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Also read our article – How RTP Percentages Work and Why They Matter

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The Best Online Casino Choices for Aussie Players in 2025

For decades, board administration was largely manual. Corporate secretaries spent hours preparing thick packs of printed reports. Last-minute agenda changes meant reprinting everything and minutes were often written up days after the meeting ended.

Today, boards are embracing digital meeting software.  These modern solutions eliminate administrative pain points. No more getting lost in PDFs and email attachments. Directors can access documents from a single secure portal. All collaboration happens in real time: before, during, and after the meeting.

This article explores how digital transformation reshapes the way boards operate, and how smart board meeting management helps companies make more informed decisions without wasting valuable time on administrative tasks.

Evolution from paper agendas to digital collaboration

Let’s rewind a bit.

Not that long ago, preparing for a board meeting was an administrative marathon. Secretaries printed thick binders, last-minute agenda changes meant new versions, and the final minutes often took days to circulate:

That worked fine until digital transformation reshaped how organizations operate. Since 2021, hybrid and remote work have become the new norm, and companies have seen the rising demand for real-time collaboration tools.

That’s why boards are switching to digital meeting software for boards. These platforms bring everything together (agendas, reports, and action items)  into one secure space.

Board members can review all the materials and add their thoughts via comments so that everyone can easily spot them. And, probably the best thing for busy board members is that with board software, they can now vote from wherever they are. No more worrying about missing a deadline or losing an email attachment. Despite numerous benefits, there are still some challenges and bottlenecks.

Why board meetings still face challenges

Even with new technology, running an effective board meeting today isn’t easy. Boards are dealing with new issues that didn’t exist just a few years ago. Here are some of them:

Hybrid work and scattered teams

Yes, hybrid meetings offer fantastic flexibility. The catch? It’s surprisingly easy for directors to end up in different worlds. The person in the boardroom has the printed pack, another has an old email attachment, and a third is looking at a shared drive. True collaboration requires a level playing field. For a decision to be made confidently, every single member must have instant and equal:

easy access to documents,
a secure way to vote,
a simple way to speak up during discussions.

Information overload

Boards are drowning in data. ESG reporting, cyber security, financial updates, legal agreements, the list goes on and on. Without decent board meeting software, it is much easier to lose track of document versions or miss the critical context. This can result in confusion and even poor decision-making. And when the company’s core goals are on the line, the risks are just too high.

Compliance and record-keeping

Regulators expect meticulous documentation. Under the Companies Act 2006 and Charity Commission guidance, every decision, conflict of interest, and vote has to be properly recorded.

When all of this happens through scattered files and personal emails, mistakes are just waiting to happen. That’s why a growing number of boards are looking for a more structured, tech-driven way to manage information that makes life easier while keeping them on the right side of the regulators.

This is when board meeting software comes into play.

How smart software improves meeting governance

Modern board meeting management platforms are built to make governance smoother and more secure without losing the transparency element. Here’s how smart tools incorporate into meeting governance best practices:

Everything in one place. Agendas, reports, and meeting packs live in a single secure portal. Everyone accesses the same version.
Less admin, more action. Automatic reminders, task tracking, and e-signatures save hours of preparation time.
Tighter security. Documents are encrypted and access is controlled, ensuring confidentiality even in hybrid settings.
Simpler collaboration. Directors can comment, annotate, or vote directly in the app. No more juggling email attachments.
Built-in compliance. Every decision and edit is automatically logged, helping meet audit and governance requirements.

How does this work in practice?

Let’s take an example.

A company board meets to decide whether to roll out a new AI-powered HR screening system. The directors know they must follow the principles set out in the IoD Business Paper “AI Governance in the Boardroom.”

Before they approve anything, the governance team uploads test reports, compliance assessments, and ethical review notes to the digital board portal. Each director goes through the materials, chimes in with their thoughts, and brings up any potential issues directly within the shared workspace where everyone can see them. In the meeting, they then go over the data as a team, weigh in on the votes: does the system pass muster on the ethics, legal, and technical front?

When concerns appear, the chair uses the platform to record the decision to delay deployment until further testing. Everything, the discussion, the reasoning, and the final vote, stays documented in the system.

A few weeks on, and the board uses the same online space to do another check on things. They open up the latest test results, do a data use impact assessment, and make sure the AI tool still squares with the company’s ethics policy. This time, they tick the approval box and set a reminder in the portal for another review in half a year.

