Business

Large UK companies that repeatedly delay paying suppliers will face multimillion-pound fines under sweeping new legislation aimed at tackling late payment practices and protecting small businesses.

The reforms, announced by the Department for Business and Trade, will grant enhanced enforcement powers to the Small Business Commissioner, enabling it to investigate poor payment behaviour and penalise persistent offenders.

At the centre of the new rules is a mandatory 60-day payment window for all commercial contracts involving companies with annual revenues above £54 million.

Suppliers will also gain the right to charge statutory interest on overdue invoices at a rate of 8 percentage points above the Bank of England base rate, significantly increasing the cost of late payments for larger firms.

Companies found to be consistently breaching payment standards will be required to publicly disclose their practices in annual reports, including explanations and steps taken to improve.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the measures represent the most significant overhaul of payment laws in a generation.

“It is simply unacceptable that so many businesses are forced to shut due to late payments,” he said. “These are the strongest, most robust changes to payment laws in over a generation.”

The government also confirmed it will consult on reforms to retention payments in the construction sector, a long-standing issue where funds are withheld and sometimes lost if a contractor becomes insolvent.

Industry bodies have broadly welcomed the reforms, describing them as a long-overdue intervention in a problem that has plagued SMEs for decades.

Federation of Small Businesses policy chair Tina McKenzie said the measures would help prevent large companies from using smaller suppliers as a source of “free credit”.

However, she cautioned that a 60-day payment window still falls short of best practice, arguing that a 30-day standard should remain the long-term goal.

Late payments are widely seen as one of the biggest barriers to SME growth, affecting cash flow, investment and hiring decisions. Government research suggests that dozens of businesses close each year as a direct result of delayed payments.

Emma Jones, the Small Business Commissioner, said the new powers would help reduce the administrative burden on smaller firms.

“Less time chasing debt means more time focused on growth,” she said, adding that stronger enforcement will help shift behaviour across the market.

The legislation is expected to be introduced when parliamentary time allows, with ministers indicating they will assess the readiness of businesses before mandating contractual changes.

The reforms mark a clear shift towards a more interventionist approach to payment practices, as policymakers seek to rebalance relationships between large corporations and their smaller suppliers.

For big businesses, the message is increasingly clear: late payment is no longer just a commercial issue, it is becoming a regulatory and reputational risk.

Read more:
Late-paying firms face multimillion-pound fines under new crackdown

Climate tech firm Zevero has secured $7 million in new funding as global demand for robust carbon data and ESG reporting continues to accelerate.

The latest investment, which brings the company’s total funding to $14 million, includes backing from Spiral Capital, Gazelle Capital and Deep 30. It follows a period of rapid expansion, with Zevero reporting 400% year-on-year growth in annual recurring revenue and a doubling of its customer base.

The company has also strengthened its offering through the recent acquisition of sustainability advisory firm Inhabit, enabling it to move beyond emissions tracking into active decarbonisation support for clients.

Zevero’s platform uses artificial intelligence to automate the collection and calculation of emissions data across Scope 1, 2 and 3 — the three key categories used to measure an organisation’s carbon footprint.

By building a continuous, reusable dataset, the platform allows companies to integrate sustainability metrics into core business functions such as product design, procurement and investment planning, rather than treating them as standalone reporting exercises.

Chief executive Shigeo Taniuchi said the shift reflects a broader transformation in how organisations approach sustainability.

“Businesses are increasingly being asked to manage sustainability the way they manage finance,” he said. “Yet many are still treating it as an annual project rather than a continuous system. Our goal is to make climate data actionable, reliable and embedded in decision-making.”

The funding comes amid tightening global regulatory requirements around climate disclosure. Frameworks such as the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards and Japan’s SSBJ standards are pushing companies to apply the same level of rigour to environmental reporting as they do to financial accounts.

This shift is increasing demand for platforms capable of delivering auditable, real-time data, particularly as supply chain transparency and carbon border adjustment mechanisms (CBAM) begin to affect international trade.

George Wade, co-founder and chief commercial officer, said carbon data is rapidly becoming a strategic input rather than a compliance obligation.

“Organisations don’t just need software to collect the data, they need guidance to turn it into something the business can act on,” he said.

The new funding will be used to accelerate product development and support Zevero’s international expansion, particularly across Asia-Pacific and continental Europe, where regulatory and commercial pressures are intensifying.

The company is already working with major organisations including Asahi Group and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, as well as a growing number of clients in manufacturing, FMCG and consumer sectors.

Investors say the company’s combination of technology and embedded expertise gives it a strong position in a market that is becoming increasingly crowded but also more critical to business operations.

Spiral Capital’s Tomokazu Okuno said the platform addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing organisations today, gaining visibility into emissions and acting on that insight.

The investment highlights a broader trend in climate technology, where funding is increasingly flowing towards solutions that deliver measurable operational value rather than purely compliance-focused tools.

As businesses navigate the transition to a low-carbon economy, the ability to track, verify and act on emissions data is becoming a core capability.

For Zevero, the next phase will be scaling its platform globally while maintaining the balance between automation and expert insight, a combination it believes is essential to turning climate data into meaningful action.

With regulatory demands rising and investor scrutiny intensifying, platforms that can bridge the gap between reporting and real-world impact are likely to play a central role in the next stage of the sustainability transition.

Read more:
Zevero raises $7m as demand for carbon data platforms accelerates globally

The United States has moved to ban new foreign-made consumer internet routers, citing mounting national security concerns over cyber vulnerabilities and potential espionage risks.

The decision, announced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), adds consumer-grade routers manufactured outside the US to its list of restricted equipment, placing them alongside foreign-made drones, which were banned last year.

The move does not affect routers already in use but applies to all new device models entering the market. Any router built overseas will now require explicit approval before it can be imported, marketed or sold in the US.

Regulators say the decision reflects growing evidence that internet routers, which sit at the heart of home and business networks — have become a key entry point for cyberattacks.

“Malicious actors have exploited security gaps in foreign-made routers to attack American households, disrupt networks, enable espionage, and facilitate intellectual property theft,” the FCC said.

