Investors back app that connects fans to meals and deals

News

14/09/2017

Future technology investors at the Bristol Private Equity Club are backing food and drink guide Wriggle to expand its operations across the city.

Connecting Fans to Food

Wriggle, based in King Street, Bristol, is an app and website that helps people discover the best local food & drink in their cities – through articles, videos, guides and offers.

It’s already been used to connect around 100,000 foodie fans to a spectrum of restaurants, cafes and bars.

‘Exciting Growth’

Wriggle was founded by Rob Hall, who said:

“The investment will allow us to continue our growth in our exciting cities - Bristol, Brighton and Cardiff - and reach our breakeven target in 2018.
“At the same time, we’ll prepare our platform for a UK roll-out to continue our mission of supporting the best independent food & drink establishments in the country.”

Bristol Private Equity Club

Bristol Private Equity Club has now injected £155,000 into the project to help it grow to the next stage.

The investment is part of £320,000 raised in total by Wriggle.

Investing in the area’s innovators

Bristol Private Equity Club founder Jerry Barnes said:

“We are all about finding and backing innovators and we are confident Wriggle will be an excellent addition to our investment portfolio.

“Twelve of our members have joined together to invest the £155,000. It is the club’s seventh deal and means a total of £1.4m has been invested into Bristol-based businesses since we launched in May 2016.

“Wriggle is typical of modern internet-based businesses that can grow very quickly and need funding at each level to ensure they keep the momentum they need in a competitive marketplace.”

A source of funds and experience

Bristol Private Equity Club is made up of successful entrepreneurs with spare capital who want to support businesses in the Bristol and Bath areas.

As well as being a source of funds, it provides a pool of talent with experience that can help businesses grow.

Jerry Barnes commented:

“Wriggle is completely in tune with Bristol’s fast-developing foodie sector, and are just the sort of business that we like to support.
“It is difficult for start-up businesses to access funding of over £100,000 and under £500,000 and that is the area we like to work in.
Here we have real technical experts producing leading edge products that will put Bristol on the map.”