Shift raises £2.5 million Series A led by Fuel Ventures

An on-demand removals marketplace that allows both consumers and businesses to move items using its UK wide network of drivers has secured £2.5m in investment.

Shift, dubbed ‘Uber for removals, was founded by Jacob Corlett in February 2018. Since its launch, the business has achieved an annual turnover of £1.7m, attracted a nationwide network of more than 4,000 self-employed drivers, and secured partnerships with some of the UK’s leading retailers, storage specialists and delivery companies.

Shift offers an on-demand, bespoke service to move anything from a single table to a full home or office, at any time of the day. The online platform combines technology with intelligent algorithms in real-time to find the most suitable ‘Shifter’ for each job from its UK-wide network, giving customers the flexibility to work around their schedules.

The start-up secured £1.3m in funding from London-based VC fund, Fuel Ventures. The fund recently raised £20m in its third round.

Shift secured a further £1.2 million from additional angels and investors. It plans to strengthen its current operation, increase its brand awareness and expand its team.

Jacob Corlett, founder of Shift, commented: “My first company was a ‘man and van’ removals service. I started the business when I was just 17 years old and built it from the ground up, but as disruptive apps and companies like Uber, Airbnb and Deliveroo began to gain popularity, I saw that my customers’ expectations were changing. I decided to apply the same business model to the removals market, and that’s where Shift started.

“The business has taken off at an exceptional rate – in just over one year, we have achieved an annual turnover of £1.7 million and attracted a nation-wide network of self-employed drivers. It’s a very exciting time for us and I’m very pleased to have the backing of Fuel Ventures to strengthen Shift even further.”

Mark Pearson, founder of Fuel Ventures, said: “This is an exciting time for Fuel Ventures and its start-ups, and Shift is a fantastic addition to our portfolio. Jacob has identified a clear gap in the sector and has created a much-needed solution.

“The business has already achieved outstanding growth in its first year and has the potential to completely transform the removals industry. We look forward to seeing what they will do in this space.”

Source: https://www.businessleader.co.uk/2-5m-investment-for-on-demand-removals-marketplace/65829/

Manoj Ranaweera

Manoj has founded, failed and successfully exited from a number of technology product companies as well as support organisations since 2004. Among them, Northern Tech Awards and edocr.com were acquired by GP Bullhound and Accusoft, Inc respectively. Today, Manoj is building a trusted support network for technology companies. He is working with founding teams to help them accelerate including raising investment and M&A.

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