The agency pointed to a series of cyber incidents between 2024 and 2025, known as Volt, Flax and Salt Typhoon, in which compromised networking equipment was allegedly used to target US infrastructure. Investigations by US authorities have linked the attacks to actors associated with the Chinese government.

Under the new framework, manufacturers producing routers outside the US must apply for conditional approval. This process will require companies to disclose foreign ownership or influence and outline plans to shift production to the United States.

Exemptions may be granted in limited cases if equipment is cleared by national security bodies such as the Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security, although no specific devices have yet been approved.

The ban applies regardless of where a product is designed, meaning even US-based brands that manufacture abroad will be affected.

The decision has significant implications for the global electronics supply chain. The vast majority of consumer routers are currently produced outside the US, particularly in China and Taiwan.

Popular brands such as TP-Link, a major global supplier, have already faced scrutiny amid concerns over cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Even US companies like Netgear, which manufacture overseas, may need to adapt their supply chains to comply with the new rules.

One notable exception is the WiFi router produced by SpaceX’s Starlink service, which the company says is manufactured in Texas.

The move is the latest step in a broader effort by the US to reduce reliance on foreign-made technology deemed critical to national infrastructure. It reflects a growing emphasis on supply chain security and domestic production, particularly in sectors linked to communications, defence and data.

Analysts say the policy could accelerate a wider decoupling in global technology markets, as governments increasingly prioritise security over cost efficiency.

For consumers and businesses, the immediate impact may be limited, but over time the shift could reshape pricing, availability and innovation in networking equipment.

As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, the US government’s message is clear: devices at the core of digital infrastructure are now considered strategic assets, and their origin matters.

Read more:
US bans new foreign-made routers over national security fears

Companies House has disciplined more than 100 employees over the past three years for breaches of internal policies, according to new data revealed through a Freedom of Information request.

Analysis by the Parliament Street think tank found that a total of 132 staff members faced disciplinary action, with cases linked to issues such as attendance, performance, grievance handling and probation processes.

The findings come at a sensitive time for the organisation, following a recent technical glitch on the corporate register that allowed users to access sensitive company information by navigating backwards through the system, raising fresh concerns about data security and operational oversight.

Alongside the disciplinary figures, the data shows that 12,684 compliance and ethics training courses were completed by Companies House employees and contractors over the same period, reflecting a significant push to strengthen internal governance.

The mandatory training programme covers a wide range of areas, including counter fraud, bribery and corruption, data protection, security classification, health and safety, and civil service standards.

A spokesperson for Companies House said the organisation has “robust procedures in place to address misconduct or poor performance”, noting that it employs around 2,400 staff.

The disciplinary data highlights the operational challenges facing public sector bodies tasked with managing large-scale data systems and regulatory responsibilities, particularly as digital transformation accelerates.

The recent system vulnerability has added urgency to calls for stronger safeguards, with critics arguing that even minor weaknesses in core infrastructure can expose businesses and individuals to fraud and reputational risk.

Industry experts say emerging technologies could play a key role in reducing such risks. Ritesh Singhania, chief executive of AI firm Zango AI, said organisations must move away from manual processes in complex regulatory environments.

“In an AI-driven world, compliance malpractice will soon become inexcusable,” he said, warning that reliance on manual systems increases the likelihood of errors, breaches and costly penalties.

Similarly, Raj Abrol, chief executive of Galytix, argued that automation could significantly improve adherence to regulatory standards by reducing human error and improving oversight.

For Companies House, which sits at the centre of the UK’s corporate transparency framework, the challenge is balancing operational scale with rigorous compliance.

As the organisation continues to modernise its systems and processes, the combination of staff training, disciplinary oversight and technological investment will be critical in maintaining trust in one of the country’s most important public registers.

The latest figures suggest progress is being made on training and enforcement, but also underline the importance of continued vigilance as both regulatory expectations and technological complexity continue to rise.

Read more:
Companies House disciplines over 100 staff amid compliance concerns

Oxford spinout Stateful Robotics has raised $4.8 million in pre-seed funding as it looks to solve one of the most persistent challenges in robotics: enabling machines to operate reliably over extended periods in unpredictable real-world environments.

The round was led by Amadeus Capital Partners and Oxford Science Enterprises, with additional backing from serial entrepreneur Stan Boland, founder of autonomous vehicle company Five.

The funding will be used to accelerate deployment of Stateful’s platform, which introduces a new layer of “long-horizon intelligence” — allowing robots to remember past events, adapt to changing conditions and plan tasks over hours or days rather than moments.

While recent advances in large language models and foundation AI systems have significantly improved robots’ ability to perceive and interpret their surroundings, most systems still struggle when environments change.

Unexpected obstacles, shifting lighting conditions or operational disruptions can quickly derail robotic systems that lack the ability to learn from past experiences.

Stateful Robotics aims to address this limitation by building what it describes as a persistent, evolving model of each deployment environment. By continuously integrating data on tasks, performance and historical outcomes, the platform allows robots to anticipate challenges and adapt in real time.

Professor Nick Hawes, co-founder and chief scientist, said traditional systems treat each decision in isolation.

“Stateless systems cannot remember previous incidents or how work actually flows through a site,” he said. “Our platform builds a shared model of tasks and environments that enables robots to adapt to disruption and complete missions safely without constant supervision.”

The company was co-founded by chief executive Kirsty Lloyd-Jukes, previously CEO of Latent Logic, an Oxford spinout acquired by Waymo, alongside leading academic researchers including Professor Nick Hawes, Professor David Parker and Dr Bruno Lacerda.

Their work builds on more than a decade of research at the University of Oxford in areas such as autonomy, decision-making under uncertainty and probabilistic verification.

Lloyd-Jukes said the key challenge facing robotics is not immediate decision-making, but longer-term planning.

“Most robots are good at ‘what now’, but fail at ‘what next’, especially when ‘next’ spans hours or days,” she said. “By maintaining a live model of each deployment, we ensure robots perform reliably and consistently across complex environments.”

