Alex Sparkes and fellow University of Hull computer science graduates have launched Heuro Studios, a new venture which turns ideas into interactive technology, making digital content more accessible, simple and enjoyable

A young East Yorkshire entrepreneur has received a significant boost from a major Hull employer. Alex Sparkes, 21, has joined forces with fellow University of Hull graduates Rand Nessif and Jack Shanks, also both 21, to establish Heuro Studios, a new venture that transforms ideas into interactive technology, making digital content more accessible, straightforward and engaging.

Alex, from Hornsea, and his new partners – all computer science graduates – have set up the company in Hull city centre’s K2 building, where they are now concentrating on creating immersive digital experiences, apps and websites. Heuro Studios primarily focuses on educational and heritage projects, including recent work bringing historical figures to life using AI, for the team at Hull Minster.

The fledgling business has now secured a grant through an innovative partnership established by rural communications firm Quickline. The broadband provider announced the two-year collaboration with the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank (JCYEB) earlier this year, joining forces to champion digital inclusion and youth entrepreneurship across East Yorkshire.

The partnership forms part of Quickline’s broader commitment to Project Gigabit, the UK Government programme designed to help hard-to-reach and rural communities gain access to fast, reliable gigabit-capable broadband. Alex was awarded £728 by Quickline, which he is putting towards a camera, tablet and website domains to strengthen the quality of work delivered to their clients.

He said: “A big part of what we do is making digital content more accessible, whether that’s turning a board game into a digital learning tool, or helping a costume business reach new audiences. Having the right tools to do that matters, and this grant has made sure we’re not held back by equipment when the ideas are there.”, reports Hull Live.

“When you start a new business, you need all the help you can get and, for a young company like ours, that support is massive. Quickline have been so supportive and this will really help our business offering, as lots of clients need new, high quality images for their websites.”

Created to help break down digital obstacles and empower young people to launch, maintain and expand their enterprises, the partnership provides digital inclusion grants of up to £1,000 to young business owners aged 16 to 29 who reside in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The scheme is run by JCYEB, collaborating with partners including East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire in Business, C4DI, Hull City Council’s Making Changes for Careers (MC4C) programme and the Smile Foundation.

The grant was provided after the Heuro Studios team requested assistance from the MC4C programme, through which Rand, from West Hull, secured a test market grant of £741 to further support the company’s development. Charles Cracknell, founder and secretary of the JCYEB, said: “We welcome our partnership with Quickline, which has enabled us to give even more support to young East Riding entrepreneurs. It’s thanks to them that we plan to support at least 25 enterprising young people over the next two years.

“We’re now in our 23rd year supporting young entrepreneurs and, thanks to companies like Quickline, have issued more 1,500 grants to aspiring young entrepreneurs and enterprise projects in the Hull and East Riding area.”

Ash Cane, social values executive at Quickline, added: “We’re delighted to support Alex in growing his business and it means a huge amount to us to create these exciting opportunities for young entrepreneurs, opening up new doors. It’s helping them to get a foot on the business ladder and hopefully providing that first stepping stone to a long and successful career.”

LOS ANGELES — That’s It., a fruit-based snack company, hopes to serve one billion grams of fiber to consumers this year through its growing product portfolio, a big jump from its 250 million servings in 2025. The snack company recently launched two new products, reaching new categories with innovations intended to provide consumers with more ways to consume fiber and fruit.

The company was founded in 2012 by Lior Lewensztain, MD, after learning in medical school that only one in three Americans consume the recommended daily servings of fruit. Today, the statistic has stretched, with only 1 in 10 Americans meeting this goal, Lewensztain said.

That’s It. formulates its snacks with fruit and simple ingredients. The product’s packaging identifies the exact amount of fruit used in the product’s formula.

“We want people to consume more fruit, and we’re trying to make it more portable, more convenient and to add different functionalities to the different product lines that we have,” Lewensztain said. “At the core, our focus is always ‘fruit no matter what.’”

The company also approaches its snack formulations with a “food as preventive medicine” philosophy.

“I think it’s a very Eastern medicine philosophy, utilizing the world around us — nature, food — as preventative measures instead of going straight to medications or medicines,” Lewensztain said. “We really try to target younger children so they can develop better behaviors from the get-go and, that way, they can actually try to mitigate a lot of the long-term issues, health issues and diseases that can occur by trying to actually practice better consumption behaviors from the beginning.”

