Established in 2018, Springpod offers a digital platform that connects young people with employers and education providers and has raised £2.25m to fund its Liverpool expansion. Tony McDonough reports
A Merseyside business that has created a digital platform that connects young people with employers and education providers has raised £2.25m to fund its expansion plans.
Springpod was launched by Sam Hyams and Oliver Fisher in 2018 and is already well established in Southport and London. Now with new funding secured the business is looking to significantly expand its base in Liverpool city centre.
Around 150,000 young people have already joined the specialist careers platform which enables young people to experience the world of work and university in order to make informed decisions about their futures.
It aims to provide “life-changing career experiences and opportunities” and around 5,000 young people are joining every week to engage with employers such as the NHS, Vodafone and Nestle as well as universities. It has seen seen rapid growth in its virtual work experience programmes, virtual events and digital student engagement.
Now Springpod has completed a new funding round led by Alliance Fund Managers (AFM) through MSIF’s Merseyside Loan and Equity Fund, Triple Point and Cass Entrepreneurship Fund, alongside participation from existing investors.
The funding will support the further development of Springpod’s growing Liverpool operations with the opening of an additional city centre location to house new positions across its sales, marketing and product development teams. Management also plan to launch into new international territories, principally the USA and Europe, later in the year.
The Liverpool expansion will enable Springpod to further diversify its creative talents, capitalise on the burgeoning EdTech movement in the city, and ensure that it remains close to key clients, such as Airbus and Jaguar Land Rover.
Managing director Sam Hyams said: “Every young person deserves equal access to opportunities with amazing employers and universities and the guidance to make informed decisions.
“Too often this is dependent on the school you attend, the professional network you can tap into. Springpod democratises access to top organisations and provides students with the toolset to explore, prepare for and secure their dream next step, from age 13-24.
“In a short period, Springpod has helped more than 150,000 young people gain high-quality virtual work experience, connect with top employers and engage with universities through virtual events.
“We are just getting started and our mission is to level the playing field for every young person globally, and become a trusted advisor to upskill the next generation of diverse early talent.”
AFM investment manager, David Walters, added: “This is ‘tech for good’ at a time when young people, more than ever, need expert support to help them get onto the career ladder and help navigate their futures in such uncertain times.”