Seeing this kind of process in action gives a glimpse into just how much of a difference smart board meeting management can make for accountability and transparency. Directors can get to the secure data they need, review all the evidence in one go, and make informed decisions that strike the right balance between doing things right and getting the job done. And the right software plays the key role here.

Top board meeting management tools in 2025

If you’re ready to modernize your board processes, there are plenty of excellent tools to choose from.
Here are some of the top board meeting management tools in 2025:

Ideals Board: The top pick for secure, paperless board management. It’s designed for quick agenda creation, document sharing, and digital voting — all with enterprise-grade security.
BoardEffect: Great for charities and nonprofits that need simple governance workflows and user-friendly document sharing.
Diligent Boards: A long-time favourite among listed companies, known for its compliance and performance tracking tools.
Nasdaq Boardvantage: Offers strong encryption and advanced analytics for large corporations and public bodies.
OnBoard: Suited to hybrid Boards that are already using Microsoft 365 or similar collaboration tools.

Conclusion

The digital transformation of boardrooms will not replace human judgment. On the contrary, the whole point is to give it a leg up with the right tools to save time on the unessentials, as effective board meetings lead to better decisions and governance. And that’s what digital tools can help with.

When boards are no longer bogged down by paperwork and logistics, they can spend more time on new ideas and thinking long term, which is exactly what they should be doing. The boards that get on board (pun intended) with this shift will see a double benefit: they’ll not only get more out of their operations but also boost the trust of regulators, investors, as well as the communities they serve. And as the next 10 years take shape, it’s clear that sensible governance starts with meetings that are actually worth having.

Read more:
How Smart Board Meeting Management Drives Better Decisions in Modern Organizations

The government is still reviewing plans to tighten reporting requirements for small and micro companies, with ministers yet to decide whether to press ahead with rules that would require them to publish profit-and-loss accounts for the first time.

In an interview with The Times, Blair McDougall, the new small business minister, said that “all options are on the table” as officials weigh up the balance between tackling fraud and protecting small firms from unnecessary administrative burdens.

“There are obviously different arguments in terms of the impact on businesses of their exposure, particularly for SMEs, versus people who are worried about financial crime and everything else,” McDougall said. “We’re balancing that at the moment and discussing it.”

Under plans announced by Companies House in June, firms classified as “small” or “micro” would lose the right to file abbreviated accounts from April 2027. Instead, they would have to submit full profit-and-loss statements, revealing revenues and profits.

The move formed part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, designed to reduce fraud and improve the accuracy of information filed at Companies House. However, within days of the announcement, the Department for Business and Trade signalled a pause in the rollout amid concerns from business groups that the new rules would increase red tape and risk exposing commercially sensitive data.

If implemented, the reforms would affect companies with turnover below £10.2 million, balance sheets under £5.1 million, and fewer than 50 employees. They would also require all firms to file accounts digitally using commercial software, ending the use of paper and web-based submissions.

The proposals were first consulted on in 2019 and made law in 2023 under the previous Conservative government. Business groups have broadly supported greater transparency but warned that the changes could deter entrepreneurship by exposing small firms’ financial details to competitors.

McDougall, who became an MP in 2024 and took on his first ministerial role in September, said the government’s focus was on building business confidence and long-term growth rather than rushing through reforms.

He added that success would be judged by how well the government delivers on its Small Business Plan and industrial strategy, both launched earlier this year. “We’ve got a terrible history in government of publishing these PDFs that then gather dust,” he said.

McDougall spoke during International Trade Week at The Great British Pitch, an event organised by Small Business Britain that brought together entrepreneurs and international buyers. He said such initiatives were central to boosting the profile of British SMEs and driving export-led growth.

The final decision on the Companies House reforms is expected early next year, with officials indicating that ministers are still assessing the regulatory impact on smaller businesses before confirming the 2027 timetable.

Read more:
Government still weighing changes to small company filing rules, says business minister

Rachel Reeves is considering a pay-per-mile tax on electric vehicles (EVs) as part of her forthcoming Budget, in a move that could raise hundreds of millions of pounds a year and help offset the sharp decline in fuel duty revenues caused by Britain’s shift to greener transport.