Although the company was launched well before the current health-focused wave of products and is “ahead of its time in terms of minimal ingredients,” Lewensztain said the surge is not a worry for the company’s mission and that he is “thankful” to see the industry catching up.

“Regulations like inverting the food pyramid and getting companies to remove colors from foods, those are all great things that are happening and, fortunately for us, we never had to change anything — we’ve been like that from the get-go,” Lewensztain said. “For us, it’s just a matter of staying the course…  

“Our mission was to get people to consume more fruit, and we were able to carve out our space within the (bar) category and really develop a fruit bar subcategory within that,” Lewensztain said. “When we look at innovation, it’s really about where there are gaps in the market, where we feel, through the lens of fruit, we can add value. Nothing we do is niche or meant to be much smaller in terms of outreach. It’s really supposed to be more universal and appeal to the masses.”

That’s It.’s portfolio includes bars, probiotic bars and dark chocolate truffles.

Recently, the snack manufacturer has focused on scaling the business with new product launches. Last year, the company launched its Crunchables line, a crunchy fruit snack formulated for toddlers and young children.

Earlier this year, That’s It. unveiled its latest innovations: a fiber bar “enhanced” with fruit and Frutola, a fruit-based granola.

Frutola is made with four ingredients, is free from added sugar and offers 16 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per bowl. The product debuted at Costco and was followed by a larger retail expansion.

The granola is available in flavors such as cinnamon, strawberry, banana and blueberry.

“There’s nothing (like Frutola); it’s very disruptive” Lewensztain said. “There are a lot of SKUs out there that call themselves fruity, right? But there’s not really any fruit in there. Those are mostly flavorings. So, we wanted to be able to provide real fruit…it’s as simple as it gets.”

The product launches align with the company’s mission to provide consumers of all ages with more fiber via fruit.

That’s It. offers multiple sizes, such as its mini and fun sizes, so each product can be accessible for both children and adults.

“You can supplement it at your will,” Lewensztain said. “(Size varieties) are a great way to be able to supplement what you’re already eating in your normal daily diet.”

That’s It.’s products are nationally distributed and may be found in “all channels,” including retail, K-12 schools, hospital systems and college campuses, Lewensztain said.

Jack McGuinness has long turned technical detail into practical results. At Aussie Gutter Protection, that focus extends beyond mesh design and roof geometry to the hardware that makes installations durable, reliable, and efficient. Screws, saddles, trims, and bracket systems form the backbone of every AGP installation, delivering consistent performance across thousands of residential projects.

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McGuinness emphasizes that even the smallest component can influence safety outcomes. Corrosion-resistant screws and fastening components are chosen to ensure panels remain secure, maintain their position over time, and withstand environmental exposure. Each element is developed with installation teams in mind, ensuring functionality, precision, and efficiency work together on every roof.

Precision Hardware That Supports Performance

Gutter protection requires components that hold securely without altering roof geometry. AGP’s screws and brackets provide consistent grip while avoiding distortion of the roofline. Durable, corrosion-resistant fasteners help panels remain stable under sun, wind, and rain.

Saddles and support trims keep mesh aligned at junctions and along panel edges. This precise positioning reduces gaps where debris or embers could penetrate and maintains a uniform finish across the roofline. Every part contributes to consistent performance across installations.

Engineered for Consistency and Speed

Installation efficiency and precision are critical to the long-term reliability of gutter protection. AGP’s proprietary hardware allows installers to secure panels with fewer adjustments and reduced handling. Brackets are pre-shaped to suit standard roof profiles, minimizing on-site modifications, while screws and fixings are designed to support straightforward alignment and maintain even placement across every installation. This ensures panels remain firmly positioned along roof edges, preventing lifting, sagging, or gaps that could compromise performance.

Complex roof features, such as valleys or curved profiles, present unique challenges. AGP hardware adapts to these variations while keeping mesh panels secure and aligned. Flexible support trims and tensioning components help maintain consistent tension across sections, supporting uniform coverage and stability even under strong wind conditions. Predictable assembly and consistent panel positioning not only help projects stay on schedule but also reinforce the system’s ability to perform reliably over time.

Behind-the-Scenes Innovation

AGP invests in research and development to refine minor components. Each screw length, bracket angle, and saddle contour undergoes testing to balance strength, ease of installation, and durability. Small parts are designed to help installers work efficiently while keeping panels secure and aligned.

Hardware innovation supports AGP’s broader approach to quality. Standardizing fittings and fasteners reduces variability between installations, ensuring homeowners receive reliable performance regardless of roof type or location. Engineering precision in components reinforces dependable outcomes for every installation.

