Huler, a Stoke-based HRTech startup whose platform has attracted a host of blue-chip clients within its first year, recently announced that it has raised £2 million in a new funding round led by Mercia’s EIS funds, the MEIF Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, and private investors.
With the funds, the company plans to develop its employee experience platform and create at least 12 new jobs in the year ahead.
Founded by Nicky Hoyland, Huler acts as a ‘launchpad’, bringing together different programs, apps and content that employees require within a slick user interface that provides easy access and improves productivity. The platform makes things that inspire new ways of thinking, bring about real change, & make people’s lives just a little bit easier.
Huler’s flagship product, HulerHub, is a pioneering employee experience platform designed to improve employee engagement, boost organisational productivity and maximize ROI on current technology investments. It offers businesses of all shapes and sizes the ability to build better personalized digital employee experiences that enable employees to take control of their working day and collaborate from any device, anywhere in the world.
Commenting on the investment, Co-founder & CEO of Huler, Nicky Hoyland, said:
With organisations working hard to retain talent, improving the employee experience is a real priority. By bringing consumer-grade technology to the workplace, Huler aims to be the world’s most engaging and intuitive employee engagement platform. This is an exciting time for us in our mission to revolutionise the future of work and we are pleased to welcome Mercia on board to support us in our goals.
Following its launch in January 2022, the firm has already been adopted by clients including Travelodge, Centrica, EE, Qinetiq and St James’s Place Wealth Management as well as the US corporation Dairy Queen.
Adding further about the funding, Investment Manager, Merica, Kiran Mehta, said:
With flexible working and the war for talent, the market for HRtech is expanding rapidly. Huler simplifies life for employees and enhances engagement and productivity. Nicky and Gareth have built an impressive client base and made inroads into the US market within their first year. The funding will help them drive further growth in the UK and internationally. It’s a pleasure to partner with Nicky, Gareth and the whole Huler team.
Huler was backed from an early stage by serial entrepreneur Gareth Mobley, whose Stoke-based, tech-enabled fenestration company DW3 Products Group was sold to Masonite International in 2018, and who is now Huler’s executive chair. Huler currently employs 53 staff.