The proposed levy, expected to feature in the 26 November Budget, would see EV drivers charged around 3p per mile, adding an average of £250 a year to running costs. The new duty would sit alongside existing road taxes, which electric vehicle owners became liable for from April this year.

A government spokesperson said the move was designed to make motoring taxation “fairer for all drivers”, noting that petrol and diesel motorists currently pay around £600 annually in fuel duty while EV owners pay none. “Fuel duty covers petrol and diesel, but there’s no equivalent for electric vehicles. We want a fairer system for all drivers,” the spokesperson said.

The proposed pay-per-mile charge is being considered as part of the Chancellor’s efforts to fill a £20–30 billion fiscal gap over the remainder of the Parliament. According to the Daily Telegraph, which first reported the plan, the system would be introduced in 2028, following a public consultation.

By then, around four million Britons are expected to drive electric cars or vans, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The trade body, however, warned that the measure could undermine the UK’s fragile EV transition.

“We recognise the need for a new approach to motoring taxes,” the SMMT said, “but at such a pivotal moment in the UK’s EV transition, this would be entirely the wrong measure at the wrong time.”

Jon Lawes, managing director at Novuna Vehicle Solutions, said that while a fairer tax system was inevitable, affordability and infrastructure should take priority. “The cost of EVs and charging availability remain major barriers,” he said, urging the government to accelerate charger deployment, extend grants, and boost incentives for used EVs.

The government has already invested £4 billion to support the transition to electric vehicles, including grants worth up to £3,750 per vehicle. But the Chancellor faces growing pressure to broaden the tax base as fuel duty receipts decline, with analysts estimating the Treasury could lose more than £25 billion annually by the early 2030s as the combustion fleet shrinks.

Policy analysts say the pay-per-mile scheme would mark a significant shift in transport taxation, replacing fuel-based levies with usage-based charges. The Campaign for Better Transport and the Tony Blair Institute have both called for road pricing in recent years, suggesting a 1p-per-mile charge for cars and vans and up to 4p for heavy goods vehicles.

Even with a 3p charge, analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit suggests that EVs would remain around £1,000 cheaper per year to run than petrol vehicles.

“This announcement comes shortly after the government weakened its EV sales targets under industry pressure,” said Colin Walker, the unit’s head of transport. “That could allow more hybrids on the road that burn five times more fuel than advertised, costing drivers hundreds more a year.”

Treasury insiders have framed the proposal as a matter of fairness rather than revenue-raising, but its timing — as Labour prepares a tax-heavy second Budget — underscores the government’s growing dilemma: how to fund Britain’s transition to net zero without stalling public adoption of clean technologies.

As Reeves finalises her Budget, the EV tax debate will test Labour’s ability to balance fiscal discipline, industrial policy, and environmental ambition — a triad that could define the economic tone of the new government.

Read more:
Rachel Reeves considers pay-per-mile tax on electric vehicles to plug £30bn fiscal gap

MPs have urged the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to ignore “scaremongering” by gambling companies and push ahead with higher taxes on the most harmful products, as pressure mounts on the Treasury to extract more from the £11 billion industry ahead of this month’s Budget.

In a report published on Thursday, the Treasury select committee accused betting firms of hiding their most “insidious” and addictive products behind the veneer of traditional, lower-risk activities such as horse racing and seaside amusements. The committee said the Chancellor should focus new duties on high-street slot machines and online casino games, both of which have seen rapid growth since the pandemic.

The recommendations come as Reeves’s team finalises the 26 November Budget, with Treasury officials still weighing whether to harmonise gambling tax rates or target specific sectors. According to industry sources, the Chancellor is likely to favour a moderate rise, expected to raise between £1 billion and £1.5 billion, but she faces mounting political pressure to go further.

Calls for a tougher regime echo similar proposals from former prime minister Gordon Brown, who has backed a £3 billion increase in gambling duties to help fund the removal of the two-child benefit cap, and from influential thinktanks such as the Social Market Foundation (SMF) and IPPR.

The MPs’ report also criticised the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC) after its chief executive, Grainne Hurst, denied in a recent evidence session that gambling causes social harm — a moment the committee chair, Meg Hillier, described as “extraordinary”.

“You feel a moment in a room sometimes where everyone’s jaw drops,” Hillier said. “A couple of us pushed to ask if she was sure she was saying that. But she doubled down.”

