: The Kensa Group, UK manufacturer and installer of ground source heat pumps, today announced Legal & General Capital (LGC) has made a further £8 million investment into the company, bringing LGC’s total investment to £15.7 million over two years.
The capital will support the Kensa Group as it continues to scale up rapidly to accelerate the deployment of ground source heat pump technology and networks to meet demand, whilst meeting LGC’s ambitions to continue to support the clean energy transition.
Kensa Group CEO, Dr Matthew Trewhella, said: “This second investment from Legal & General Capital cements the successful partnership we have built together these past two years and marks a major milestone in the development of Kensa’s ground source heat pump solutions.
“The whole heat pump supply chain, including Kensa, will have to expand dramatically to meet the UK’s 2028 heat pump installation target. This investment will allow us to significantly step up our efforts in areas such as R&D and operations, as we continue to prepare for further rapid growth.”
The Climate Change Committee and the Government’s Heat and Buildings Strategy made clear that low carbon heat pumps are a key component in the UK’s journey to zero carbon and they can reduce an average household’s fuel bill of up to 27%, saving them approximately £261pa, helping people out of fuel poverty.
Both the Climate Change Committee and the Government have ambitions for the UK to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028. To date, between 30,000 to 40,000 pumps are installed annually.
Kensa Group and Legal & General Capital joined forces in April 2020 with the shared aim of securing a safe, reliable clean energy future. Legal & General Capital invests in green businesses providing scalable solutions to tackle the climate crisis.
Kensa is the only integrated supplier of ground source technology and its networked heat pump and infrastructure solutions are one of the most developed and effective for delivering the lowest carbon heating to homes for the lowest cost.
John Bromley, Head of Clean Energy at LGC, said: “We invest our capital in clean energy assets, businesses and technologies which will help accelerate the UK’s progress to a low-cost, low-carbon economy. Our partnership with Kensa is delivering at pace and this further investment in Kensa will enable the business to continue to scale up, bringing vital capacity to the sector.
“We are delighted to continue to support a business which is playing a major role in the transition to low carbon heating in the UK, whilst supporting significant job creation in the low carbon sector.”
Kensa’s solution for the mass transition to decarbonised heat which embraces the scaled benefits of the technology, as featured at COP26, is a street-by-street deployment of ground array infrastructure to enable the connection of networked heat pumps as carbon intensive fossil fuel systems reach the end of their lifetimes and new properties are ready to connect.
Kensa Group COO, James Standley, said: “Deploying ground source heat pumps at scale is one of the very lowest cost ways to decarbonise our heating systems and we are confident that Kensa will play a key part in demonstrating and delivering this solution as part of the UK’s pathway to net zero.”
In the two years since Legal & General Capital made its initial investment, Kensa Group has been through a period of accelerated growth, bringing in highly skilled professionals to grow the business from 70 to 180 employees, subsequently bolstering the green economy.
The Group revenue has doubled, from £15.5 million to £31.5 million, cementing the organisation’s position as UK market leader in a time when the market is growing rapidly and seeing increased competition.
Kensa Group’s manufacturing facility increased its production by 150% during the pandemic, breaking records for the number of ground source heat pumps made in the UK, and is working towards a further twofold increase in capacity by 2023.
In addition, an estimated 8 million tonnes of carbon will be saved per year by Kensa ground source heat pumps that have been installed since April 2020. This is the equivalent of removing 2,797 combustion engine cars from the road.