BGF – the UK’s most active growth capital investor – has invested £3 million into 365 Response – a Wakefield-based technology business which provides mission critical transport management and eProcurement software to NHS and local government organisations, as well as private transport providers supporting the delivery of community based mobility and wellbeing services.
Led by founder/CEO Sarah Fatchett, former Operations Director for Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, 365 Response has created the first integrated digital platform that supports the buying, booking and delivery of vital patient and home-to-school transport services. The business provides a specialist transport management service for Councils and the NHS, and also has a standalone software platform that facilitates social prescribing.
The 365 Smart Platform is currently used by a range of organisations from ambulance trusts and local authority councils, to smaller private transport and wellbeing providers, and is helping to support the mobility needs of some of the most vulnerable members of society.
With growing momentum being seen across the business, BGF’s investment will be used to accelerate the development of the technology platform and support the scale up of 365’s commercial and operational teams.
Sarah said: “When we started the business there were clear gaps in how special needs schools and hospitals were managing transport services. Our business is based on getting care to people who need it as quickly and efficiently as possible and this investment is going to fast track the roll out of our technology while also expanding the team to make that vision a reality. BGF clearly understood our mission and the pressing need for a technology-based solution to make specialist transport services as efficient as possible.”
Rob Johnson, an investor at BGF led the deal with support from Barry Jackson at BGF. Rob Johnson said “We are excited to be working with 365 Response. This is a highly experienced team, with a well-thought out product that fulfils a clear and increasing demand for smart, compliant, and affordable transport services to both councils and the NHS. We look forward to supporting their plans for growth, increasing headcount, and reaching more customers than ever before. We are proud to be supporting a business that also has a strong societal impact – reaching vulnerable members of society by improving mobility and wellbeing and increasing access to healthcare and education.
“This announcement is testament to the fact BGF has maintained momentum throughout 2020 and positive growth deals are getting done, albeit remotely. This is reflective in BGF’s run rate nationally as we continued to back a business every week in the first half of this year.
“We’d met the 365 Response team before lockdown, but the entire process progressed and completed virtually - an impressive achievement for 365 Response, our own team and the advisors who worked on the deal.”
Carly Gulliver, Managing Associate at Addleshaw Goddard, commented: "365 Response is an exciting health tech company to emerge from the fast-growing Yorkshire digital sector. We are very pleased to have been able to work with a hugely dynamic management team - to support the next stage of its continued growth with BGF as its investor."
