Tourlane, the AI-powered travel platform, has successfully raised €25 million in a Series D funding round led by Sequoia Capital. The funding will fuel the company’s growth and innovation, enabling it to further enhance its personalized travel experiences and expand its global reach. Tourlane’s innovative approach leverages AI to curate customized travel itineraries, tailored to individual preferences and needs. By analyzing vast amounts of data, the platform can recommend the best destinations, accommodations, and activities, streamlining the travel planning process. The company’s focus on personalized travel experiences has resonated with customers, resulting in strong growth and a loyal user base. With this new funding, Tourlane aims to further refine its AI algorithms, expand its destination offerings, and enhance its customer support services. Andrew Reed, Partner at Sequoia Capital, commented, “Tourlane’s vision aligns perfectly with the growing demand for personalized and seamless travel experiences. We believe that AI has the potential to revolutionize the travel industry, and Tourlane is at the forefront of this transformation.” As Tourlane continues to innovate and expand, the company is committed to providing exceptional travel experiences while prioritizing sustainability and responsible tourism
The Rock, a youth project dedicated to supporting young people in Cheltenham, has been awarded a £41,000 grant to expand its services. The funding, provided by a consortium of local organizations including Cheltenham Borough Homes, NHS Gloucestershire, and the Gloucestershire Office of Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), will enable The Rock to reach more young people who may be struggling with school, mental health, or social isolation. The Rock’s approach focuses on providing support both within youth centers and in the community. Their outreach workers engage with young people in parks, public spaces, and other locations where they gather. Victoria Atherstone, Cheltenham Borough Council’s cabinet member for safety and communities, said The Rock had “a fantastic application” for the grant. “[The council] recognised we did need to focus more on detached youth work to meet young people in the environments they’re actually at,” she said. “The town centre, St Paul’s and St Peter’s are three specific areas we’re honing in on to support young people.” The project has already made a positive impact by offering a range of services, including mobile sports activities and health and wellbeing advice. By providing opportunities for social interaction and personal development, The Rock is…
Shuttleworth, a renowned heritage attraction, has launched SENsing Shuttleworth, a new initiative dedicated to enhancing the visitor experience for individuals with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This innovative project aims to make the attraction more accessible by integrating sensory resources into all school visits. By providing hands-on exploration opportunities, Shuttleworth seeks to create more meaningful learning experiences for young people with SEND and sensory processing differences. For visitors with severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities, the focus will shift from traditional historical learning to sensory engagement. This includes using sensory lights to illuminate objects and creating sensory stories that utilize the acoustics and unique atmosphere of the collection. Matthew Studdert-Kennedy, Learning Coordinator at Shuttleworth, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We are excited to launch SENsing Shuttleworth and improve our SEND offering. Our goal is to make Shuttleworth an accessible and appealing cultural space for all audiences.” Shuttleworth offers educational visits for all school levels, providing access to a collection of vintage aircraft, vehicles, machinery, and the historic Swiss Garden. The project is supported by a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will be used to develop workshops, sensory resources, and collaborate with local SEND school…
Bournemouth University (BU) has successfully completed the SUNRISE project, a collaborative initiative with Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) funded by the British Council’s UK-Malaysia Going Global Partnerships Grant for Student Mobility. The SUNRISE project aimed to build capacity for sustainability research and support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a series of events and workshops, the project facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration between researchers from both universities. Key activities of the project included joint research seminars, student research conferences, capacity building workshops, and training on diversity and inclusion in research. By fostering collaboration and sharing expertise, the project has contributed to the development of innovative solutions to global sustainability challenges. The SUNRISE project has had a significant impact on both universities, strengthening academic partnerships and creating a culture of sustainability research.
