Search through our UKHotViews and UKHotViewExtra articles plus complete research reports
There’s an interesting workplace related snippet from the Irish government. Under its "Our Rural Future" strategy it is proposing a national network of 400 remote working hubs (that could include pubs) to support home or remote working. The suggestion is part of its five year rural development policy but also plays to the desire for new working patterns based around a remote and hybrid model once the pandemic has subsided sufficiently.
Governments and organisations are paying attention to rural revival and remote work as important aspects of recovery and levelling up to address inequalities. That needs innovation and imagination. To find out more go to UKHotViewsExtra and read “Irish government supports pub hub remote rural work model”.
UKHotViewsExtra is available to TechMarketView and UKHotViews Premium subscribers. If you’d like information on how to access these – TechMarketView’s other services – please email Deb Seth.
Posted by Angela Eager at '12:02' - Tagged: publicsector covid-19 remoteworking
TechMarketView’s latest Market Readiness Index (MRI) report is now LIVE for our tech user clients. The Market Readiness Index is a keystone piece of research within the TechMarketView Tech User Programme, for tech buyers – see here.
The MRI is designed to help end user organisations – tech buyers and decision makers – determine the readiness of ICT suppliers to support them as they transform.
This year’s report is our third and as ever it provides unique insight into the largest providers of IT and Business Process Services to the UK market (measured by revenue, according to our latest published analysis, UK SITS Ranking 2020): Accenture, Atos, Capgemini, Capita, Cognizant, DXC Technology, Fujitsu, HCL Technologies, IBM, and TCS. A big thank you to all the analyst relations people and company leaders for their inputs - and of course to their customers for contributing.
We’ve questioned and probed, we’ve analysed the numbers, the investments made, and the decisions taken. We’ve undertaken a rigorous scoring and analysis exercise across six key areas:
The MRI launched in 2019 with our first report looking at how well placed the UK’s Top Ten IT and Business Process Services players were then in terms of their ability to deliver digital transformation. In 2020, TechMarketView published our Market Readiness Index looking at the UK's IT/BP Services providers ranked 11-20.
This year’s report revisits the ten largest players and assesses where they are now. Tech User Programme members can read the research here: TechMarketView Market Readiness Index 2021.
If you would like to find out more about joining the programme and accessing the report, please contact Deb Seth.
If you are an IT/BP services provider and an existing TechMarketView subscription client, reports published within our Tech User Programme are available to purchase. Please also contact Deb Seth.
Posted by Kate Hanaghan at '09:30' - Tagged: MarketReadinessIndex MRI
Healthcare-focused workforce planning and optimisation software specialist Allocate Software continues to grow strongly, reporting double-digit revenue growth in FY20 (to end May) and increases in bookings, revenue and EBITDA so far in FY21 that are ahead of last year and significantly ahead of plan.
Indeed, nine months into FY21 key performance indicators are encouraging. According to CEO Nick Wilson, ARR growth is 14%, up from 10% a year ago; recurring revenue is at 92%, with every single UK customer now on cloud versions of its software; and customer churn is very low with net revenue retention north of 110%. With low churn and better than expected bookings this year, Wilson is understandably confident on the outlook.
In part, Allocate is benefiting from underlying trends in the healthcare market as it widens its ‘aperture’ from supporting healthcare organisations, to increasingly being focused around the staff members themselves. More…
Posted by Tola Sargeant at '16:56' - Tagged: results software healthcare hcm
Last week, the UK Government published its Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development & Foreign Policy, subtitled “Global Britain in a Competitive Age”. Across 114 pages, it lays out the Government’s vision for the UK’s role over the next decade and sets out an action plan through to 2025.
With Science & Technology “elevated to the highest importance as a component of national security”, TechMarketView’s PublicSectorViews’ team has scoured the pages for the key takeaways for technology suppliers.
TechMarketView subscribers can read the UKHotViewsExtra - National Security & Resilience: The role of science & technology – now. If you are not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth to find our how to gain access to this and more in-depth research and analysis.
