Manchester-based compliance specialist Mercury Support and software developer Zapt.ai have joined forces to launch a new cloud-based compliance platform designed to simplify health, safety and risk management for modern businesses.
The partnership was formed while both teams were participating in ASCEND, GM Business Growth Hub’s flagship scale-up programme.
Recognising the opportunity to combine deep operational compliance experience with specialist software development, the two companies collaborated to build a platform that blends intuitive technology with real-world expertise.
Drawing on more than 30 years’ experience in hospitality and multi-site operations, Mercury Support has helped shape a system designed around the realities of running busy businesses – not just theoretical compliance frameworks.
The result is a single, streamlined platform that helps organisations across industries including hospitality, healthcare, education and facilities, to manage risk, stay audit-ready and maintain compliance without adding complexity or administrative burden.
Dave Mansbridge, founder of Mercury Support (pictured, second from left, at Web Summit in November 2024 next to Zapt.ai co-founder Phil Gold) – a former Living Ventures director – said: “We’ve spent decades operating in hospitality – an industry where compliance really matters and small mistakes can have big consequences.
“We built this platform to solve the recurring challenges we’ve faced ourselves and have seen our clients struggle with – too much paperwork, disconnected systems, and not enough clarity.
“Our goal was simple – one platform that keeps businesses audit-ready, easy to use for teams on the ground, and supported by real people who understand the pressures operators face every day.”
The platform combines Mercury Support’s consultancy-led compliance model with Zapt.ai’s custom software development capability, creating a hybrid solution that offers both powerful digital tools and ongoing human support.
Initially soft-launched to existing Mercury Support clients, the platform is now being rolled out more widely across hospitality, education and facilities operations, with early adopters citing improved visibility, reduced admin time and greater confidence around audits and inspections.
The collaboration reflects a growing trend within Greater Manchester’s scale-up ecosystem, where complementary businesses are joining forces through programmes such as ASCEND to accelerate innovation and commercial growth.
By combining sector expertise with specialist technology development, Mercury Support and Zapt.ai aim to bring a more practical, user-focused approach to a compliance software market that has historically been slow to evolve.
“Working with Mercury Support has been a great example of what happens when you combine deep domain expertise with modern software development,” said Gold of Zapt.ai.
“Dave and his team know exactly what operators need on the ground – our job was to build something that matched that real-world knowledge rather than imposing a generic tech solution on top of it. The result is a platform that actually fits the way these businesses work.”