£500,000 investment for booming Sheffield software firm that helps hospitality firms

The funding will allow Airship Services to take advantage of increased demand following the re-opening of bars and restaurants.

The firm, based at Park Hill, has grown throughout lockdowns and its products are used by 400 brands in 4,000 locations including YO! Sushi, Leon, Revolution Bars, Welcome Break and Roadchef.

Airship’s Toggle platform lets companies sell giftcards for meals, merchandise and at-home experiences.

During the pandemic, the company offered it free to help struggling hospitality businesses generate £5.5m of additional revenue.

Airship launched its own ‘track and trace app’ which was used by operators including Costa Coffee, Greggs, Wetherspoons and Pret a Manger. It also sells customer relationship management software.

It is the second £500,000 investment from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance and will help create four jobs.

Airship was founded by former publican Dan Brookman and IT specialist Rob Marcer.

Dan Brookman said: “The past year has been one of the most difficult in living memory for hospitality operators and we have done all we can to help them survive.

“However, there is now a strong sense of optimism and operators are expecting a boom in business. The funding will help us to further develop the products and take advantage of the opportunities ahead.”

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.