A female-founded corporate gifting tech startup has raised 拢1.4 million in seed funding.
Founded in Manchester in 2021, needi.co.uk specialises in sourcing unique, sustainable corporate gifts and branded merchandise from local, independent businesses.
Clarendon Fund Managers and Techstart Ventures contributed to the round alongside angel investors including exited tech founders, EY partners and senior executives from tech firms.
鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly proud of what we鈥檝e achieved so far given the barriers that female founders face when fundraising,鈥� said Doyle. 鈥淭his investment will not only enable us to grow but also to continue our support of local, independent businesses and sourcing sustainable corporate gifts and branded merchandise.鈥�
needi is reshaping the corporate gifting and branded merchandise industry by sourcing from local independent businesses, helping them thrive in markets dominated by large corporations. It says it has already generated over 拢1m in sales for local businesses and is working with major clients including Meta, Spotify, Intuit QuickBooks and Amazon.
It ensures that its corporate gifts and branded merchandise align with clients’ ESG and sustainability goals, offering a socially conscious alternative to traditional corporate gifting.
Claudine Owens, investment manager at Clarendon Fund Managers, said: 鈥渘eedi鈥檚 seamless, tech-driven solution to sourcing high quality, unique gifts has the potential to revolutionise corporate gifting strategies.
鈥淚 am delighted to be working with both Louise and Steph on the exciting journey ahead.鈥