Posted by Georgina O'Toole at '08:41' - Tagged: publicsector defence security government cyber data
Today was (another) busy day for Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, Matt Hancock, as he addressed both the House of Commons and the Digital Health Rewired conference in quick succession, making a series of announcements that will be of significant interest to tech suppliers active in the UK health and care market. These range from a £6.6bn+ increase in funding for the NHS, to news of a second wave of 32 Digital Aspirant NHS Trusts, and ambitious plans to explore whether the NHS can separate the data layer from the application layer.
Indeed, combine the high-profile funding news with Hancock’s wide-ranging speech on ‘Driving Digital in the NHS’, and it becomes clear why many tech suppliers are particularly interested in the UK health and care sector at the moment. You also get an insight into the government’s priorities for digital and tech in the sector over the next few years.
The backdrop, of course, is the vital role that digital technology has played in fighting the pandemic. To paraphrase Hancock, our whole relationship with technology has been transformed and now is the time to build on this engagement and interest – from both within health and care and across the general public – and to be bold in the digital transformation of the health and care system.
For our analysis, TechMarketView subscription clients – including our UKHotViews Premium subscribers – should read today’s UKHotViewsExtra article - Driving digital in the NHS: Hancock’s five priorities.
Posted by Tola Sargeant at '17:25' - Tagged: socialcare policy healthcare
As promised in yesterday’s post covering the headlines of Capita’s FY 2020 results (see Capita declines 9% as it simplifies further), here is a more detailed look at the results for TechMarketView subscribers.
TechMarketView subscribers, including those signed up to UKHotViewsPremium can read the rest of Capita full year results – beyond the headlines. If you are not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth to find out how to access this and much more.
Posted by Marc Hardwick at '09:11' - Tagged: results Capita
We are delighted to announce the names of the six Fintechs based in the UK and Republic of Ireland that have been selected for the opportunity to pitch for a partnership with InterSystems, one of the world’s most trusted data management platform providers.
The companies are:
The pitch event is held in association with the TechMarketView Innovation Partner Programme.
We wish them all the very best of luck.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '02:11' - Tagged: tipp
TechMarketView's Public Sector Supplier Prospects 2021 report is now available. In this publication we look at the Top 20 suppliers in the UK public sector software and IT services (SITS) market, reviewing recent progress, looking at the key market challenges and assessing what suppliers need to do to maximise their potential in 2021 and beyond.
The COVID-19 pandemic has, over the course of the year, brought into stark relief that digital transformation within the public sector should be treated as a ‘must have’ rather than a ‘nice to have’. Public sector organisations have faced, and continue to face, enormous challenges associated with the crisis. Organisations will reconsider their plans, accelerate innovation and make a step change in their operating models. There are a number of steps suppliers must take to ensure they remain relevant for the future and retain a key role in the ongoing digital transformation of public services.
The suppliers profiled in this report are: Accenture, Amazon Web Services, Atos, BAE Systems, BT Group, Capgemini, Capita, CGI, Civica, Dell Technologies, Deloitte, DXC Technology, Fujitsu, IBM, Leidos, Microsoft, Northgate Public Services, Oracle, Serco, and Sopra Steria.
This report should be read alongside our UK Public Sector Software & IT Services (SITS) Market Forecast Update 2020-2023 report and individual reports on Central Government, Local Government, Defence, Education, Health and Police.
If you are an existing PublicSectorViews subscriber, you can read the report now. If you’d like to discuss an extension to your existing subscription or would like details of how to subscribe to TechMarketView, please email Deb Seth.
Posted by Dale Peters at '07:30' - Tagged: research automation collaboration AI data social+value public+sector digital+transformation
TechMarketView is organising a series of 30-minute, one-to-one sessions with Terry Pudwell, founder and CEO of Reading-based cybersecurity software specialist Assuria, for companies interested in adding cybersecurity managed services to their solution set.
