Galway software startup Ronspot has raised €650,000 from angel investors and Enterprise Ireland. The company, which was set up by Michael Furey and Brendan McLaughlin in 2018, has developed an app-based staff parking management system for businesses.
Angel investors through the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) invested €400,000 in the funding round, with Enterprise Ireland investing €250,000.
Ronspot’s founders said that the funding will be used to hire 13 employees, bringing its total Irish headcount to 23. The business has hit a recent vein of growth as it taps the opportunities offered by the increase in blended remote and in-office working trends.
The company enhanced its software platform to include an office space booking system, which enables employees to book the days they attend the office based on the availability of parking, desks and lockers.
Ronspot’s customers include Sodexo and SSE Airtricity. The business has clients in the UK, Austria, France and the Czech Republic, and is planning to roll out services in Sweden, Belgium and Germany.
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Michael Furey said that the working environment altered drastically in 2020 and will endure beyond the pandemic.
“The majority of companies are likely to adopt a hybrid blend of remote and office working. To cater to this emerging market need and opportunity that companies have to save on office costs, it is critically important that they can easily manage employee access to more limited office facilities,” Furey added.
“This investment round of investment will enable us to maintain our upward growth trajectory across Europe. HBAN has been a great support in helping us to find angel investors who can bring both finance and know-how as we expedite our growth plans.”
Ultan Faherty, HBAN coordinator for the west region, said that Ronspot is perfectly poised to grasp the growth opportunities presented by enterprises that are looking for workplace booking solutions to allocate space and resources.
Ronspot started out as a developer of parking space management solutions for enterprises across the pharmaceutical, utilities, aerospace and finance sectors. The company’s application interface provides companies and employees with up-to-date information on parking space vacancies, as well as desk and locker availability.
Prior to setting up Ronspot, Furey ran a technology company from Galway called Eirnet, which developed software for a UK company to cover proceedings at Westminster.
Eirnet was sold to a subsidiary of media group Huveaux in 2006, for a reported deal consideration of c.€5m.
Photo: Michael Furey (right), pictured with HBAN’s Ultan Faherty (left) and Colin Henehan