Investors believe the technology could help unlock large-scale commercial adoption of robotics across sectors such as logistics, infrastructure, energy and healthcare.

Dr Manjari Chandran-Ramesh of Amadeus Capital said the evolution of robotics, from static industrial arms to mobile systems operating in human environments, requires a new form of intelligence capable of reasoning over time and context.

Similarly, Oxford Science Enterprises highlighted what it sees as a critical bottleneck in the industry: the inability of current systems to handle long-term planning and operational complexity.

Stateful Robotics is already working with pilot customers in sectors including logistics and infrastructure, where reliability and safety are critical to scaling automation.

The new funding will support expansion of its engineering team, further development of its performance engine and broader commercial rollout with industrial partners.

The spinout also reflects the continued strength of the UK’s deep-tech ecosystem, with Oxford University Innovation playing a key role in supporting the company’s formation and early development.

As robotics hardware becomes increasingly mature, attention is shifting to the software and intelligence layers required to make systems truly autonomous.

Stateful Robotics is betting that solving the “memory and planning” problem will be the key to turning promising prototypes into dependable, large-scale solutions, and, in doing so, unlocking the next phase of the automation revolution.

Read more:
Oxford spinout Stateful robotics raises $4.8m to tackle real-world AI for robots

Postal workers across the UK have accused Royal Mail of encouraging practices designed to make delivery performance appear stronger than it is, as the company faces mounting scrutiny over persistent delays.

Employees speaking anonymously said managers routinely instructed them to “take the mail for a ride”, a phrase used to describe removing undelivered letters from view during inspections so delivery rounds appear complete.

The allegations come ahead of a parliamentary session where Royal Mail executives are due to be questioned by MPs over the deterioration in service levels, which has affected millions of customers.

Workers from multiple delivery offices told the BBC that when they raised concerns about workload, particularly the growing volume of parcels compared with letters, they were often told to prioritise parcels and temporarily remove letters from sight.

In some cases, undelivered mail was reportedly placed into trolleys and moved elsewhere in the depot during inspections, before being returned for delivery the following day.

One worker described the practice as “embarrassing and deceitful”, adding that it allowed managers to claim rounds had been completed even when letters had not been delivered.

Others said the approach was used to avoid scrutiny from senior management and external inspectors, effectively masking operational shortfalls.

Royal Mail has a legal obligation to deliver first-class mail six days a week, but recent performance has fallen significantly short of regulatory targets.

In the 2024–25 financial year, the company delivered just 77% of first-class mail on time, against a target of 93%. Second-class performance also missed its benchmark, reaching 92.5% compared with a 98.5% target.

The regulator Ofcom has already fined Royal Mail £37 million in recent years and warned that further penalties are likely if service levels do not improve.

Royal Mail has strongly rejected the allegations, stating that the claims “do not reflect how our delivery operations work”.

A spokesperson said the company would investigate any specific cases raised and insisted that the vast majority of mail, around 92%, is delivered on time. It added that where local issues arise, efforts are made to restore normal service quickly.

However, the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) said the problems stem from deeper structural issues, including low pay, staffing shortages and what it described as a “toxic managerial culture”.

The union warned that recruitment and retention challenges have left many delivery offices understaffed, placing unsustainable pressure on workers and contributing to declining service standards.

The ongoing delays are having tangible consequences for the public, with reports of missed hospital appointments, delayed legal documents and disrupted personal communications.

Workers say morale has deteriorated sharply, with many reporting stress, sickness absence and a sense that workloads are “impossible” to complete.

In areas where Royal Mail has piloted a new delivery model, including reduced frequency for second-class mail, staff told the BBC conditions had not improved, with some suggesting the system had worsened operational pressures.

Royal Mail, however, maintains that the pilot has increased delivery reliability, claiming the proportion of addresses receiving mail each day has risen from around 92% to 97%.

The dispute highlights the wider challenges facing the UK’s postal system, as traditional letter volumes decline and parcel deliveries, driven by e-commerce, become the dominant part of the business.

Royal Mail has argued that delivery rules must evolve to reflect this shift, including reducing the frequency of second-class deliveries to improve efficiency and financial sustainability.

For now, the allegations of hidden mail add a new layer of controversy to an already embattled service, with MPs expected to press for answers on both operational practices and the long-term future of the UK’s universal postal obligation.

Read more:
Royal Mail staff allege pressure to hide undelivered post to meet targets

UK pubs are facing a deepening profitability crisis, with new analysis suggesting that for every £1 spent on a pint, operators may now be left with as little as 3p in profit.

The findings, based on cost modelling using data from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), highlight how rising operating costs are eroding margins across the sector, even as consumers continue to see higher prices at the bar.

According to the research, profit margins for wet-led pubs have more than halved in recent years, falling from 7p per pound two years ago to 5p last year and now just 3p in 2026.

Despite steady increases in the price of a pint, now averaging around £5.17, pubs are struggling to keep pace with escalating expenses.

Wholesale food and drink costs account for approximately 41% of revenue, while wages make up a further 31%, reflecting the impact of higher minimum wages and staffing pressures.

Additional costs, including utilities (4%), business rates (3%) and beer duty — which has risen by 3.66% this year — continue to chip away at margins. Beer duty alone is estimated to add around £35 per week to operating costs, while wage increases are adding more than £200 weekly.

After these expenses, pubs are left with around 6p in gross profit per pound of revenue. Once rent, typically around 50% of gross profit, is deducted, the net figure falls to just 3p.

For a typical pint, that equates to roughly 16p profit.

The figures underline the increasingly precarious position of the UK pub sector, which has seen a steady decline in venue numbers in recent years.

Landlords are caught in a difficult balancing act: absorb rising costs and risk financial strain, or pass them on to customers and risk reduced footfall.

Jake Pemberton, landlord of The Gladstone in Nottingham, said price increases often fail to reflect the full scale of cost pressures.

“Increases in beer prices don’t cover everything else pubs have to deal with, business rates, energy bills, wages, taxes, it all adds up,” he said.

He warned that higher prices are already discouraging customers, with more people choosing to stay at home, contributing to a gradual erosion of traditional pub culture.

