Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Improbable warned of sustaining profitability after £39m loss

ENTREPRENEUR Herman Narula has warned that his gaming software business Improbable is yet to demonstrate self-sustaining profitability.

The SoftBank-backed start-up recorded another heavy loss before tax of £39 million for the year ended to May 2019.


The London based company was founded by Cambridge University alumnus Narula in 2012.

Born in Delhi, Narula, 32, is a British Indian businessman and chief executive of Improbable.

The main risk to the business was that its cutting edge technology “is not yet demonstrating self-sustaining profitability”, although its funding from SoftBank had “significantly de-risked this in the near term”, according to company directors.

Operating losses of the Narula’s firm jumped to £64m, but its loss before tax fell thanks to foreign exchange gains.

The start-up still has £362m in total assets.

An Improbable spokesman said: “Our 2018-19 accounts show that we spent that period focused on the growth of our company. We increased our headcount by 48 per cent.

“We moved to a larger office in London and significantly expanded our operations in Canada and China. This increased our operating expenses.

“However, these results do not reflect major changes to the company which took place in the nine months since these accounts were closed.”

Improbable employs more than 500 staff in Europe, China and North America.

Improbable makes innovative multiplayer titles using its own technology, with studios in Canada, the US and Britain.

The business provides technology for game makers to enable powerful virtual worlds and simulations designed to help solve previously intractable problems.

In gaming and entertainment, this enables game makers to create richer, more immersive and persistent virtual worlds.

More For You

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK business district
The Canary Wharf business district including global financial institutions in London. (Photo: Getty Images)
Getty Images

Economy shows no growth in July amid political turbulence

UK's ECONOMY showed no growth in July, according to official data released on Friday, adding to a difficult week for prime minister Keir Starmer’s government.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product was flat in July, following a 0.4 per cent rise in June.

Keep ReadingShow less
India’s IT sector

India’s $283 billion IT industry, which contributes more than 7 per cent to the country’s GDP, has for over three decades provided services to major clients including Apple, American Express, Cisco, Citigroup, FedEx and Home Depot.

iStock

India’s IT sector faces uncertainty as US proposes 25 per cent outsourcing tax

INDIA’s IT sector is facing uncertainty as US lawmakers consider a 25 per cent tax on companies using foreign outsourcing services.

Analysts and lawyers said the proposal has led to customers delaying or re-negotiating contracts, raising concerns in India, the world’s largest outsourcing hub.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Reeves

'Our economy isn't broken, but it does feel stuck,' Reeves said, speaking alongside the release of a finance ministry report on business property taxation, known as rates.

Getty Images

Reeves signals possible changes to business property taxes ahead of budget

CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves said on Thursday she is considering changes to business property taxes to support small firms looking to expand, as part of her plans to boost growth.

Reeves’ comments come ahead of her annual budget on November 26, at a time when concerns about possible tax rises and inflation are weighing on businesses and households.

Keep ReadingShow less