The report linked the level of taxation directly to the risk of addiction, calling on the Treasury to adopt a more nuanced system that reflects the differing levels of harm across gambling products.

Currently, multiple duties apply to different types of gambling. Bets on horse racing and sports fall under general betting duty, levied at 15%, while casinos pay gaming duty ranging from 15% to 50%. Remote gaming duty, which covers online casino games, is charged at 21%, and machine gaming duty — governing high-street slot machines — sits at 20% for the most popular machines.

The Treasury has been considering whether to simplify and merge these rates, but the committee said doing so would be a mistake. Instead, MPs argued for higher taxes on the most addictive forms of play, a stance supported by both the SMF and IPPR.

Gambling firms have strongly opposed the prospect of new levies, warning that higher taxes could drive punters to unregulated black-market websites. The BGC claimed that a tax raid could ultimately reduce Treasury revenues and harm British sport, which relies on the sector’s sponsorship and funding.

The council has also cited a report by EY, commissioned by the industry, claiming that steep tax increases could cost 40,000 jobs and cut £3.1 billion from the economy. Betting chain Betfred, owned by former Tory donor Fred Done, has warned that it could close all of its 1,287 UK shops if taxes rise sharply.

However, the Treasury committee’s report questioned these claims, citing evidence from the SMF suggesting no strong link between higher duty rates and illicit gambling activity in international markets.

For Reeves, the decision on whether to target the gambling sector will be both fiscal and political. Labour’s manifesto commits to “protecting working people” while ensuring those with the “broadest shoulders” contribute more — a promise that leaves gambling, alcohol and other “sin” industries in the government’s crosshairs as potential sources of revenue.

With her second Budget less than three weeks away, Reeves faces a delicate balancing act: raising billions to stabilise the public finances without triggering job losses or backlash from industries already under pressure.

Read more:
MPs urge Reeves to raise gambling taxes despite industry ‘scaremongering’

The government has clawed back £74 million from private firms accused of making “excessive profits” under multi-billion-pound asylum accommodation contracts — a figure that amounts to a tiny fraction of the £2.1 billion annual cost to taxpayers.

The Home Office confirmed it had recovered the funds following a review into contracts covering more than 200 hotels housing around 32,000 asylum seekers across the UK. The investigation found several suppliers had breached profit thresholds agreed under their long-term deals to provide accommodation for migrants.

However, the sum recovered is just 3.5% of the department’s total asylum accommodation spend for 2024/25, which averages £5.77 million per day, fuelling renewed criticism from MPs who accuse ministers of losing control of costs and contracts.

In a damning assessment, the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee said the Home Office had “squandered billions” on migrant hotels and presided over a “failed, chaotic and expensive” system. The report said there had been a “manifest failure” to manage contracts with private companies, allowing them to make excessive profits from the Channel crisis.

The committee’s Conservative chair, Dame Karen Bradley, welcomed the recovery of £74 million but described it as “only a first step”.

“This is only a small part of the many billions that the contracts have and will cost,” she said. “The government must now set out its long-term plan for delivering a resilient and cost-effective asylum accommodation system.”

MPs also criticised the Home Office for failing to require providers to assess the impact on local communities before opening hotels, saying the decision had placed unsustainable pressure on local services and damaged public trust.

The Home Office is currently supporting 103,000 migrants at the taxpayer’s expense, including those in hotels, dispersal accommodation and private flats. Average hotel accommodation costs £144.98 per person per night, compared with just £23.25 for dispersal housing.

While costs have fallen from £3 billion in 2023/24 to £2.1 billion this year — partly through the use of cheaper accommodation and room-sharing — MPs say billions have already been lost to poor oversight.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the government had inherited “asylum hotel contracts that were not delivering good value for taxpayers’ money” but stressed that reforms were under way.

“We have already saved £700 million in hotel costs. Now we are recouping millions more in excess profits. And by the end of this Parliament, we will have closed every asylum hotel,” she said.

The 10-year contracts, signed in 2019 with three private providers, were designed to give the government long-term capacity to manage asylum accommodation across the UK. But after years of spiralling demand and emergency hotel use, ministers are now facing renewed pressure to overhaul the system — with MPs warning that, without deeper reform, taxpayers will continue footing an “unsustainable” bill.

