These are the top stories making the headlines across The Business Magazine website today:

Work starts on £16m plant to turn food waste into energy

Eco Sustainable Solutions has commenced construction on a £15.6 million anaerobic digestion plant in Dorset, designed to convert over 50,000 tonnes of food waste annually into 60GWhs of biomethane, enough to power approximately 5,300 homes.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/work-starts-on-16m-plant-to-turn-food-waste-into-energy/

UK watchdog CMA approves £16.5bn tie-up of Vodafone and Three

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has approved the £16.5 billion merger of telecom giants Vodafone and Three, forming the nation's largest mobile network with 27 million customers after an 18-month analysis.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/uk-watchdog-cma-approves-16-5bn-tie-up-of-vodafone-and-three/

Cash injection to boost Bristol firm's photonic chip design

Bristol-based Light Trace Photonics has secured £600,000 in its first investment round, led by QantX Ventures, to advance its integrated photonic chip designs, following its recent induction into the SETsquared incubation programme.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/technology-innovation/cash-injection-to-boost-bristol-firms-photonic-chip-design/

These are the top stories making the headlines across The Business Magazine website today:

Octopus boosts Coventry investment with Two Friargate expansion

Octopus Energy has expanded its footprint in Coventry, securing 55,000 sq ft of Grade A office space in Two Friargate, marking one of the most significant commercial deals in the Midlands in collaboration with Coventry City Council.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/property/octopus-boosts-coventry-investment-with-two-friargate-expansion/

Orbit Discovery and Evergreen Theragnostics expand research collaboration

Orbit Discovery and Evergreen Theragnostics have announced an extension of their research collaboration, initially established in April 2023, to develop novel targeting peptides for radiopharmaceutical delivery.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/technology-innovation/orbit-discovery-and-evergreen-theragnostics-expand-research-collaboration/

Planning permission granted for new facility at University of Southampton Science Park

Planning permission has been granted for a new multi-million pound research and development facility at the University of Southampton Science Park, aiming to bolster the South Central region's laboratory capacity and support the UK's ambitions to be a global life science leader.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/technology-innovation/planning-permission-granted-for-new-facility-at-university-of-southampton-science-park/

These are the top stories making the headlines across The Business Magazine website today:

Defence Secretary launches new strategy to boost UK jobs and growth

The UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, has unveiled a new Defence Industrial Strategy aimed at prioritizing domestic defence firms for government investment, thereby driving economic growth, creating jobs, and enhancing national security, while inviting input from investors, innovators, industry, and trade unions.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/technology-innovation/defence-secretary-launches-new-strategy-to-boost-uk-jobs-and-growth/

Record £1 billion skills investment as BAE Systemsto recruit thousands more apprentices and grads

BAE Systems is set to invest a record £1 billion in education and skills by 2025, recruiting over 2,400 apprentices, undergraduates, and graduates across major UK sites, marking an unprecedented boost in workforce training.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/property/record-1-billion-skills-investment-as-bae-systemsto-recruit-thousands-more-apprentices-and-grads/

Natwest says £1.3 trillion mid-market can be engine of growth for South West

NatWest's inaugural Mid-market corporate report highlights the crucial role of mid-market companies in the UK economy, particularly in the South West, where they employ nearly a quarter of the workforce and promise substantial growth potential.

Full story here: https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/companies/natwest-says-1-3-trillion-mid-market-can-be-engine-of-growth-for-south-west/