Terry would like to explain how Assuria can help you set yourself up as a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) with your own Security Operations Centre (SOC) so you can offer industrial strength threat monitoring, detection and response services to your own clients under your own brand, at your own service levels and at your own price points.
You may not know this, but Assuria’s cybersecurity monitoring software is being used by over 1,400 commercial organisations, government institutions and Security Operations Centres worldwide, from SMEs to large enterprises, in almost every business sector. Assuria is also an accredited provider on the UK Government Digital Marketplace.
Using their tried-and-tested ‘SOC-in-a Box’ platform, Assuria will help you get up and running and generating revenue in as little as a few weeks. Assuria provides the complete security monitoring solution and a full SOC platform, which can run on-premise or in the Cloud, along with extensive business management tools, training and ongoing support. You can start small, serving just a handful of clients, and scale up with the same platform to serve hundreds more.
Whether you are already providing cybersecurity solutions or services or thinking of moving into the cybersecurity space for the first time, Assuria can get you there quickly and cost effectively.
Find out how in a one-to-one 30-minute online meeting with Assuria Founder and CEO Terry Pudwell. Just click on this link to book your slot at a date and time that suits you best.
Meeting slots are available Tuesday 23rd – Thursday 25th March and registrations close at 6pm this Friday, 19th March.
TechMarketView Managing Partner Anthony Miller explains more a two-minute video here, and there’s further information about Assuria on their website at assuria.com/tipp.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '00:01'
Privately-held, 25 years in business, bootstrapped from the start (and still no external investment) and with estimated annual revenue of $500m+, business software supplier Zoho flies under the radar. Yet 60m+ users access its SaaS business software, it has 9000 employees and a level of sustained growth that wouldn’t embarrass the leading high growth SaaS pure plays.
It is a global tech company with the necessary attributes but not a tech company from the traditional mould: more a development company developing relationships with employees, customers and communities. Under the guidance of co-founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu it has a distinctive philosophy and approach to market, enabling it to deliver profitable commercial success (although it is selective about the financial data it discloses) as well - or indeed because of - its commitment to contribute to the people, communities and local economies it is enmeshed within.
Hearing Vembu at a recent analyst event provided plenty to think about in terms of the developing role and responsibilities of software companies, not just in terms of software architecture but economic and societal impact too. With COVID-19 changing perceptions and challenging norms, and sustainability in its many forms such a critical issue too, this is the time for organisations to determine how in tune they are with current and developing needs as they “Reset and Reimagine”. And as TechMarketView has said many times, doing good is good for business.
Read our analysis of Zoho in UKHotViewsExtra Zoho flies under the radar – but should it?
TechMarketView subscribers, including UKHotViews Premium subscribers, can access this research note. If you’d like information on our services you can email Deb Seth.
Posted by Angela Eager at '08:49' - Tagged: cloud software sustainability resetandreimagine
Since the start of the pandemic, we have been consistently saying that automation is likely to be one of the “winners” from a COVID-led acceleration to digital. Indeed, anecdotally we have heard of lots of use cases across different sectors where COVID has led to the adoption of tech to undertake previously manual tasks. The shift to online, the need to socially distance, the cost of PPE, staff in isolation etc., all make the economic case for machines more compelling.
With this in mind the headline of an article published earlier this week in Information Age on the likely impact of automation on the UK labour market over the next year or so, really caught my eye. The article was based on a research study by Faethm AI with a pretty scary headline proclaiming that 1.4m UK jobs are at risk of automation over the next twelve months. Frightening stuff, all at a time when unemployment is rising. As with all these types of articles, when you get beyond the headline the findings are much more nuanced, and it does point to winners and losers in the rush to automate.
What I have seen in the market to date is ‘parts of jobs’ being automated rather than whole roles disappearing overnight. The knock on from this, is that whilst I have not yet seen examples of swathes of redundancies directly related to automation, I have heard of organisations planning less recruitment and indeed not filling roles when they become vacant. This will over time reduce the number of people working in particular types of roles. The Faethm AI research points to the wholesale and retail and financial services sectors as most at risk of being automated, with a combined 9% of work (the equivalent of 932,000 full-time roles) being potentially automatable….read more here
TechMarketView subscribers, including those signed up to UKHotViewsPremium can read the rest of Winners and losers from the rush to automate here. If you are not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth to find out how to access this and much more.