Read more:
Government recoups £74m from asylum accommodation firms amid criticism over ‘chaotic’ hotel contracts

The UK Government has announced more than £14 million in new funding to accelerate the commercial use of quantum technology across healthcare, defence, transport and energy, in a move it says will help power Britain’s next industrial revolution.

The investment, unveiled on Friday at the National Quantum Technologies Showcase in London, marks a major milestone in the country’s National Quantum Technologies Programme — part of its wider plan to translate cutting-edge science into real-world applications that drive economic growth.

The funding will support 14 projects through Innovate UK’s Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards, which aim to turn research breakthroughs into market-ready solutions. Among the initiatives being backed are the development of portable and affordable hospital eye scanners, quantum sensors to detect buried structures without excavation, and ultra-sensitive diagnostic tools capable of identifying diseases earlier and more accurately.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said the investment would help cement Britain’s position as a global leader in this field. “Quantum technologies are changing the world – from ultra-sensitive sensors that help diagnose diseases, to computers capable of performing calculations in seconds that would take decades today,” he said. “The UK already has considerable strengths and a vibrant community of companies leading this exciting new sector. Today’s funding and international partnerships will help support that growth right across the country.”

Alongside the new domestic funding, the government announced several international partnerships designed to keep the UK at the forefront of global quantum innovation. These include a Memorandum of Understanding with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, paving the way for joint research and talent exchanges in quantum computing, and a £300,000 investment to relaunch the Scotland–California quantum and photonics partnership (SU2P), linking leading Scottish universities with Stanford and Caltech.

Further collaboration will come through the creation of the Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security at AWE, in partnership with the University of Strathclyde, which will apply quantum computing and sensing to critical national defence projects. The government also confirmed the successful deployment of seven operational quantum computing testbeds at the National Quantum Computing Centre, delivered with £30 million of Innovate UK funding. These facilities will enable businesses to test and validate new hardware, helping the UK’s technology ecosystem bring quantum breakthroughs to market faster.

The announcements also highlighted Britain’s expanding role in international quantum research. Later this month, the UK–Singapore quantum satellite SpeQtre will launch to test ultra-secure encrypted communications in space. The UK is also working with Canada on a joint funding call worth almost £3.5 million to develop terrestrial and space-based quantum communications technologies.

Earlier in the week, the government launched the National Metrology Institute – Quantum (NMI-Q) at the National Physical Laboratory, which will act as a global hub for quantum research collaboration between the G7 nations and Australia. The UK will co-chair the initiative with the United States during its inaugural term.

Since the creation of the National Quantum Technologies Programme 11 years ago, the UK has built one of the world’s strongest ecosystems for quantum research and commercialisation. According to government estimates, quantum technologies could contribute £11 billion to the UK economy and create more than 100,000 jobs by 2045.

Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director of UKQuantum, said the latest investments showed how quickly the UK was moving from research to real-world applications. “The achievements of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme over the last decade have positioned us as one of the world’s leading quantum nations,” he said. “The translation of innovation into commercial reality is already well underway.”

The government has invested £121 million in quantum research this financial year alone and committed £670 million through its Industrial Strategy — one of the largest national investments in quantum anywhere in the world.

As the global quantum race intensifies, the UK’s approach — combining research excellence, international collaboration and targeted industrial support — is designed to ensure the country remains at the forefront of a technology expected to redefine medicine, communications, and national security in the decades ahead.

Read more:
UK invests £14m in new quantum projects to boost health, defence and transport innovation

ITV has confirmed it is in talks with Sky over a potential £1.6 billion sale of its media and entertainment business, including its traditional TV channels and its streaming platform ITVX, in a move that could redefine the future of British broadcasting.

The broadcaster said this morning that it was in “preliminary discussions” with Sky’s US parent company, Comcast, following widespread speculation earlier this week about an approach.

“ITV plc notes the recent press speculation and confirms that it is in preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale of its M&E business to Sky for an enterprise value of £1.6bn,” the company said in a statement to the City.

The talks mark one of the most significant potential shake-ups in UK media in a decade. If completed, the sale would see Sky take control of ITV’s flagship channels and its on-demand service ITVX, consolidating its dominance in both traditional and digital television markets.

The deal could also transform ITV into a pure-play production and content studio, focused on its successful global production arm ITV Studios, which makes hit shows such as Love Island, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Line of Duty.

