Pioneering careers network expands into Liverpool through £2.25m funding deal

From left: David Walters, Sam Hyams, Oliver Fisher, Marc d’Abbadie

Careers network specialist, Springpod, is expanding its North West presence following a £2.25m Series A funding round.

The financing deal was led by Alliance Fund Managers through MSIF’s Merseyside Loan and Equity Fund, Triple Point and Cass Entreprneurship Fund, alongside participation from existing investors.

Following the injection, London-based Springpod will relocate its existing Southport operation into Liverpool city centre this spring.

Springpod is a careers network that connects young people with employers and education providers, enabling them to experience the world of work and university to make informed decisions about their futures.

It was launched in 2018 by Sam Hyams and Oliver Fisher to democratise access to opportunity for young people. They says their mission is to transform young people’s futures by providing life changing career experiences and opportunities.

Springpod has seen rapid growth and adoption of its virtual work experience programmes, virtual events and digital student engagement solutions.

Five thousand young people join Springpod’s platform every week, and more than 150,000 have now used the platform to engage with employers, universities and organisations.

From the NHS to the likes of Vodafone and Nestlé, Springpod partners with a variety of top-tier organisations to provide the ultimate expert-led experience for all participants.

Between its London and Southport offices the business boasts a 50-strong team. The funding will support further development with a relocation to Liverpool to house new positions across its sales, marketing and product development teams.

Management plans 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 or 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.”

He added: “In a short period, Springpod has helped over 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.

“This backing from top investors is a significant vote of confidence in our vision and the impact our incredible team have had collectively in a really short period of time. It will enable us to support hundreds of thousands more students, expand to new geographies and get us closer to that goal of giving every young person the ability to transform their future.”

AFM investment manager, David Walters, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Sam and Ollie as part of the Springpod growth story to allow them to build upon the impressive progress they have made in such a short time. 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.”

Marc d’Abbadie, AFM’s head of equity, said: “It is great to see Springpod choosing Liverpool for its exciting expansion plans and attracting such substantial inward investment into the Liverpool City Region.

“We are pleased to be backing a strong team with impressive revenue growth, despite the difficult conditions caused by COVID. This speaks to the quality of the pipeline that AFM has been building.”

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