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  • 📈 CoachHub Bags €40M for AI Coaching Revolution

📈 CoachHub Bags €40M for AI Coaching Revolution

December 04, 2024

This is Cliff Equity, the UK’s business newsletter that keeps you informed on what’s important in tech, business and finance in less than 5 minutes

In today’s stories:

  • CoachHub Bags €40M for AI Coaching Revolution

  • South Western Tracks Back to Public Hands

  • Steel or Bust: Britain’s Billion-Pound Dilemma

The summary: CoachHub’s AI-driven coaching revolution is making personalised development globally accessible, blending cutting-edge tech with a human touch to future-proof talent in an ever-changing world.

The details:

  • CoachHub levels up with €40M boost: London-based CoachHub snags a €40M growth facility from HSBC Innovation Banking to turbocharge its AI-powered coaching platform, joining the ranks of Danish unicorn Pleo and fintech Liberis.

  • Coaching for all (with a sprinkle of AI magic): Founded in 2018, CoachHub matches over 1,000 global clients with tailored coaching using AI to personalise exercises, delivering measurable results via its 3,500-strong coach network across 90 countries.

  • AIMY’s big debut: The company’s new AI prototype, AIMY, showcases its mission to combine cutting-edge tech with a human touch—making coaching scalable, impactful, and perfect for navigating change.

  • Banking on people power: As industries like banking grow more complex, CoachHub’s AI-enhanced coaching offers a tech-meets-humanity solution to upskill talent, earning a nod from HSBC Innovation Banking for its game-changing approach.

Why it matters: CoachHub’s AI-powered coaching isn’t just a fancy upgrade—it’s a game-changer for making personal development as accessible as Netflix. With industries like banking embracing tech-driven solutions, the platform proves that blending AI with a human touch isn’t just clever; it’s the future. In a world where resilience is the new currency, CoachHub is helping organisations cash in on smarter, more scalable talent development.

The summary: Labour’s plan to renationalise rail, starting with South Western Railway, promises to untangle years of privatisation woes and could finally deliver a smoother, fairer journey for UK commuters.

The details:

  • All aboard the renationalisation express! South Western Railway will be the first to roll into public hands under Labour’s 2024 law, with its contract set to expire in May 2025.

  • Privatisation derailed? Critics argue renationalisation won’t fix the tracks without hefty investment, despite Labour’s promise to streamline the system with Great British Railways (GBR).

  • Back on track? Since the 1990s, private operators have faced grumbles over high fares and patchy reliability. Labour plans to return most rail services to public ownership within five years.

  • A national reunion tour. With Welsh and Scottish rail already under government control, South Western joins a growing list of renationalised services aimed at untangling the network’s current chaos.

Why it matters: Labour's rail takeover could finally end the game of musical chairs between private operators and taxpayers footing the bill for poor service. By bringing South Western Railway and others back under public control, there's hope for a less fragmented and more reliable network—if they back it with real investment. For commuters, it could mean fewer delays, fairer fares, and maybe even a seat during rush hour—dream big!

The summary: As Britain’s steel industry teeters on the brink, the government faces a fiery decision: save jobs, hit net-zero targets, and possibly renationalise British Steel, all while juggling a £1bn bill and the threat of cold furnaces.

The details:

  • Steel for Sale, Again? Ministers are weighing up renationalising British Steel, harking back to pre-Thatcher days, as talks with Chinese owner Jingye over a £1bn rescue plan for Scunthorpe stall. It’s a choice between footing the bill or letting the furnaces go cold—quite literally.

  • From Blast to Electric Dreams? The proposed plan to replace carbon-belching blast furnaces with a single electric arc furnace hangs by a thread, with Jingye unwilling to cough up their share. The government might end up footing the entire £1bn tab, net-zero targets notwithstanding.

  • Nationalisation Déjà Vu. If Jingye pulls out, Whitehall may nationalise the operation temporarily, but officials aren’t thrilled—cue concerns about cost, complexity, and keeping the furnaces hot enough to work. A repeat of the 2020 bailout looms large.

  • Unions Call Time. Trade unions back a renationalisation move, with leaders arguing it’s time to reclaim Britain’s "family silver" and revive the steel sector. The clock’s ticking—Scunthorpe’s stockpiles will run dry by January if no deal emerges.

Why it matters: British Steel’s fate isn’t just about jobs; it’s about whether Britain can still forge its own future—or if we’ll be outsourcing even our girders to foreign shores. With decarbonisation deadlines looming, the government is grappling with a choice between green ambition and a billion-pound bailout. In true British fashion, it’s a showdown of stiff upper lips versus red-hot furnaces.