Seed investment signals confidence in payment technology specialist

Brighouse-based payment technology business, Sticky, has secured £325,000 worth of seed investment from SFC Capital.

The firm makes branded stickers designed to make ordering food and drink or safety inspections as quick and simple as a contactless payment.

Its CEO, James Garner, explained the business’s ambitious goal is to “redefine how people interact with the world around them” without them having to download an app or create an account.

He added: “People can already use our stickers to order food/drink in under 20 seconds, and our investors believe in our team’s ability to take this level of convenience to a truly global scale.

“It feels great to be building something with almost infinite potential – a company that can improve every area of our everyday lives.”

Jamie Exley, head of payments at the firm, said: “Controlling the consumer interface means playing an important part of how consumers pay for things, and the payments business in particular is ripe for disruption.

“Today, Independent Sales Organisations (ISOs) lock businesses into lease contracts as long as four years for card machines on terms that can’t be changed.

“ISOs will go out of business as this predatory practice gets regulated and the world moves from card machines to solutions that are better for consumers like Sticky.

“Yet we don’t want to wait for the regulator to take action – we’re working day and night to offer both businesses and consumers something better right now.”

Priscilla Israel, COO said that whilst the post-COVID road to recovery will be tough for hospitality, investing in game changing technology start-ups is the only way to create new jobs and build the future.

She added: “2021 is a crucial year for hospitality venues around the world, and we’re excited to be building a future that’s genuinely attractive to pubs and restaurants as well as consumers.

“But Sticky’s future lies beyond hospitality – we won’t stop until we’ve helped businesses improve convenience and productivity in every industry and in every corner of the world.

“We are working in a space with boundless opportunity for growth, and we’re already creating opportunities for people that just didn’t exist before.”