Pemberton added that many pubs are nearing a “ceiling” on what customers are willing to pay, limiting their ability to maintain margins.

“This year, some of my beers needed a 15p increase just to maintain the same gross profit, but I could only raise prices by 10p,” he said. “That means I’m effectively losing money on those products.”

The situation is also accelerating structural changes within the sector, with more pubs shifting away from drink-led models towards food and family-oriented offerings in an effort to diversify income streams.

Industry experts warn that without additional support, the financial pressure could lead to further closures and long-term damage to the sector.

Joe Phelan, business current accounts expert at money.co.uk, said the perception that rising prices translate into higher profits is misleading.

“Our data shows margins are shrinking, with only a few pennies left from every pound spent once costs are covered,” he said. “Without support, we risk losing not just businesses, but a cornerstone of British culture.”

With costs continuing to rise and consumer spending under pressure, the outlook for the UK pub sector remains challenging — and the prospect of significantly higher pint prices, particularly in major cities, is becoming increasingly plausible.

Read more:
UK pubs making just 3p profit per £1 as rising costs squeeze margins

AI video tools are making content creation much easier. Instead of building every clip from scratch, creators can now start with one strong visual idea and turn it into a short video for YouTube, TikTok, product pages, ads, and story content.

In this guide, we cover the 10 best AI video tools for people who want smoother motion, better visual quality, and simpler workflows. Some tools are strong in realism, some are strong in style, and some are built for fast output. If you want a tool that does more than generation alone, Videoinu deserves a close look.

Tool List

1 Videoinu
2 Hailuo AI
3 Vidu AI
4 PixVerse AI
5 Krea AI
6 Veo
7 Seedance
8 Hunyuan AI
9 Wan AI
10 StoryShort AI

Videoinu——For Publish-Ready Creator Workflows

Videoinu is a strong choice for creators who want more than basic AI video generation. It is especially useful for people who care about what happens after the video is made.The platform emphasizes creator workflow, channel publishing support, and repeatable content systems rather than generation alone.

That makes Videoinu a good fit for creators building faceless channels, story-driven formats, and series-based content. Instead of treating video generation as a one-step output, it works better as part of a larger process that moves from concept to publish-ready content.

For teams that care about continuity, packaging, and long-term channel growth, that angle helps Videoinu stand out.

Pros

Strong creator workflow focus
Good for publish-ready channel content
Fits faceless and story-driven formats
Useful for repeatable production systems

Cons

Longer videos may still need multiple generations
Some users may want more manual control
Best results still depend on a strong source image

Hailuo AI——For Smooth Motion and Clean Visuals

Hailuo AI is a good option for creators who care about motion quality. It works well when you want a still image to become a clean, smooth clip with a more natural look. That makes it useful for portraits, product images, dramatic character visuals, and social posts that need motion without too much visual noise.

A big reason creators like Hailuo AI is that it can make simple scenes feel more alive. One strong image can turn into a short video that feels polished and easy to watch. For creators who want better-looking motion without a heavy workflow, it is a solid tool to test.

Pros

Smooth motion feel
Good for portraits and social clips
Useful for clean visual output
Easy to test with simple ideas

Cons

Can need retries
Not always ideal for busy scenes
Output quality depends on the source image

Vidu AI——For Creative Story Scenes

Vidu AI is a strong pick for creators who want results with more imagination. It works well for fantasy visuals, character shots, anime-style ideas, and short scenes that need more emotion or visual energy. If your source image already has a strong mood, Vidu AI can push it into something more expressive.

This makes it useful for creators building story content instead of only motion tests. It can help turn one still frame into a short moment that feels bigger, more dramatic, or more playful. For visual storytelling, that can be a real advantage.

Pros

Good for story-like clips
Strong creative mood
Useful for fantasy and character content
Helps images feel more expressive

Cons

Not ideal for long videos
Too many motion ideas can reduce quality
Results may need several tries

PixVerse AI——For Fast Social Media Content

PixVerse AI is built for short-form content, which makes it a practical choice for creators making reels, shorts, and quick promo posts. If you want to turn one image into a short social-ready clip, PixVerse AI is easy to work with and fast to test.

Its biggest strength is speed. You can try several versions from one image, compare them, and choose the strongest one for posting. That makes it useful for product hooks, trend content, promo visuals, and fast creative testing on social platforms.

Pros

Good for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts
Fast workflow
Easy to compare multiple versions
Strong for quick promo content

Cons

Best for short clips
Limited advanced control
Less suitable for deeper story videos

Krea AI——For Visual Style and Creative Control

Krea AI is a good fit for creators who care a lot about style. It is less about simple output and more about shaping the overall visual feel. If you want to start with one image and explore different moods, textures, and artistic directions, Krea AI gives you more room to experiment.

That makes it useful for designers, visual artists, and creators working on concept-heavy projects. It may take more time to learn than faster tools, but for work that needs a stronger visual identity, Krea AI can be very valuable.

Pros

Strong style control
Good for creative experiments
Useful for artists and designers
Great for concept visuals

Cons

Higher learning curve
Not always focused on realism
Less direct for fast daily use

Veo——For Premium-Looking Visual Output

Veo stands out for creators who care about premium-looking visuals. It is often seen as a more ambitious option for people who want cleaner motion, stronger depth, and a more advanced feel from one source image. That makes it interesting for concept work, polished branded content, and serious creative testing.

For everyday use, it may not always feel like the simplest choice. But for creators who want results that feel closer to high-end visual production, Veo is one of the more exciting names in the space.

Pros

Strong premium visual feel
Good for polished creative work
Useful for advanced testing
Strong fit for branded visuals

Cons

May feel less simple for beginners
Workflow may vary
Not always the fastest for daily output

Seedance——For Smooth and Modern-Looking Clips

Seedance is a useful option for creators who want polished motion from still images. It often stands out because the results can feel clean, modern, and visually sharp. That makes it a practical tool for short branded clips, social visuals, and fast concept testing.

It works especially well when the source image is already strong and the creative goal is simple. For creators who want neat-looking short videos without too much setup, Seedance is worth trying.