Posted by Marc Hardwick at '08:48' - Tagged: automation
From an Applications Operations (AO) demand perspective, the impact of the pandemic has been one of limited short-term pain now followed by steady longer-term gain.
When we published our annual Market Trends and Forecasts report in June 2020, we estimated that sales of AO services would decline by 2-5% in 2020. We revisited this analysis towards the end of last year (see here) and concluded that the decline will be at the less severe end of this range. The market should recover well through this year regaining the vast majority of the ground lost in the prior twelve months.
As with all operations services, continuous cost reduction remains high on the agenda of customer requirements as the look to free funds for investment in the new capabilities. Post-COVID, these pressures will only intensify. Cannibalisation of the heritage estate will accelerate as organisations squeeze run budgets every more heavily and look to move to cheaper platform-based service provision.
Indeed, demand for “new” AO will strengthen significantly and enjoy a CAGR of over 20% though to the end of the forecast window. Revenues from heritage services will, conversely, decline significantly falling to less than a half of last year’s level in 2023.
This is the market context for our Applications Operations Supplier Prospects 2021 and beyond report which is now available to download (click here). Subscribers to TechSectorViews can read the full analysis of the challenges facing the players in this market over the coming year, what they need to do to be successful and the ways to win in the longer term. The document also includes profiles of the Top Ten leading players (by revenue) in the UK SITS AO market.
If you are not currently a TechSectorViews subscriber and would like to gain access the report, please contact Deb Seth.
Posted by Duncan Aitchison at '07:00' - Tagged: applications suppliers newresearch operations
Million Makers, sponsored by Ascential, is an award winning, entrepreneurial challenge which sees teams of employees, from organisations across the UK, developing their business skills by turning an initial seed funding investment into as much money as possible, in aid of The Prince’s Trust. In 2019, the initiative raised an incredible £1.87m, to support young people across the UK.
In 2020, as we all shifted to different working environments, teams of colleagues from companies such as Ascential, Dell, Atos, Citrix and HP, have taken on the challenge – continuing to engage colleagues, network with stakeholders, collaborate as a team and impact the lives of young people, all whilst working from home. By developing their own business plans and launching innovative ideas including virtual expeditions, auctions, escape rooms, physical challenges, galas, and gameshow events – the Million Makers teams in 2020, are soon to celebrate their achievements at the Million Makers National Final and find out the total amount raised. In a year with unprecedented challenges and when young people have needed support more than ever before, the teams have collectively raised much more than we ever thought possible.
Million Makers 2021 is set to be the best challenge yet! Having recently been CPD accredited, companies across sectors, and the UK are keen to sign up. With 2021 recruitment currently underway, you can find out more detail about the competition here or contact millionmakers@princes-trust.org.uk to answer any queries and to find out how to get your company involved in this learning and development opportunity.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '12:19' - Tagged: skills charity
“We’re still happy and we’re still mindful,” were the opening words from Rajiv Shah, President & CEO at Happiest Minds Technologies, who was with Isaac George, Senior Vice President & Head of European Operations, on a recent call with TechMarketView Managing Partner Anthony Miller. In the new edition of OffshoreViews, Miller explains why!
Now in a new ‘presentation-style’ format, OffshoreViews also includes our regular summary of the top-tier and mid-tier Indian Heritage Provider (IHP) reporting season, along with insightful charts showing multiyear trends for the Top Tier players and a clickable index to relevant UKHotViews posts.
Subscribers to the TechMarketView Foundation Service can download OffshoreViews Q4 2020 Review here.
Posted by HotViews Editor at '06:00'
Data from corporate finance firm Ascendant reveals a record level of venture funding into early-stage UK and Irish technology companies in 2020, despite the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic.
