Business Daily

Argentina, a country often associated with economic turbulence, is quietly leading a biotech start-up revolution in agriculture. Home to a third of Latin America’s ‘deep tech’ start-ups, companies like Unibaio, Beeflow and Punabio are breaking new ground. We explore how a blend of scientific talent, venture capital and cutting-edge research is transforming farming. While Argentina is becoming a global player in agricultural biotechnology, can this boom be sustained amid the country’s economic and political challenges?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Engineer Mario Nejamkin, and Claudia Casalongue, cofounder and scientific lead at agri-tech start-up Unibaio, standing in a potato field in Argentina. Credit: BBC)Presented and produced by Natalio Cosoy

The small country of Armenia in the South Caucasus has long been positioning itself as an emerging technology hub. Hundreds of tech start-ups with strong ties to the US market through the Armenian diaspora are now based there. From 2020 to 2022, investments in small Armenian tech companies reached $48 million. The industry has been partly fuelled by the arrival of hundreds of Russian IT specialists following the invasion of Ukraine.We hear how the government wants the IT sector to develop the economy, talk to tech start-up founders, and find out how tech education for children is being prioritised.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Staff in the offices of Doctor Yan, a health care assistant app in Armenia. Credit: BBC)Presented and produced by Rayhan Demytrie

In India’s villages, innovation is being born from necessity. From a fridge made of clay, to silk fashioned from lotus stems, to smart devices helping blind farmers manage their land, we meet the country’s grassroots innovators.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Devina Gupta(Picture: A lotus flower, on top of some fabric, next to a small handloom machine. Credit: BBC)

We’re in Helsinki where Europe’s biggest campus for startup companies is being built. What role could it play as Finland strives to create the continent’s most supportive environment for new businesses? We’ll look at some of the challenges the country’s facing as it competes for global investment and tech talent. And hear from Sweden - does it see Finland taking its start-up crown anytime soon?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Maddy Savage(Picture: Turkish entrepreneur Lalin Keyvan, who's founded a startup in Finland. Credit: BBC)

Thousands of businesses have 'spun-out' from universities - so is this an opportunity for further growth? The model has seen great success in the US, leading to booming commercial ventures such as Dropbox, iRobot, and Boston Dynamics. And now the UK government has plans for further investment in spin-outs from Oxford and Cambridge. But what evidence exists that this approach can be as effective in other parts of the world? And as global economies strive for growth, will there be competition for talent and investment?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Sam Fenwick(Image: Oxford University in the UK)

From noticing a gap in the market, to launching a start-up with her husband, CEO Julia Hartz tells us how she's built Eventbrite to become one of the biggest event ticketing platforms in the world, distributing 272 million tickets to more than 1.7 million global events in 2024. The online site enables users to buy tickets to all kinds of community gatherings; with almost one-million creators publishing get-togethers like, cooking classes, yoga sessions and cold-water plunging. Julia shares how the company has dealt with challenging economic climates, the scourge of surge pricing, and how it's adapting to new ways of bringing the world together offline. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ed Butler Producer: Amber Mehmood(Picture: Julia Hartz. Credit: Getty Images)

Colombia has emerged as the world's second-biggest exporter of cut flowers, and the largest supplier to the United States. Local growers suffered a scare this year when US president Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 50% on imports from Colombia. The dispute was quickly resolved but, even so, the threat of tariffs remains. And the sector faces other challenges, particularly around sustainability. We visit a flower farm in Colombia and go to Bogota airport to see how the country exports this most delicate and perishable of goods. We also talk to an academic who says the industry is changing rapidly, with an emphasis on growing flowers locally rather than flying them around the world. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Gideon Long(Picture: A female employee handling roses at a flower farm, Flores de los Andes, near Bogotá, Colombia. Credit: BBC)

A shortage of workers is leading some retailers to forgo hiring altogether. The number of unmanned, or staff-less stores in South Korea has grown rapidly in recent years - from ice cream shops to bustling cafes and bars.We explore how these unmanned stores operate and if they can offer a solution to the country’s demographic problems. Is this the answer for business to keep things running when there aren’t enough people to work? Producer/presenter: David Cann(Image: An unmanned bar in Seoul, South Korea)

The country is facing a labour shortage following decades of low birth rate and depopulation.By the year 2032, it’s estimated South Korea will need more than 890,000 additional workers to maintain the country’s long term economic growth goal of 2%.But with 95% of the country’s population identifying as ethnically Korean, the public opinion on immigration is mixed.In the second of our three-part series looking at South Korea’s low birth rate and population decline, we ask if the immigration can fill the gap in labour, and what the challenges are.Produced and presented by David Cann.(Image: A worker from the Philippines holding a baby in South Korea. Credit: Getty Images)

South Korea has grappled with an unprecedented decline in birth rate over the past nine years.However the latest figures show a slight rise in the number of babies born. Although the number remains low, the news is being welcomed with cautious optimism. The increase follows years of pro-parent policies and heavy investment by the government and businesses.In the first of our three-part series looking at South Korea’s low birth rate and population decline, we look into the efforts it took to achieve this turnaround, and find out how the number got so low in the first place.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by David Cann(Image: A mum and child in South Korea. Credit: Getty Images)

