Freeformers, which helps companies and individuals adapt to workplace challenges generated by flexible work, automation and digital transformation, has raised GBP1.2 million of investment from leading UK social impact fund Impact Ventures UK (IVUK).
The investment by IVUK is significant in bringing substantial growth capital to a major profit and purpose business with a focus on workforce transformation to support its scaling both in the UK and internationally.
Founded by Gi Fernando, Freeformers works globally with corporates and institutions – including HSBC, Barclays, Tesco and the Ministry of Justice – to ensure that their workforces are adapting to the mindset and behaviours needed to stay ahead of startups and competitors and to succeed in a fast-moving marketplace. The company also helps individuals who want to increase their chances of being employable, successful and productive in a digital world.
The London-based company plans to use the funds to invest in capability building, sales and marketing acceleration and to capitalise on its market leading platform development.
The investment will also be used to boost its social impact initiatives; such as its ‘one-for1’ social impact programme that trains less advantaged young people for free.
Fernando says: “At Freeformers, we are primarily concerned with two types of people: those currently in work and those entering, or hoping to enter, the workforce for the first time. We also help companies understand that people can change and do a new digital job, irrespective of what they were doing before, whilst bringing their strengths from experience, such as empathy, to make them more valuable not less.
“The investment from IVUK will deliver a major boost to our profit with purpose focus, and support our mission to provide large organisations with a diverse, data-driven workforce analytics model and platform to help them grow and allow people to grow with them.”
Kevin Bone, Partner at IVUK, says: “IVUK is delighted to support Freeformers’ continuing mission to build a digital economy for all by creating a future workforce now. We believe that Freeformers’ unique services and platforms will deliver significant societal impact and global market potential by ensuring that no one is left behind in the fast-changing world of work. For many, the rapid changes in the skills required for fulfilling employment is a source of great insecurity and can lead to dramatically negative life outcomes. By arming large workforces with a digital mindset, individuals are empowered to continuously upskill. ”