Pros

Smooth and polished output
Good for short-form content
Useful for fast concept testing
Modern visual feel

Cons

Best for shorter clips
Results depend on image quality
May not fit every style

Hunyuan AI——For Experimental Visual Ideas

Hunyuan AI is a good choice for creators who like to test different visual directions. It can be useful for concept work, stylized motion, and early creative exploration from a single image. Instead of focusing only on clean realism, it gives more room for experimentation.

That makes it helpful for teams and creators who want to compare moods, motion styles, and visual approaches before choosing a final direction. It may take more trial and error, but it can be useful in the idea stage.

Pros

Good for experimentation
Useful for early concept work
Can explore different motion styles
Strong for creative testing

Cons

Results may vary more
Can need extra trial and error
Not always easiest for beginners

Wan AI——For Fast Concept Drafts

Wan AI is a practical tool for creators who want quick visual output. It is useful for taking a still image and turning it into a short draft clip without much setup. That makes it good for idea boards, rough campaign visuals, and early creative testing.

Instead of aiming only for a premium finish, Wan AI is strongest when speed matters. For teams that want to generate many concepts quickly, it can be a helpful option.

Pros

Fast concept generation
Useful for quick drafts
Easy workflow
Good for testing ideas at speed

Cons

Less premium than some rivals
Best for simpler use cases
Fine details may not stay consistent

StoryShort AI——For Short Narrative Content

StoryShort AI is a useful choice for creators who want to turn one image into a short narrative-style video. It fits well for emotional content, character moments, and short visual stories where mood matters more than technical complexity.

If your source image already has a clear character, scene, or emotional angle, StoryShort AI can help turn it into a more story-like clip. That makes it especially useful for niche storytelling content and character-led posts.

Pros

Good for short story content
Useful for emotional visual clips
Helps one image become a narrative moment
Good for character-based content

Cons

Better for narrower use cases
Less flexible than broader platforms
May not fit every marketing need

Conclusion

There are many useful AI video tools on the market, and each one brings a different strength. Some are better for social media, some are better for polished visual output, and some are better for creativity and style.

Videoinu stands out because it can be framed as more than just a generation tool. Its positioning connects workflow, continuity, packaging, and repeatable creator systems, which makes it especially appealing for teams and creators who want content that is easier to turn into a real publishing process.

FAQS

What is an AI video tool?

An AI video tool helps creators turn images, prompts, or ideas into video clips with less manual editing.

Which tool is good for beginners?

Videoinu is a strong option for beginners because the workflow is easier to understand and can support repeatable content creation.

Which tool is good for social media clips?

PixVerse AI is a strong choice for short social media clips because it is fast and easy to test.

Which tool is good for creative story scenes?

Vidu AI is a good choice for creators who want more expressive, story-like results.

Why does Videoinu stand out in this list?

Videoinu stands out because its positioning goes beyond generation alone and fits broader creator workflows.

Read more:
10 Best AI Video Tools for Creators, Brands, and Growing Channels

Growers who search for the best water-soluble fertilizer companies usually have a pretty down-to-earth goal: they want a nutrient program that behaves predictably when the crop and the system have zero patience for mistakes.

In hydroponics and greenhouse production, fertilizer is not just an “input.” It is basically part of the plumbing. If something does not dissolve cleanly or it nudges pH in a weird direction, you feel it fast: clogged emitters, drifting EC, uneven growth, the whole headache.

That’s also why things like solubility, purity, pH behavior, and formulation consistency can matter just as much as the nutrient numbers on the label. And yes, the commercial side is growing. Fortune Business Insights estimates the global fertilizers market at USD 144.50 billion in 2024, projecting USD 192.21 billion by 2032. Within that, fertigation was valued at USD 20.69 billion in 2024 and is forecast at a 5.11% CAGR, and fruits and vegetables are projected at a 4.83% CAGR.

Zooming out a bit helps explain why this “precision feeding” conversation keeps getting louder. FAO’s Statistical Yearbook 2024 reports global agricultural value at USD 3.8 trillion in 2022, primary crop production at 9.6 billion tonnes, and inorganic fertilizer use at 185 million tonnes of nutrients. The same release points to worsening water stress in some regions, which is part of the reason irrigation-based nutrition is getting treated as a strategic tool, not just a nice upgrade.

So what counts as a water-soluble fertilizer, in plain language? It’s a concentrated nutrient product designed to dissolve in water so you can apply it through drip irrigation, fertigation, or foliar feeding. In hydroponics, it’s even more central because the nutrient solution is the crop’s main food source, not a soil supplement. These fertilizers are formulated to dissolve in water and support precise nutrient delivery through irrigation systems.

What Are Water-Soluble Fertilizers?

Water-soluble fertilizers are specialty fertilizers that dissolve fully, or close enough that they run cleanly through irrigation and foliar systems, letting growers deliver nutrients with real control. The big advantage is flexibility. You can change concentration, timing, and ratios as the crop changes, instead of sticking with a generic schedule that kind of fits, until it doesn’t.

These fertilizers are designed to dissolve completely and deliver plant-ready nutrients with minimal impurities. In greenhouse and fertigation systems, characteristics like low chloride or sodium levels, stable nutrient solutions, and compatibility with injectors and emitters become important. Those details may sound technical, but they show up in practical ways for growers: fewer deposits in irrigation lines, more stable tank mixes, and fewer surprises during crop cycles.

Not all fertilizers behave the same once they hit water. In hydroponics and greenhouse fertigation, growers tend to choose products based on predictable dissolution, low impurity levels, and steady nutrient delivery. Yara International positions its YaraTera line as a full family of fully water-soluble products for fertigation, including NPKs, straights, chelates, liquids, and biostimulants. EuroChem makes a similar stage-based argument for its water-soluble NPK products, which it says are adapted to crop phases such as rooting, development, growth stimulation, and ripening.

A simple way to think about water-soluble fertilizers is this: they sit right at the intersection of chemistry and irrigation management. The crop only gets the payoff if the nutrient source, the water quality, and the delivery method play nicely together. That is why the more credible water-soluble fertilizer companies usually talk about more than product bags. They talk about systems, water, support, and crop programs.