There were 1,016 funding deals of more than £0.5m announced - a drop of 5% on the equivalent figure for 2019. However the aggregate value of such deals was £9.5bn, up 15% from the previous year. Consequently, the average deal size increased by 21% from £7.7m in 2019 to £9.3m in 2020.
The latest edition of IndustryViews Venture Capital has more detail, along with commentary on selected UK tech venture funding deals.
Posted by Tania Wilson at '08:00' - Tagged: funding startup
After a year of unprecedented challenges, the March Budget sets out the first steps the Government is taking to support the UK's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital technologies only had a cameo role, but there was much that will interest software and IT services providers, particularly SMEs.
The Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) economic and fiscal outlook makes the scale of the challenge clear. The pandemic has pushed government borrowing to its highest level since 1944-45 and will push public sector net debt to reach its highest level since 1958-59. GDP fell 9.9% in 2020, the largest decline in the G7 and the largest economic shock the country has faced in 300 years; borrowing will reach 16.9% of GDP in 2020-21; and public sector net debt is set to rise to 109.7% of GDP in 2023-24. Taking into account the COVID-19 measures announced at Budget 2020 (see Budget 2020: the implications for tech firms), total support for the economy amounts to £407bn in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
Unsurprisingly, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said that repairing the long-term damage of the pandemic will take time. The measures announced in the Budget will protect the economy in the short-term, will maintain funding for public services (as announced in Spending Review 2020), but are unlikely to be sufficient to secure the long-term recovery.
TechMarketView subscribers, including those signed up to UKHotViewsPremium can read more coverage of Budget 2021 and its implications here. If you are not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth to find out how to access this and much more.
Posted by Dale Peters at '09:42' - Tagged: investment government budget tax public+sector
The stark warning from the science community is that we have less than 10 years to halve greenhouse gas emissions and avoid global warming of above 1.5° - anything above this will cause dangerous impacts to kick in. Technology is part of the problem, but can also contribute to efforts to reduce human impact on the environment.
Whether it’s described as GreenTech or SustainabilityTech, the purpose is the same: the use of technology to enable individuals, organisations and governments to meet sustainability objectives. In the context of this background, there is a growing role for IT suppliers to provide the tools and solutions to facilitate the protection, conservation and replenishment of natural resources and the environment; the reduction or mitigation of negative impacts from human activity; and the drive towards more sustainable ways of living through reuse and renewables.
The just published Making a Difference with SustainabilityTech research note provides a snapshot of this fast moving sector, gauging current activity among UK sustainability-focused startups and the innovative solutions they bring to tackle real problems. It also explores the industry sectors targeted and the types of technology – and technology combinations - being applied.
As well as being necessary for the planet, increasing activity around IT-supported sustainability is opening up new business opportunities for software and services suppliers. A credible sustainability approach will help attract new and retain existing clients, the lack of one carries the very real risk losing them.
TechMarketView subscribers: click HERE to download the report. If you don’t subscribe to our services and would like to find out more about them please reach out to Deb Seth.
Posted by Angela Eager at '17:52' - Tagged: software startups sustainability
A strong start to 2020 in the UK SITS Consulting market was stopped in its tracks by the advent of the coronavirus pandemic. The resulting business and economic impacts took a disproportionately heavy toll on this line of business. The early phase/non-operational nature of most consulting engagements left them comparatively easy to cancel or pause. Furthermore, their higher reliance on personal interactions made them more challenging to initiate on a remote working basis. These factors, togther with the shorter-term nature of consulting projects, meant that the stall in client decision making that accompanied Lockdown 1 led to fast growing, often expensive benches for many suppliers in this sector..
When we published our annual Market Trends and Forecasts report in June 2020, we estimated that sales of Consulting services would fall by between 3.5% and 9.4% in 2020. We revisited this analysis towards the end of last year (see here) and concluded that the decline would be at the less severe end of this range. We also now expect that this market will recover quickly through the next twelve months and beyond as, post-COVID, clients across all sectors embark on fundamental reformulations of their strategies and operating models.
