Half a million pound boost for loyalty app provider – 45 new jobs created in Glasgow
Champion for the small and independent business owner, Glasgow based Swipii, has secured a half a million pound Regional Selective Assistance grant from Scottish Enterprise, allowing it to expand its operations while putting it in the best possible position to win even more new business.
Today (Thursday 5 January) business owners, who use Swipii’s service to reward their loyal customers, are to meet Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution Derek Mackay at the company’s Glasgow headquarters to discuss the benefits the app has had for them.
Swipii only launched in 2014, but already has a service available at 563 locations across the UK. Currently it has ten employees, but over the next 12 months will recruit a further 45 staff members while leasing additional space at its St Vincent Street office.
An excellent example of a Scottish startup at the forefront of software technology, Swipii allows shoppers to sign up via a dedicated iPad at a participating retail outlet and collect points at each visit by scanning a card, key fob or via a mobile app. Each retailer can tailor the rewards it offers and consumers are regularly notified of the latest deals. Swipii is integrated with social network site Facebook allowing users who download the mobile app to connect via the social network. This enables Swipii to gather additional information which can then tailor future marketing activities while providing users with enhanced store visibility.
Chief executive and co-founder of Swipii Chitresh Sharma said: "One of the best choices we made was to start a business in Scotland due to its amazing and very supportive ecosystem. We have been helped hugely from getting our first office through to hiring the right the people and support with funding. We are very excited to see Mr McKay visiting us and look forward to talking about our growth and future plans. We are delighted to see such fast growth and hope to repeat a SkyScanner story but this time from Glasgow."
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution Derek Mackay said: “Swipii is an excellent example of a Scottish start up at the forefront of software technology. I welcome their investment, supported by a £500,000 Regional Selective Assistance award from Scottish Enterprise, which will lead to the creation of 45 new jobs and secure additional space in Glasgow – testament to the skilled workforce here. I wish Swipii all the best for the future.”
May Gem Tan, Owner of Tempo Te Bar, who will be meeting Mr McKay, said: “The Swipii loyalty programme has really helped us engage with our customers. We've seen a steady increase in our revenue and profitability. Swipii allows us to make our customers feel highly valued without that costing us a great deal of money.”
Clair Irwin, Manager at Wee Guys Cafe who will also be attending the event, said: “Since using Swipii we've started to see the same faces back in more and more often, as well as new ones. We're now able to see all of that with the data Swipii provides. We've found it has really helped us engage with our most loyal customers as it's such a unique product, and a great talking point.”
Adrian Gillespie, Managing Director of Growth Companies, Innovation and Infrastructure at Scottish Enterprise said: “With a strong, thriving and connected digital economy, Scotland is the ideal location for this ambitious young company. Swipii has joined the many startups which benefit from Scotland’s top technology talent and we look forward to working with the company as it progresses its impressive expansion plan.”
Regional Selective Assistance grants have in the region of £20 million available to help all sizes of companies at all stages of development across a wide range of sectors to improve their productivity and secure, and grow, their workforce, helping to ensure that Scotland’s economy remains globally competitive.
Later on today Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution Derek Mackay will visit engineering company Howden Compressors, which is investing up to £1.2 million over the next three years supported by a Scottish Enterprise R&D grant of £431,000. It is hoped this investment will help the company create up to nine new jobs on completion of the project in three years.
ENDS
SWIPII CONTACT
Robert Gillespie