Durability Through Design

Corrosion-resistant metals and reinforced support structures extend the lifespan of gutter protection installations. Components that maintain their integrity reduce maintenance requirements and preserve system performance over years of environmental exposure. Hardware that remains strong under pressure protects the roof, the gutter, and the home beneath.

Each innovation, from mesh clamps to support saddles, reflects a philosophy that reliability starts at the component level. Precisely engineered hardware ensures that installation quality is consistent across every project. Every screw, bracket, and trim contributes to a system designed to protect, perform, and last.

Shaping Industry Standards

AGP’s hardware innovations set benchmarks for professional installation in bushfire-prone regions. Providing installers with components engineered for consistency reduces the risk of gaps, misalignment, or failure. Each part contributes to smoother, more predictable installation and long-term system stability.

Attention to these details demonstrates that small components can make a large difference. Though subtle, the hardware underpins a safer and more reliable gutter protection system and highlights AGP’s technical leadership in residential protection.

Bio:

Aussie Gutter Protection (AGP) provides specialist gutter protection solutions designed for Australian homes and conditions. Its TuffMesh system supports ember protection, rainwater safety, and long-term roof performance. Backed by skilled installation, technical expertise, durable hardware, and a 25-year warranty, AGP helps homeowners protect their properties with reliable, tailored solutions that complement modern roof design and withstand demanding environmental conditions across Australia with confidence and peace of mind for their families.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta told CNBC’s David Faber on Thursday that the group of states suing to block Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery would require “robust structural remedies” to reach a settlement in the antitrust case.

“[Paramount] wanted to talk about everything except for what this case is about. They want to talk about the streaming market, which we don’t allege in our complaint. They want to talk about CNN, which is not a focus of our complaint. They want to talk about the foreign regulators. We want to talk about the three markets that we set forth in our complaint, where we think there’s antitrust violation,” Bonta said.

Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in July seeking to block the merger. The group of suing states also includes Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington. In the suit, the group focuses on the size of the combined company and how it would control nearly one-third of films and nearly a third of basic cable TV programming. 

Paramount, which initially sought to close the deal by Sept. 30, agreed to delay the proposed acquisition of WBD to as late as June 2027. A trial will be heard on the matter in March.

There has been widespread speculation about whether Paramount and the states will hold settlement talks to bypass the March trial.

“I will say that coming to the table has always been on the table. And if [CEO David] Ellison and Paramount want to come to the table in good faith and talk, we want to talk, too. We’re happy to have that conversation,” Bonta said. “We do prefer to resolve cases in the boardroom instead of the courtroom, but for now we’re bringing our case, and, you know, I hope they can focus on the actual allegations we make in our complaint.”

Bonta said it’s no secret Paramount wants the states to consider a settlement.

If the two companies were to combine, it would unite the famed movie studios Warner Bros. and Paramount, as well as a massive portfolio of TV networks including Paramount’s broadcast network CBS and pay TV channels such as its MTV and BET with WBD’s CNN, Discovery and others. It would also bring together streaming platforms Paramount+ and HBO Max. 

“Whether the market is shrinking or growing is really irrelevant,” Bonta said Thursday in response to the argument that the pay TV subscriber base has been decreasing due to the rise of streaming.

Bonta said a combined Paramount-WBD would create a “presumptively illegal market concentration” in the film and TV markets the group of attorneys general identified in the lawsuit.

“We are the ones who’ve looked at this from a straight-up law and facts perspective in the American economy under American law under Clayton Act Section 7, which applies here as antitrust law,” Bonta said. “[The law has] been on the books for over a century. And it’s just a straight up, meat-and-potatoes, black-and-white, bread-and-butter, antitrust case.”

The Clayton Antitrust Act is the more-than-100-year-old law that prohibits anticompetitive mergers and acquisitions.

Paramount has previously called the states’ lawsuit a “misrepresentation of competition in the entertainment industry today,” and said it plans to “vigorously defend the transaction and demonstrate that this challenge is inconsistent with sound competition and policy and the competitive realities of the media marketplace.”

Paramount’s lead trial counsel, Jeffrey Kessler, earlier told CNBC that Paramount “believes strongly” in the combination of the two companies and is prepared to bring the matter to the Supreme Court if it was faced with a prolonged blockade to closing the deal. 

During Paramount’s August earnings call, Ellison said he’s “confident” the deal will close.

A Paramount spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about Bonta’s remarks on Thursday.

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