Tech startups have transformed our lives in ways barely conceivable even a decade ago, with lots more innovation promised to come. And though it might appear we’re all just staring at screens, technology is connecting people like never before. We met three exciting young British tech startups to get an insight into the connectivity revolution.
Inclusivity through equality
“Tedious and unfulfilling Zoom meetings” drove Chris Rabbitt to the conclusion that “the optimum number of people to have in a meeting was four”. Hybrid working is here to stay, Rabbitt says, “but people miss making real connections, as they are tired of massive Zoom rooms where they can’t get a word in edgeways”.
Rabbitt came up with Meeow, a “blind-date”-style networking and pitching platform for small and medium enterprises, where you get to meet three other business people selected by the platform each time. Launched in April, the company has high growth predictions for 2022.
Meeow started on Zoom as an online business community and built up a loyal following and a group of ambassadors. But when Rabbitt and his team wanted to scale the business they realised they needed to create their own bespoke tech platform.
Equality is a priority in their ethos: “The randomness of Meeow means that there is no unconscious bias in our platform – it’s important to us that we level the playing field for all business owners, regardless of their age, race, disabilities or sexual orientation,” says Rabbitt. “Meeow also removes the self-censorship people exhibit when deciding who they need to speak to.”
Rabbitt is evangelical about how tech enables great cultural changes. “The next 12 months will be tremendously interesting as ideas born out of the pandemic begin to come to market,” he says, “I’m particularly excited by some of the fintech and future of work startups I’ve seen in recent months. Companies such as Work and Communications (WAC) are shaking things up in the gig economy, and Juggle in the jobs market. It’s a truly fascinating world to be a part of.”
And connectivity is crucial for all of this. “It doesn’t just support our operation – it is our business,” says Rabbitt. “We are a truly digital business taking advantage of all the opportunities that connectivity affords.”
Accessibility-led engagement
Will Turner and Phil Steele came up with the idea of fitness tool GoJoe after a rain-soaked University of Leeds reunion sports event. It aims to bridge the gap between physical events and digital fitness apps, with the special sauce of “friendly, team-based, social competition”.
GoJoe serves “neglected ‘ordinary Joes’ like us, who want to get and stay fit but don’t find existing products motivational all year round”, says Turner. “Existing fitness apps are great for invested athletes or for getting you started, but in our view don’t work well as longer-term, sustainable fitness solutions for most people.” After quickly achieving success in global accelerator challenges and securing major brands as corporate clients, GoJoe is now opening its second round of investment.
Tech accessibility underpins the app, says Turner. “We’re a global digital product and we’re fully accessible and free for people to use. You don’t need an expensive bit of kit or a bike, for example, to be part of the GoJoe community and compete with friends, colleagues or celebrities – you really only need a smartphone. That’s allowed us to be present in more than 130 countries worldwide, including in some pretty remote places.”
Connectivity for its customers runs through everything GoJoe does. “It’s played a part in some of the biggest decisions we’ve made as a tech company – in terms of developing our tech, integrating wearables, deciding which features to implement, and in how we engage across all our channels.”
For Turner, tech means “turning everyday solo experiences into something more meaningful and social”. He’s passionate about how advancing changes in technology represent “a sea change in how we experience the world around us. We see some amazing opportunities for people to socialise their everyday fitness experiences and get closer to people virtually while exercising.”
Infrastructure for innovation
Omid Moallemi started social gifting app Prsnt in 2019 after discovering it was too late to send a friend a gift on his birthday. “A birthday card will take days and Amazon could only do next-day,” he says. He felt there was a better way to – quickly – express the emotional connection of gifting than a simple text message.
Prsnt allows people to send a gift, such as a QR code, Starbucks voucher or a Deliveroo meal, all with a personalised video, direct to someone’s smartphone in under 15 seconds.
With a background in product design and innovation, Moallemi used these skills to do what he sees as “overhauling the gifting process”. “There are several needs for the modern-day gift-giver – speed, convenience, personalisation and sustainability,” he says. “We service anyone with a birthday and a smartphone – which is a huge market.”
Moallemi originally had the basic idea for Prsnt some 10 years ago but the infrastructure simply wasn’t in place. “Smartphone tech was fairly new, and the software systems weren’t available to process the Prsnt engine,” he says. “We have some great emerging tech that helps us, including digital payments and digital tokens from the brands.”
Also passionate about tech’s power for good, Moallemi says: “It enhances our lives – it allows us to connect better, achieve more and ultimately create a better world. In a further 20 years’ time, we will live in a world full of technology that hasn’t been invented yet – and that to me is really exciting.”
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