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  • 📈 Nodes & Links Nails $12M Expansion

📈 Nodes & Links Nails $12M Expansion

£30bn Payout Looms for Lenders!

February 18, 2025

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:

  • Nodes & Links Nails $12M Expansion

  • £30bn Payout Looms for Lenders!

  • UK Energy Crisis: Bills, Blunders, and Backlash

The summary: As the construction industry hurtles towards a $22 trillion boom with mounting inefficiencies, Nodes & Links’ AI-powered platform is stepping in to streamline projects, slash delays, cut carbon, and keep the world building smarter, faster, and on budget.

The details:

  • With global construction spending set to hit $22 trillion by 2040, a 15 million tonne scrap shortfall looms—Nodes & Links' AI swoops in to streamline workflows, turning weeks of work into minutes.

  • The London-based firm just bagged $12M in Series B funding to fuel expansion, bringing its Vertical AI tech to Europe and the US.

  • Founded in 2018, the company tackles the industry's talent gap, with only 8% of large projects finishing on time—its AI-driven project management is already saving firms millions.

  • With Fortune 500 clients like Intel and AECOM on board, Nodes & Links' AI Agents slash inefficiencies, cut COâ‚‚ emissions, and let humans focus on high-value work instead of spreadsheet drudgery.

Why it matters: The construction industry is hurtling towards a $22 trillion boom, but with a critical scrap shortage and a dire lack of project managers, delays and inefficiencies are practically baked into the cement. Nodes & Links' AI steps in like a digital foreman, slashing busywork, keeping projects on track, and even giving the planet a breather by cutting CO₂ emissions. With big-name clients already on board, it's less about futuristic hype and more about making sure the world actually gets built—on time and without blowing the budget.

The summary: A £30bn car finance scandal is revving up for a Supreme Court showdown, with banks, dealerships, and the government all strapped in for a bumpy ride—while customers eye potential payouts that could rival the PPI saga.

The details:

  • Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ legal pit stop – Her bid to intervene in the Supreme Court battle over secretive car loan commissions has hit a dead end, as the court refused her request.

  • Car finance firms face a £30bn speed bump – A Court of Appeal ruling declared hidden commissions unlawful, opening the floodgates for compensation claims that could rival the infamous PPI scandal.

  • Government treads a fine line – Keen to ensure customers get redress without tanking the motor finance sector, the Treasury is watching closely but won’t be taking the wheel in court.

  • Final lap in April – The Supreme Court showdown will settle whether lenders must cough up billions, with the FCA poised to steer the compensation process towards a verdict by 2025.

Why it matters: Car finance lenders could be staring down the barrel of a £30bn payout, which might just make the PPI scandal look like pocket change. If the Supreme Court upholds the ruling, banks and dealerships will have to brace for a financial bruising, potentially reshaping how Brits buy their motors on finance. Meanwhile, the government is stuck in the middle, trying to keep both wronged customers and the car finance industry from driving off a cliff.

The summary: Energy bills are set to soar, Ofgem’s on the hot seat to sort out dodgy charges, and the government’s getting flak for leaving pensioners out in the cold—looks like Britain’s energy drama is heating up again!

The details:

  • Ed Miliband is on Ofgem’s case, demanding swift action as energy bills are set to rise by over £100 a year, thanks to volatile global gas prices and Britain’s knack for minimal gas storage.

  • With nine million homes on variable tariffs bracing for impact, the energy secretary wants Ofgem to speed up reforms, including cracking down on eye-watering bills and dodgy prepayment meter installations.

  • The Treasury estimates the energy price cap will hit £1,846 in April—£600 more than pre-Ukraine war levels—piling pressure on a government already under fire for cutting winter fuel support.

  • Meanwhile, Citizens Advice reports a 20% spike in people seeking help with bills, while energy giants have dished out £20m in compensation for billing blunders—British Gas leading the shame parade.

Why it matters: Millions are about to feel the pinch as energy bills climb yet again, proving that Britain’s reliance on fossil fuel markets run by autocrats is about as sensible as wearing flip-flops in a snowstorm. Ofgem is under pressure to stop energy firms from overcharging and mishandling customer accounts, but history suggests they move at the speed of a glacial power cut. Meanwhile, the government, already in hot water for scrapping winter fuel support, now faces the awkward task of explaining why staying warm is becoming a luxury.