In its 50th anniversary year, we chart Microsoft's history and look at where the tech giant is heading into the future. It's one of the world's biggest companies - we get exclusive access to the Seattle HQ.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Zoe Kleinman Producers: Imran Rahman-Jones, Georgina Hayes and Rumella Dasgupta(Picture: A Microsoft sign is seen outside the company headquarters on July 3, 2024 in Redmond, Washington. Credit: Getty Images)

Two years ago, boxing was on the ropes. Fans were fed up, and rival promoters were playing the blame game, as egos, finances and broadcaster commitments got in the way.Now, it's all changed, largely thanks to investment from Saudi Arabia. We head to the boxing ring to look at the revival of this global sport – and find out whether the Kingdom's increasing involvement in sport is being universally welcomed.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Matt Lines(Image: Britain's Tyson Fury (red) and Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk (blue) compete during their heavyweight world championship rematch at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on December 22, 2024. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

More than 30 million pilgrims are expected to visit The Vatican city this year, to pass through the Holy Door at St Peter's Basilica, opened especially for 2025. In the Italian capital Rome, which surrounds The Vatican, officials have been planning for years to accommodate the extra tourists, including major disruption for locals, but three months in business leaders are reporting that figures are down 15% on the previous year.The city's hotel association says accommodation rates are being lowered in the hope it will encourage more non-Jubilee visitors who may have been put off travelling.But other businesses are cashing in - we hear from faith based tourist groups around the world who say they are doubling their bookings to Rome. Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney(Image: Faithful carry a wooden cross on Via della Conciliazione in Rome during the pilgrimage route to the Holy Door of St. Peter's basilica in the Vatican, as part of the Catholic Jubilee Year, on 22/02/25. Credit: Getty Images)

We’re in Helsinki to find out why this small, cold, Nordic capital is spawning growing numbers of technologies designed to help countries protect and defend themselves against war.We meet some of the Finnish defence tech and dual-use start ups attracting global interest, hear why these sorts of businesses have become more attractive for European investors, and dig into the challenges facing the sector.Presented and produced by Maddy Savage(Image: A Kelluu airship flying over snowy fields. Image credit: Kelluu)

Restrictions and government assistance varied, but for small business owners the challenges were similar.Five years on, we hear from three entrepreneurs about their experiences - the manager of a tourism company in Tanzania, a bar owner in England, and a former gym owner in the US. What have they learnt? And has it changed the way the operate and make decisions?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Josh Martin(Image: A coffee shop owner serves a customer in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

The CEO of the Italian luxury car maker tells Business Daily how his background in physics and electronics is helping him lead the company through unprecedented change, as the furious scream of high-powered petrol engines gradually gives way to the whisper of clean but quiet electric motors. How can Ferrari stay relevant in a rapidly changing world?If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Amber Mehmood(Picture: Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari, sitting in the company's Mayfair dealership in London, in front of a car. Credit: BBC)

We're in Greece to find out what challenges await the new IOC president Kirsty Coventry - the first woman and first African to hold the most powerful role in sport.The IOC faces several challenges, including the issue of paying prize money to athletes, finding a host for the 2036 Summer games and climate change.There are also questions around the future of boxing as an Olympic sport and securing future revenues with NBC's multi-billion dollar deal due to expire after the Brisbane games in 2032 and other sponsorship deals up for renewal.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Alex Capstick(Image: Kirsty Coventry reacts as she delivers a speech after being elected as the new IOC President on Day Two of the 144th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session on March 20, 2025 in Costa Navarino, Greece. Credit: Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

Despite its growing popularity and its success as a global export, the industry is facing a number of challenges. We found out how the South American country is adapting.Produced and presented by Jane Chambers(Image: Workers processing salmon. Credit: Multi Planta)

'Made in Canada': Words that are now a common sight on Canadian shelves, after Donald Trump's tariffs sparked a trade war with the country.The US president has imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada. Trump has also vowed to impose a sweeping range of "reciprocal" tariffs on 2 April.North of the United States' border, the trade dispute has generated a wave of patriotism, with some consumers and businesses boycotting American products. But what impact has it had on business? In this programme, we hear from the Canadian firms choosing to bring operations back to Canada and learn about the hurdles along the way.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton(Picture: An employee covers a stack of aluminum billets with plastic. Credit: Getty Images)

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping USAID projects worldwide, saying he wants overseas spending decisions to align with his election policy to "put America first". USAID is the US government's main overseas aid agency and it administers humanitarian aid programmes on behalf of the US government. It has bases in more than 60 countries and works in dozens of others. However, most of the work on the ground is carried out by other organisations that are contracted and funded by USAID.The vast majority of projects have been abruptly halted. But what has this decision meant for the people who relied on them? From Kenya’s Lake Victoria to Nairobi’s slums, we explore the profound impact on lives, businesses, and livelihoods.If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick(Image: Little boy walking on railroad tracks with Kibera slum in the background. Nairobi, Kenya. Credit: Getty Images)