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BBC Worldwide launches a mentoring scheme for digital startups
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide officially launched BBC Worldwide Labs with a kick off session for 140 members of the digital community at Google’s East London campus.
The initiative is aimed at supporting the creative and digital industries in the UK by offering them insight and expertise into the industry. They will also get the opportunity to forge new partnerships with companies that can help them get a step closer to launching their products or services.
Participants who attended the sold out event heard from BBC Worldwide executive VP, MD of digital Dan Heaf who shared his insights on the current state of digital media innovation.
BBC Worldwide Labs head Jenny Fielding, who unveiled the full details of the scheme, said: “I’m delighted that today marks the start of BBC Worldwide Labs initiative. Our aim is to shine a light on and support the most innovative up and coming digital companies in the UK who are helping to define the ever expanding digital landscape.”
BBC Worldwide is not seeking to inject money into the companies but hopes to partner with them at the point of commercialisation.
Early-stage digital companies will have until 15 July to submit their proposals for the first wave of the scheme. Following this, an advisory panel will whittle the submissions down to 18 hopefuls who will be asked to present to the panel and five finalists will be chosen.
The successful candidates will be technology oriented and focused on web and software development with international appeal such as web applications, gaming, virtual worlds mobile, connective TV and CRM.
Each of the chosen start-ups will have the opportunity to work with experts from across BBC Worldwide including technology, content, marketing, sales, advertising and legal. They will also be offered workspace within BBC Worldwide west London offices, monthly mentoring sessions and networking events – all comprising the rich BBC Worldwide ecosystem over a six month period.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