Analysts say such a shift could mirror a wider industry trend, with traditional broadcasters retreating from costly linear broadcasting operations in favour of content production and licensing revenues.

The discussions come as ITV battles a sharp downturn in advertising revenues, driven by weak consumer confidence and corporate caution ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ 26 November Budget.

Chief executive Carolyn McCall said on Thursday there was evidence of a “softening economy”, with advertisers pulling back spending amid fears of potential tax hikes.

“There is increased uncertainty in the lead-up to the Budget, which has contributed to a tough advertising market,” she said, adding that ITV would delay several major programmes into 2026 to conserve cash.

ITV’s share price has fallen steadily this year, compounded by the decision of US media investor Liberty Global to halve its stake from 10% to 5% in October. The group is now expected to exit completely by the end of the year.

Media analysts said any takeover of ITV’s broadcasting assets by Sky would face intense scrutiny from both Ofcom and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

While a deal could strengthen Britain’s domestic media ecosystem against US streaming giants such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, regulators would be concerned about Sky’s growing control over UK distribution channels.

“This would be a game-changer for UK broadcasting,” said one media analyst at Enders Analysis. “If it happens, Sky would effectively dominate both pay-TV and free-to-air streaming — it’s a strategic masterstroke but a regulatory tightrope.”

For ITV, a sale of its broadcasting arm would represent the end of an era for Britain’s oldest commercial network. It would also raise questions about the future of its public service obligations, which include regional news and accessibility requirements.

Nonetheless, investors are likely to welcome a cash injection that could be redirected toward content investment and international expansion through ITV Studios, now the company’s main profit engine.

If agreed, the deal would be among the biggest UK media transactions since Comcast’s £30bn takeover of Sky in 2018 — and a landmark moment in the evolution of British television.

Read more:
ITV confirms talks with Sky over £1.6bn sale of TV channels and ITVX in landmark broadcasting shake-up

Balnord, a new early-stage venture capital firm founded by the team behind Black Pearls VC, has announced the launch of Balnord Fund I, an oversubscribed €70 million vehicle dedicated to investing in frontier and dual-use technology startups across the Baltic Sea region.

The fund, which is already on track to reach a final close of €100 million by mid-2026, aims to accelerate Europe’s technological reindustrialisation — backing companies building critical infrastructure and innovation in space, healthcare, industrial resilience, and defence-related technologies.

“We’re investing in the backbone of European industrialisation,” said Marcin P. Kowalik, General Partner at Balnord. “There has never been a stronger time for Europe to build resilient and enduring tech companies. The next wave of unicorns will emerge in this space.”

Balnord’s investment thesis centres on Europe’s growing need for technological autonomy amid global supply chain fragmentation and rising geopolitical uncertainty.

The firm has already deployed €13 million across 10 companies, with its first four portfolio firms raising €40 million in follow-on rounds and generating €35 million in revenues this year.

Its focus spans Nordics, the Baltics, Poland, and Germany, investing initial cheques between €500,000 and €3 million with the potential for follow-on investments of up to €12 million per company.

“We’re backing resilient entrepreneurs who are raising the bar on ambition,” said Aleksander Dobrzyniecki, General Partner at Balnord. “Our goal is to help founders build billion-euro companies that can make a GDP-level impact across the Baltic Sea region. We don’t just invest in companies — we back founders and help them build movements.”

Among Balnord’s early investments are:
• ATMOS Space Cargo (Germany), developing space-to-Earth logistics systems.
• Vitvio (Poland), a medtech company digitising operating rooms using computer vision and ambient sensing.
• Astrolight (Lithuania), creator of an undetectable laser communications link for NATO ships.
• Microamp and SATIM (Poland), both deep-tech ventures aligned with Europe’s defence innovation and 5G infrastructure goals.

Other portfolio companies are tackling challenges in industrial resilience, tech bio, and space infrastructure, positioning Balnord as one of the few early-stage funds bridging commercial and dual-use innovation in Europe.

Balnord’s core team, drawn from a decade of successful early-stage investing, includes General Partners Marcin P. Kowalik and Aleksander Dobrzyniecki, alongside Operating Partners Jarosław Pilarczyk, Wojciech Drewczyński, Hubert Szczołek, and Gabriele Poteliunaite. The firm operates from Gdańsk, Luxembourg, and Berlin.