Why Hydroponics Requires Specialized Fertilizers

Hydroponics is less forgiving than soil because there is no soil buffer to soften your mistakes. The nutrient solution has to deliver everything the plant needs, in the right ratio, at the right concentration, and in forms that stay available. Haifa’s hydroponics materials are pretty blunt about it; hydroponic growing calls for very high purity and solubility, with essentially no tolerance for contaminants that could harm plants or clog equipment.

This is where “specialized” stops being marketing and starts being risk management. If a product does not dissolve well, it can leave residue, block emitters, complicate EC and pH control, or create nutrient antagonisms that reduce uptake. High-purity, low-chloride inputs and formulas designed for fertigation can reduce those risks, at least in most setups. Haifa highlights sodium- and chloride-free nutrition in its soluble range, while SQM positions its natural-source potassium nitrate as chloride-free and fully water-soluble, with formulas designed for fertigation and nutrient absorption.

The market numbers support the trend toward more specialized products. Fortune Business Insights says the liquid fertilizer segment is projected to grow at a 4.56% CAGR from 2025 to 2032, and it also describes fertigation as the fastest-growing application mode among the listed methods. That matches what a lot of growers already learn the hard way: once irrigation becomes the delivery platform, fertilizer quality has to keep up.

Consistency becomes the real bar. A supplier can look great on paper, but if products dissolve inconsistently, if formulas are too generic for sensitive greenhouse crops, or if technical support is thin, growers can lose yield quickly. That is why strong hydroponic nutrient suppliers rarely get judged on NPK alone. People judge them on purity, formulation range, water compatibility, technical guidance, and whether they can support crop-specific recipes across different growth stages.

Best Water-Soluble Fertilizer Manufacturers

There is no single best supplier for every operation. A tomato greenhouse, a leafy greens hydroponic farm, and a nursery running container fertigation can all care about different things. Still, based on publicly visible portfolios and technical positioning, ICL Group, Haifa Group, Yara International, SQM, and EuroChem Group come up as serious players in water-soluble nutrition. The difference is mostly about what each one seems to lean into: greenhouse specialization, hydroponic purity, fertigation breadth, nitrate-based inputs, or integrated agronomy support.

Comparison snapshot

Company
Main WSF / hydroponic focus
Publicly highlighted products / platform
Best fit

ICL Group
Broad water-soluble and liquid fertigation portfolio
Agrolution, Solinure, NovaNPK, Novacid, Fertiflow
Growers wanting a broad fertigation and greenhouse program

Haifa Group
Hydroponic and high-purity soluble nutrition specialist
Hydroponic fertilizer range, Poly-Feed, Multi-K, micronutrient solutions
Hydroponic, soilless, and intensive greenhouse operations

Yara International
Integrated fertigation platform with tools and support
YaraTera and YaraRega
Commercial growers wanting a full fertigation ecosystem

SQM
Chloride-free nitrate-based specialty nutrition
Natural-source potassium nitrate and Ultrasol specialty nutrition
Programs prioritizing nitrate-based, chloride-sensitive crop nutrition

EuroChem Group
Water-soluble fertigation range with crop-stage-specific formulas
Aqualis water-soluble NPK, UP Solub, MAP Solub, CN Solub, NOP Solub
Growers focused on tailored fertigation programs and irrigation-system performance

#1 ICL Group

ICL Group looks strongest when you want breadth, a full water-soluble fertigation lineup instead of one flagship product. On its agriculture pages, ICL describes itself as a leading manufacturer and distributor of water-soluble and liquid fertilizers, listing brands like Agrolution, Solinure, NovaNPK, Novacid, and Fertiflow. The public messaging ties those products to precise nutrition, crop-stage management, and crop-specific applications for fruit trees, vegetables, and other cash crops.

If you’re managing multiple crops or running a year-round greenhouse schedule, that range can be genuinely useful. ICL also leans into irrigation performance, not just nutrition theory. For example, it describes Solinure as being made for fruit and vegetable crops in field or greenhouse settings, with emphasis on high purity and reducing deposit buildup and blockages in irrigation systems. That mix, formulation range plus irrigation practicality, is why ICL reads as one of the more “complete” options in this set.

#2 Haifa Group

Haifa Group comes across as the most clearly hydroponics-forward supplier here, at least from what it emphasizes publicly. The company states outright that hydroponic growing requires fertilizers with very high purity and solubility, and it presents hydroponic solutions as a core use case, not an afterthought. Its water-soluble positioning focuses on complete dissolution, plant-ready nutrients, rapid absorption, and products that are virtually free of chloride and sodium.

That focus tends to align with what hydroponic growers actually worry about day to day, clean system performance and predictable chemistry. Haifa’s public lineup includes greenhouse-grade NPKs under Poly-Feed GG, potassium nitrate through Multi-K, and additional products tailored for greenhouse and soilless systems. If your main requirement is a hydroponic-first supplier, Haifa looks especially aligned.

#3 Yara International

Yara’s strength looks a little different. Its water-soluble story is less “hydroponics specialist” and more “fertigation ecosystem.” YaraTera is described as a full range of water-soluble products for fertigation, including NPKs, straights, chelates, liquid fertilizers, and biostimulants. Then it layers in software, training programs, and support tools, which can matter a lot for commercial growers who want repeatable systems and documentation, not just products.

Yara also shows a two-track approach in public materials, YaraTera for fully water-soluble fertigation, and YaraRega for water-soluble granular NPKs in field fertigation. So, Yara may be a better fit when the buyer values integration, training, and agronomic infrastructure, even if its hydroponics messaging is not as “front and center” as Haifa’s.

#4 SQM

SQM stands out most for nitrate-based specialty nutrition, especially potassium nitrate. On its official pages, SQM describes itself as a global leader in natural-source potassium nitrate and positions it as chloride-free, fully water-soluble, and suited for fertigation. It also points to agronomic expertise supported by field trials and teams working across more than 100 countries, which signals a heavy emphasis on real-world crop programs.