Edinburgh College recently hosted delegates from Sunyani Technical University (STU) in Ghana as part of a collaborative project funded by the British Council’s Going Global Programme. The visit aimed to strengthen the partnership and further develop entrepreneurial skills among STU students and staff. Through a series of face-to-face and online training sessions, Edinburgh College lecturers are sharing their expertise in entrepreneurship, enabling STU to embed entrepreneurial thinking into its curriculum. The goal is to equip students with the knowledge and tools necessary to pursue start-up and self-employment opportunities. During their visit to Edinburgh, STU delegates explored the state-of-the-art facilities at Granton Campus, including the Renewables and Energy Efficiency Training Centre, Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS), and various vocational training facilities. They also engaged in discussions with Edinburgh College staff to learn about innovative teaching methods and student support services. Shona Pettigrew, Director of Enterprise and Knowledge Exchange at Edinburgh College, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We’re thrilled to welcome our partners from Sunyani Technical University to our campus. This collaboration is a testament to our commitment to fostering global learning and empowering students to become future entrepreneurs.” Juanita Ahia Quarcoo, CBT Coordinator for Sunyani Technical University, highlighted the benefits…
Truro Methodist Church is set to undergo a significant transformation with the commencement of the Truro Community Hub project in late spring 2025. The first phase of the project will involve the construction of a three-story extension to the rear of the Grade II listed building, creating additional community space for local groups. Subsequent phases will introduce a new entrance and a community cafe. The Reverend Mark Dunn-Wilson, the church’s minister, said he believed the hub would make a positive difference to the community. He said: “Moving forward the hub will be adopting the name Kemeneth – which means community in Cornish – as a clear statement of the commitment of the project to serve local groups and people.” The £952,000 grant awarded by Truro Town Deal, along with a £500,000 investment from Cornwall Council, will fund the construction of the extension. This additional space will provide an extra 140 square meters for community activities, addressing the increasing demand from over 114 local groups that currently utilize the church’s facilities. The existing facilities within the Methodist church will remain accessible throughout the construction period
Seddon, a leading UK construction company, has officially commenced construction on a £8.6m expansion project for The Orchards Nursery, Cherry Tree Primary School, and Green Fold Special School in Farnworth. The project aims to increase the schools’ combined capacity from 140 to 185 pupils, addressing the growing demand for special school places in Bolton. Two new extensions will be built, along with internal remodeling to create eight additional classrooms and upgrade existing facilities. The improvements will also include enhanced outdoor spaces, a new multi-use games area, and upgraded hygiene suites to meet the specific needs of students with autism, severe learning difficulties (SLD), and profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). Katie Hague, executive head of The Orchards Federation, said: “This is an exciting project which will further enhance our oversubscribed outstanding provision. Green Fold continues to be the special school of choice for many families and we are delighted that we will be able to welcome more pupils to flourish with us. Seddon is committed to supporting the local economy and has pledged to spend £2.25 million with local suppliers throughout the project. The construction is expected to be completed by April 2026, with careful planning to minimize disruption to…
The CNMI Small Business Development Center Network (CNMI SBDC) at the Northern Marianas College, in partnership with the Commonwealth Women’s Association (CWA), recently awarded certificates to participants who successfully completed the 2024 Women’s Entrepreneurship Project Cohort 4. This year’s program, designed to foster a focused learning environment, limited enrollment to the first 30 registrants. All participants who attended all four sessions received certificates of completion. The four-day training series covered a range of essential topics for aspiring female entrepreneurs. Sessions included: The program fostered active participation, with sessions often extending to accommodate participant questions. Fatima Celis, Vice President of locally-owned Rice to Meat You, a catering business that prepares and delivers pre-packaged platters and food plates, shared her praises on the sessions presented by First Hawaiian Bank, Bank of Hawaii, Bank of Guam and CEDA, “For small businesses looking to expand, it was very helpful for us to find this type of training where we could come to one place to hear from banks on what small businesses need to know about the loan process and what we also need to do if we want to improve our financials to receive that approval.” Frank Celis, President and Co-owner of Rice…
The Association for Project Management (APM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Alistair Godbold and Antonio Nieto Rodriguez as its new Vice Presidents. They will succeed Dr. Paul Chapman and take on key responsibilities within the organization. Alistair Godbold, a highly respected project management professional with over 30 years of experience, will bring his expertise to the role. He has served as Deputy Chairman of APM and is a director of the International Centre for Complex Project Management. Godbold is passionate about addressing the shortage of skilled project professionals and expanding APM’s reach internationally. Commenting on his appointment, Alistair said: I’m very honoured and tremendously privileged to be able to carry on contributing to the profession and to APM.” Antonio Nieto Rodriguez, with 25 years of experience as a project management practitioner and former Global Chair of the Project Management Institute (PMI), brings a unique perspective to the role. His expertise in tackling the challenges facing the project profession, including the rise of new technology, will be invaluable to APM. Antonio said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed Vice President of APM, the largest Project Management Association in the UK. Being part of a community of professionals who…
The Fijian government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to address the growing urbanization of the Nadi-Lautoka urban area and ensure adequate water and sanitation services. The plan, outlined under the Water Sector Strategy 2050, includes investments totaling approximately $1.617 billion over the next 25-30 years. Minister for Public Works Hon Ro Filipe Tuisawau emphasized the need for significant infrastructure upgrades to meet the increasing demand for water and sanitation services, particularly in light of the region’s growing tourism industry. The plan includes investments of $397 million for water infrastructure and $1.22 billion for sanitation. Several key projects are already underway, including the rehabilitation of the Warange to Saru Water Treatment Plant Pipeline, the Warange Dam, and the Saru Water Treatment Plant. These aging infrastructures have been affected by disasters and require upgrades to improve their reliability and capacity. The Fiji Water Board’s raw water trunk mains, which have remained largely unchanged for 64 years, will also be rehabilitated using modern materials to increase their conveyance capacity and reliability. The total investment in these existing improvement works amounts to $9.7 million, with completion expected by December. Despite these ongoing projects, a water supply gap of approximately 5.4 million liters per day…