The firm has also established a Founders Board to guide its portfolio companies, featuring Peter Bialo, co-founder of DocPlanner, and Davis Siksnans, founder and former CEO of Printful and now CEO of Mapon — two of the Baltic region’s most successful tech scale-ups.

“Working with Balnord feels like having a partner who truly gets it,” said Sebastian Klaus, CEO of ATMOS Space Cargo. “Their entrepreneurial experience means they understand the ups and downs of building a company. They’re not just investors — they’re builders.”

Limited Partners (LPs) include the European Investment Fund (EIF), PFR Ventures, and several European family offices and founders. The fund’s LP base spans three continents and 12 countries, with most previous investors reinvesting.

“Investing in Balnord enables us to contribute directly to the EU’s strategic objectives,” said Marjut Falkstedt, Chief Executive of the European Investment Fund. “This fund will drive innovation in key sectors such as defence and space, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of technological development.”

Rozalia Urbanek, Board Member at PFR Ventures, added that Balnord’s model “goes well beyond investment, fostering a regional deep-tech ecosystem that founders can truly benefit from.”

Balnord’s mission reflects a broader shift in European venture capital towards frontier technologies with strategic and industrial applications — from satellite logistics and advanced manufacturing to sustainable healthcare systems.

As Europe accelerates efforts to achieve technological sovereignty and reindustrialisation, Balnord is positioning itself as a key early-stage backer for the companies building the continent’s next generation of strategic infrastructure.

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Balnord launches €70m fund to back frontier and dual-use tech startups across the Baltic Sea region

Elon Musk is poised to become the world’s first trillionaire after Tesla shareholders voted overwhelmingly to approve a record-breaking $1 trillion pay package for the electric carmaker’s chief executive.

The vote, held at Tesla’s annual general meeting in Austin, Texas, saw investors chant “Elon, Elon” as the result was announced — signalling their confidence in Musk’s leadership despite criticism from major institutional investors.

The deal, which could raise Musk’s stake in Tesla to 25 per cent or more over the next decade, ties the world’s richest man’s rewards to ambitious performance targets that would see Tesla’s market value soar from $1.5 trillion to $8.5 trillion by 2035.

To unlock the full package, Musk must deliver 20 million vehicles annually, deploy one million robotaxis, sell one million humanoid robots, and generate up to $400 billion in annual operating profit within the next ten years.

“What we are about to embark upon is not merely a new chapter of Tesla’s future, but a whole new book,” Musk told cheering shareholders, flanked by the company’s dancing robots. “This really is going to be quite the story.”

Musk, 54, is already the world’s richest individual, with an estimated net worth of $473 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. In addition to Tesla, he leads SpaceX, the rocket manufacturer, and xAI, his artificial intelligence and social media venture.

Tesla’s chairwoman, Robyn Denholm, defended the pay plan, describing it as a necessary incentive to retain Musk and align his focus with the company’s long-term goals.

“Elon is integral to Tesla’s mission,” she said. “This compensation plan ensures he remains fully invested in delivering our next phase of growth.”

More than 75% of shareholder votes were cast in favour of the deal, despite vocal opposition from several major investors, including Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, which branded the payout “excessive.”

Some shareholder advisory groups also criticised the structure of the plan, arguing that Musk’s control over Tesla’s board raises questions about governance and proportionality.

The decision comes as Musk’s previous pay package, approved in 2018, remains under legal review in Delaware’s Chancery Court, where a judge ruled earlier this year that the plan was unfair to shareholders. Tesla has since appealed.

Tesla shares fell 3.5% to $445.91 following the meeting, valuing the company at around $1.5 trillion. Analysts said the modest decline reflected uncertainty over the feasibility of Musk’s targets rather than investor revolt.

Supporters argue that if Musk achieves his goals, both shareholders and Tesla’s strategic position in the global automotive and robotics markets would be transformed.

“The goals are undeniably ambitious,” said one senior analyst at Wedbush Securities. “But if even half are met, Tesla’s investors will be handsomely rewarded, and Musk will have redefined what’s possible for corporate leadership and wealth creation.”

With Musk now firmly focused on robotaxis, robotics, and artificial intelligence, Tesla’s next chapter looks set to push the company — and its founder — into uncharted territory, both technologically and financially.

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Elon Musk on track to become world’s first trillionaire after Tesla shareholders approve $1tn pay deal