Our latest Consulting Supplier Prospects 2021 report looks at the Top Ten leading players (by revenue) in the UK SITS Consulting market and assesses what they will need to do to be successful now and in the future. We also provide our analysis of the potential hurdles that will prevent suppliers reaching their potential in the short and mid-term.
Subscribers to TechSectorViews can download the Consulting Supplier Prospects 2021 report by clicking this link. If you are not currently a TechSectorViews subscriber and would like to gain access the report, please contact Deb Seth.
Posted by Duncan Aitchison at '07:00' - Tagged: consulting suppliers newresearch
Agilisys has been a prominent supplier in the UK local government IT and business process services market for twenty years. Consistently, we have highlighted its ability to create intimacy in its customer relationships, effectively responding to their wants and needs, and building the trust that earns it the right to develop pioneering technology solutions.
Over the years, we have watched Agilisys evolve. And, notably, since Andrew Mindenhall was appointed as the company’s CEO in 2016, the company has made a series of strategic decisions – from refining the proposition, to investing in appropriate skills and talent, to diversifying the customer base - that are now paying dividends.
In this latest research note we look at how Agilisys has adapted to changing market demands, allowing it to continue to grow the business profitably, and consider what it will need to do to maintain its position as a leading provider of digital transformation services to the UK local government market, as well as expand into adjacent markets.
Subscribers to TechMarketView's Foundation Service and PublicSectorViews research streams can download the research note - Agilisys: Adaptation to an evolving market - now. If you are not yet a subscriber and would like to find out how to gain access to this in-depth research and much more besides, please contact Deb Seth.
Posted by Georgina O'Toole at '14:30' - Tagged: cloud digital local+government public+sector
Civica’s revenue for the year ended 30 September 2020 fell by 0.1% to £424.9m (2019: £425.6m)—the first time it hasn't achieved year-on-year revenue growth since the Civica brand was launched in 2002. The first half of the financial year saw strong growth, but this slowed in the second half as the pandemic hit. Overall, however, business held up well without recourse to any government schemes and it retained its unbroken record of profit growth.
Gross profit improved by 0.4% to £346.4m (2019: £345.1m), operating profit before amortisation and exceptional items was up 6.5% to £85.6m (2019: £80.4m), and EBITDAE improved by 4.6% to £93.1m (2019: £89.1m). EBITDAE margin improved to 21.9% (2019: 21.2%) as its Centum operational excellence programme continued to make progress.
Revenue in the UK, which represented 77% of total revenue, grew slightly to £327.6m (2019: 327.3m). Revenue from its Australia and SE Asia business fell 2% to £90.0m (2019: £91.8m), but its smaller North American business improved by 14.5% to £7.4m.
Although the pandemic brought significant challenges, it has accelerated digital transformation in the public sector and has led to greater acceptance of cloud-based solutions. Civica has demonstrated resilience during the crisis and is strongly positioned to benefit from associated market changes (e.g. 75% of new customers sales in 2020 were cloud-based).
TechMarketView subscribers, including those signed up to UKHotViewsPremium can read more about Civica's performance and prospects here. If you are not yet a subscriber, please contact Deb Seth to find out how to access this and much more.
Posted by Dale Peters at '08:32' - Tagged: results saas software covid-19 public+sector
A major independent report, examining the future of the UK fintech sector, “The Kalifa Review” has now been published, revealing a forward-looking strategy to support technology innovators in financial services. Commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, the review was conducted by Bank of England non-executive director, Ron Kalifa OBE.
The report contains a variety of recommendations, divided into 5 main areas. Together these proposals set out a comprehensive vision for the future of financial services innovation, designed to help the UK to compete more successfully on the world stage, in the wake of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
TechMarketView clients, including UKHotViewsPremium subscribers can learn more by downloading the UKHotViewsExtra Kalifa Review outlines support for UK fintechs.
If you are not currently a subscriber but would like to learn more, please contact Deb Seth.
Posted by Jon C Davies at '09:50'
