Ooodles Expands to Ireland Following $2.7M Funding Extension

London-based fintech Ooodles, known for its flexible IT equipment rental services for SMEs, has announced its first international expansion into Ireland. The move comes alongside a $2.7 million (£2 million) funding extension led by āltitude VC, Europe’s first SME-focused tech fund, with continued backing from existing investors and Traditum.

Ooodles plans to leverage the new funding to advance its proprietary AI-powered platform, Ooodles OS, and broaden its services to an estimated 300,000 Irish SMEs. This follows a £9.8 million investment from Smart Lenders Asset Management last year, which fuelled two years of steady monthly growth and a high customer retention rate of 96% among SMEs.

Co-founder and CEO Leonardo Poggiali remarked on Ooodles’ unique market fit, stating that the platform offers SMEs a streamlined alternative to traditional IT ownership models. Through a pay-as-you-go subscription, Ooodles enables small businesses to rent computers and tech equipment, upgrade or return devices as needed, and manage approvals, inventory, and device lifecycles from a single AI-driven platform. The average device renewal with Ooodles occurs every 26 months, significantly shorter than the industry standard of five years.

Co-Founder and CTO Kannan Reghu highlighted the success in the UK as validation of Ooodles' approach, noting that Irish expansion is “just the beginning” of its broader growth plan. With the goal of tripling its customer base and achieving carbon neutrality by 2026, Ooodles is positioning itself as a scalable solution for SMEs in the evolving landscape of tech device leasing.

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BR-DGE Appoints Chun Ong as COO Amid Rapid Growth

Global payments firm BR-DGE has appointed Chun Ong, former COO of Tarabut and Molo, as its new Chief Operating Officer to help support its ambitious growth strategy. Founded by Brian Coburn to provide enterprise merchants with payment orchestration solutions, BR-DGE connects businesses with multiple payment providers through a single platform, processing millions of monthly transactions across sectors including travel, e-commerce, and gaming.

CEO Thomas Gillan stated that BR-DGE is experiencing “unprecedented demand” and underscored the company’s focus on building a strong leadership team. Gillan noted Ong’s experience in scaling fintech operations while maintaining product reliability and customer satisfaction, highlighting his alignment with BR-DGE’s growth objectives. Gillan added, “Chun immediately stood out as an exceptional leader across several strategically important areas,” explaining that Ong’s role will involve delivering consistent customer value.

Ong commented on his decision to join BR-DGE, citing the company’s approach to payment orchestration and its collaborative culture. He stated, “People are the foundation of any successful company, and at BR-DGE, there’s a strong community culture from the ground up.” His focus will include refining operations and supporting BR-DGE’s aim to offer flexible, data-driven solutions that adapt to customer needs and changing market dynamics.

As the company continues its expansion, BR-DGE’s leadership appointment reflects a strategic emphasis on both scalability and maintaining a customer-centric approach, key components as it looks to solidify its position in the payments industry.

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Lithuanian Tech Firm Teltonika to Open First UK Base in Manchester

Teltonika, a Lithuania-based tech company specialising in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, has announced plans to establish its first UK office in Manchester. This new location at the Exchange Quay campus will serve as Teltonika’s base for both the UK and Irish markets, supported by local teams to provide enhanced, on-the-ground service.

Teltonika, a family-owned business with a global footprint, manufactures a variety of tech products, including industrial networking equipment, telematics devices, telemedicine tools, and solutions for electric vehicles. The company also offers outsourced electronics design and manufacturing services from its factories in Lithuania.

Ciarán Harkin, CEO of Teltonika UK, explained the company’s decision to expand in Manchester, citing the city's central location, access to major UK cities, and strong local talent pool as key factors. "We can see that Manchester is an ambitious city and it’s impossible not to get caught up in the energy it imbues.  We needed a central location with great access links to all major UK cities and we could also see that with the range of educational establishments in the region, talent is thriving in Manchester" Harkin said. He noted that Manchester’s educational institutions and the energy of the city aligned well with Teltonika’s growth ambitions.

Teltonika aims to fill several roles by year’s end, with plans to increase its Manchester headcount annually as it strengthens its UK and Ireland operations.

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Coopah Secures £1.5M Seed Funding to Expand Running Coaching App

Coopah, a running coaching app focused on personalised training and mental well-being, has raised £1.5 million in a seed funding round. Led by Redrice Ventures and Active Partners, the round also saw participation from London Marathon Events, which doubled down on its initial investment made in 2023. Other investors include Amrock Ventures, Tom Singh of Rianta Capital, professional athlete Alistair Brownlee MBE, and athletics agent Ricky Simms.

Founded in 2022, Coopah was inspired by co-founder Pete Cooper's personal journey of using running to overcome severe depression following a family loss. The app aims to support new and seasoned runners alike by providing AI-powered, personalised training plans and motivational community support, addressing a common issue in running where 58% of new runners quit within the first month.

The new funding will drive Coopah’s growth and enhance its product offering, with plans to make its training plans smarter, more adaptive, and more socially integrated. The funds will also support expanded marketing efforts as Coopah pursues its vision of making running accessible and beneficial for everyone. Coopah, already the official training partner for the TCS London Marathon, aims to leverage its connection with London Marathon Events to fuel further growth.

Additionally, the company announced that Gareth Nettleton, a former Strava executive, has joined as Chief Marketing Officer. Nettleton, who previously scaled Strava’s user base to over 100 million athletes, will lead Coopah’s marketing efforts to connect with a global audience of runners.

Coopah CEO Dan Strang highlighted the app’s potential to engage the world’s 500 million runners, noting that the funds and new partnerships will allow the company to accelerate growth and reach a wider community. Redrice Ventures’ Jonathan Heilbron expressed enthusiasm for Coopah’s long-term journey, while Courtney Sawatzke of Active Partners praised Coopah's mental well-being focus as a unique market differentiator. Nettleton added, “Running is medicine for both body and mind. I’m excited to join Coopah and expand our active community worldwide.”

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Vulse Joins Google for Startups Cloud Program to Enhance LinkedIn Content Creation

Vulse has been selected to join the Google for Startups Cloud Program, marking a significant milestone in its development. The program will provide the company with access to a range of content development technologies, resources, and expert support from Google, along with up to $350,000 in funding over the next two years. This partnership aims to enhance the relevance of LinkedIn content suggestions and deliver live posts in real time, streamlining the content creation process.

Founded by Rob Illidge with Co-Founder Annika Sanderson, Vulse focuses on empowering employees to create engaging, consistent content for LinkedIn. The company, which has seen rapid growth and thousands of active users. Vulse has also participated in Microsoft and NVIDIA’s acceleration programs and is recognised as one of the most promising tech startups in the UK.

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