BELFAST-based Thrive, which provides software and support to make communications with remotely-based employees easier and more cost-effective, has received a major cash injection from a cross-border investor which will allow it to increase its user numbers fourfold to one million people by 2022.
And the company, founded six years ago and formerly known as TheAppBuilder, is also initially creating 10 new jobs in marketing, software development and customer care.
Thrive, whose global client list includes organisations such as HBO, Carlsberg, Michelin and AirFrance-KLM, has been backed by business angel organisation HBAN, a joint initiative between Enterprise Ireland, InterTradeIreland and Invest Northern Ireland.
It brings investment by shareholders in the Thrive business (www.thrive.app) to more than £2.75million.
Thrive, which recently hit 250,000 licenced users, has won a series of major new clients in the last year alone, including Santos Brasil, the largest port operator in Latin America; Fairchild Medical Center in California; and Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council.
The company’s platform, which allows organisations to create native iPhone and Android apps as well as responsive web apps, is particularly relevant for businesses with employees who are not desk-based.
Thrive’s managing director James Scott said: “We're seeing organisations all over the world waking up to the strong business benefits of good employee communications. With the vast majority of people now carrying a smartphone, it makes an app the perfect way to connect with employees.
“We’ve designed our platform to be so easy to use that organisations can be up and running and improving the way they communicate and share information with employees in no time.”
He added: “Our clients are using the Thrive platform to provide employees with information they need to do their job, and engage them more fully in the organisation.
“And companies are seeing direct tangible benefits from our offer, including happier team-members, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and better customer service.”
Stephen Gunning, Thrive’s co-founder and chairman, said: “This investment means we can now activate a five-year growth plan, supported by ongoing assistance from Invest NI, which will see us expand our UK, Ireland and international customer-base, grow our team and further develop our software platform and services. It will allow us to compete even more strongly in this fast-growing international market.”