Its Ultrasol line is positioned as a complete water-soluble nutrient range for fertigation across phenological phases, with macro and micronutrients designed for efficient absorption. If your buying criteria centers on chloride-free nitrate inputs and specialty fertigation programs for fruits and vegetables, SQM’s positioning fits that priority well.

#5 EuroChem Group

EuroChem Group reads as a practical fertigation supplier with a broad water-soluble offering, rather than a hydroponics-only brand. Its public agriculture pages describe a complete range of water-soluble fertilizers for efficient fertigation, including tailor-made formulas adapted to phases like rooting, development, growth stimulation, fattening, and ripening. That stage-based framing can be genuinely useful in greenhouse programs where feed recipes keep shifting.

EuroChem also highlights system-focused features that matter in irrigation. For instance, Aqualis UP Solub is positioned for foliar or fertigation use in alkaline conditions, with acidity that helps clean irrigation systems and reduce clogging risk. It also describes products like calcium nitrate and monoammonium phosphate as fully water-soluble and low in insoluble matter, which is exactly what injection-based systems need.

Choosing Nutrients for Greenhouse Crops

For greenhouse and hydroponic growers, picking a supplier is only half the job. The other half is building a nutrient strategy that fits your water, your crop stage, and your system constraints. When things go wrong, it usually isn’t because one single factor was “bad,” it’s because a few small mismatches stacked up.

Start with your water, not your fertilizer bag. Hard or alkaline water can create availability issues and equipment problems quickly. That’s where irrigation-friendly or acidifying products can matter. EuroChem positions urea phosphate solutions for alkaline conditions and clogging prevention, and ICL highlights products designed to reduce deposit buildup in irrigation systems. Water tests may feel like homework, but they tend to save money and frustration.
Match the formulation to the crop stage. Greenhouse crops rarely require the same ratio during rooting, vegetative growth, fruit set, and ripening. EuroChem leans into phase-specific formulas, and Yara emphasizes a range that includes straights, chelates, and fertigation tools. In practice, a tomato greenhouse often does better with a supplier that can support recipe changes across the full cycle, not just sell a generic soluble NPK.
Prioritize purity if you run hydroponics or other soilless systems. Haifa’s hydroponics positioning and SQM’s chloride-free nitrate emphasis point to the same thing: sensitive irrigation-fed systems usually benefit from clean, highly soluble inputs with minimal undesirable salts. This becomes even more important when water quality varies or the crop is salt-sensitive.
Decide whether you want a full-program supplier or a specialist component supplier. ICL, Haifa, and Yara present broad portfolios with multiple product families and support layers. SQM looks more like a nitrate-focused specialist, and EuroChem comes across strong in practical, stage-based fertigation programs. None of those approaches is automatically better. The best fit depends on whether you want one main supplier, multiple component suppliers, or a hybrid model. This is still an editorial comparison based on public product materials, not a universal ranking.
Finally, do not ignore technical support. Yara emphasizes training and software, SQM points to agronomic teams and field trials, and ICL highlights tailored solutions and crop-specific application guidance. In greenhouse production, support often matters as much as the base formula, because nutrient programs have to adapt to seasonality, water tests, substrate choice, and yield and quality targets.

Conclusion

The best water-soluble fertilizer companies for hydroponics are not always the biggest fertilizer companies overall. They are the ones whose soluble product quality, irrigation compatibility, and support systems match the reality of greenhouse and soilless production, where small errors can turn into big losses.

The market context helps explain why this category keeps expanding. Fertigation is growing faster than many other application modes, and fruits and vegetables remain one of the more dynamic segments. In the end, the “best” choice usually comes down to your crop, your water, your system design, and how much technical backup you actually want on speed dial.

Read more:
Best Water-Soluble Fertilizer Companies for Hydroponics

Banks and loyalty teams are no longer evaluating tours and activities APIs just to “add things to do.” The real goal is usually broader: drive engagement, deepen retention, and keep the customer inside your own app or rewards journey.

That is why this category can feel confusing. Some providers are B2B or B2B2C infrastructure platforms. Others are consumer marketplaces that expose partner APIs. And some offer hybrid models with APIs, widgets, portals, or white-label layers. For banks and loyalty programs, choosing the right provider type usually matters more than choosing the biggest catalog. In this category, operational fit usually matters more than headline inventory size.

What banks and loyalty programs should look for first?

For this buyer type, the first questions are usually operational rather than cosmetic. Who is the merchant of record? Can members earn or redeem points inside the experience flow? Who handles customer service, cancellations, and disputes?

Do you need a full API, or would a widget or white-label path get you live faster?

For example Travel Curious explicitly highlights loyalty-program integration, points redemption, merchant services, dispute management, and fraud controls, while Viator draws a clear line between affiliate and merchant models.

Provider types: affiliate vs booking vs distributor

Affiliate is the lightest model. It is usually faster to launch, but you get less control over checkout and redemption design. For example Viator’s affiliate API is content-only, redirects traffic to Viator for the transaction, and keeps Viator as merchant of record and customer-service owner.

Booking or merchant models are stronger when you want a native experience inside your own loyalty or banking environment. For example Viator’s Merchant API keeps the transaction on the partner’s site, with the partner controlling the customer journey. While Bridgify centers on partner-owned embedded experiences through API and white-label launch paths for banks, loyalty programs, and digital platforms.

Distributor models sit somewhere in between. They typically expose inventory, pricing, and booking tools through a partner program, but access is often gated. For example Tiqets describes its Distributor API as a fit for distribution partners including OTAs and corporate benefits or gifting platforms, while GetYourGuide requires a partner account to access its marketplace API.

Integration checklist for banks and loyalty teams

Before committing to a partnership, ask yourself these questions:

Can users earn or redeem points, cashback, or other incentives inside the flow?
Who is merchant of record?
Who handles refunds, disputes, and post-booking support?
Is the launch path API-only, or are widget / portal / white-label options available?
Are pricing, availability, and vouchers handled in real time?
Does the product support multi-currency and localization?
Is access instant, qualification-led, or performance-gated?
Is the supply broad enough for your use case, or mainly attraction ticketing?

Quick comparison of platforms to consider

Platform
Best for
Provider type
Integration model
Why shortlist it
Main watch-out

Bridgify
Banks, credit cards, digital wallets, fintechs, and loyalty ecosystems
B2B2C experiences infrastructure
API + white-label + AI-led recommendation layer
Built around embedded experiences, with access to 1M+ experiences and launch paths designed for loyalty, financial, and other enterprise partners.
Best fit when you want infrastructure and merchandising depth, not just a lightweight affiliate feed

Travel Curious Access / Amplify
Curated or premium loyalty programs and branded experience commerce
B2B experience commerce platform
API + portal + widget + white-label layers
70,000+ products, private-tour strength, loyalty integration, and merchant services
More curated footprint than mass-market marketplace stacks

Viator Partner API
Loyalty storefronts choosing between affiliate and merchant
Marketplace partner program
Affiliate API or Merchant API
Clear split between redirect-led affiliate and on-site transactional merchant models, with loyalty and redemption called out as a use case
Merchant mode means more operational ownership, and access is qualification-led

Tiqets Distributor API
Attraction-led rewards catalogs and corporate benefits/gifting
Distributor API
Content + availability/pricing + booking
Strong fit for attractions, museums, and ticketed inventory
Booking access is reviewed based on performance, so it is not always a day-one full-booking setup

GetYourGuide API
Brands that want marketplace access through a partner API
Marketplace partner API
Partner API
Direct access to the GetYourGuide marketplace
Partner account required, and the positioning is less explicitly loyalty-focused

1) Bridgify: Best for embedded loyalty and bank experiences

Bridgify is one of the clearest B2B2C infrastructure play in this shortlist .It is positioned as an embedded experiences infrastructure platform that gives partners access to 1M+ experiences through flexible launch models, including API, Whitelabel, and an AI agent layer.Bridgify is a great option and is built for loyalty programs, banks, credit cards, digital wallets, travel tech platforms, and other enterprise brands that want embedded content inside their own customer journeys.

That matters because banks usually do not need “just another marketplace feed.” They need a way to launch embedded experiences through API or white-label, attach incentives such as cashback, gift cards, or points redemption, and avoid managing multiple suppliers themselves.

2) Travel Curious Access / Amplify: Best for curated and points-enabled programs

Travel Curious is one of the more relevant non-OTA options for this audience because its stack maps well to branded experience commerce. Travel Curious Access offers 70,000+ products, instant availability, API / portal / widget launch options, and multi-currency support, while its widget model names Travel Curious as merchant of record.

Amplify goes a step further for loyalty-style use cases. Travel Curious says rewards or loyalty programs can be integrated into the experience flow so customers can earn and redeem points, and it also highlights merchant services, dispute management, fraud controls, and white-label activation.

The trade-off is that Travel Curious looks more curated than mass-market. That can be a strength for premium programs and private-tour use cases, but it is a different proposition from a pure volume-driven marketplace feed.

3) Viator Partner API: Best for teams deciding between affiliate and merchant

Viator is still one of the clearest examples of why provider type matters. Its API Solutions page explicitly says it supports airlines, OTAs, e-commerce companies, and loyalty brands, then splits the offer into Affiliate API and Merchant API. The affiliate version is content-only and redirects traffic to Viator, while the merchant version keeps the transaction on the partner’s site and lets the partner own customer support and pricing control.

For loyalty programs, that makes Viator useful because the choice is straightforward. If you want a lower-lift launch, affiliate is easier. If you want tighter brand control and a more native redemption flow, merchant is the stronger route. The main watch-out is that the two models come with very different operational responsibilities.

4) Tiqets Distributor API: Best for attraction-heavy rewards and benefits

Tiqets is strongest when the catalog leans toward museums, attractions, and other ticketed experiences. Its API program describes a direct connection to its catalog, structured content, real-time pricing and availability, booking and cancellation support, and dedicated technical and commercial support.

Their Distributor API is aimed at distribution partners including OTAs, corporate benefits and gifting platforms, electronic distribution systems, and destination management companies.

There is an access nuance worth noting. Tiqets says new partners usually begin with affiliate portal access plus Content and Availability APIs, and eligibility for the Booking API is reviewed based on performance. So Tiqets can be a strong specialist fit, but it is not always a fully open booking API from day one.

5) GetYourGuide API: Best for marketplace-led access

GetYourGuide remains relevant because its API gives partners access to the GetYourGuide marketplace for tours and activities. Its API page is also very direct that partners need to contact GetYourGuide to create an account and gain access.

For banks and loyalty programs, the appeal is recognizable marketplace inventory through a partner API. The limitation is that, based on the current partner-facing page, GetYourGuide is less explicitly positioned around loyalty mechanics than providers such as Bridgify, Travel Curious, or Viator’s loyalty-language partner materials.

Which platform type fits which program?

If you need embedded “earn-and-burn experiences” ( a system where users can both collect points and redeem them within the same platform) inside a bank, card, wallet, or loyalty app, the most obvious B2B / B2B2C fits here are Bridgify and Travel Curious. Both are framed around partner owned journeys, and Travel Curious explicitly adds loyalty program integration and points redemption.

If you want the clearest choice between a lighter affiliate launch and a deeper merchant setup, Viator gives the most obvious solution. If your rewards mix is mainly attractions and museums, Tiqets is the sharper specialist. If your team mainly wants access to a large consumer marketplace through a partner API, then GetYourGuide belongs on your shortlist.

Final take

The best tours and activities API for a bank or loyalty program is usually not the one with the loudest consumer brand. It is the one whose provider type matches your operating model. For embedded, partner-owned experience commerce, Bridgify and Travel Curious stand out as the most B2B-led fits in this list. Viator is the clearest comparison when you want to choose between an affiliate and a merchant. Tiqets is especially strong for attraction-heavy benefits or gifting use cases. GetYourGuide remains relevant when marketplace access is the main goal.

Read more:
Leading Tours & Activities APIs for Banks & Loyalty Programs in 2026