Investment

A digital relocation platform has raised £8 million in Series A funding.

PerchPeek’s app aims to help companies build mobile, distributed workforces and make overseas relocation easier and less stressful for employees.

Co-led by Stage 2 Capital and AlbionVC, the firm said its raise reflects the mass shift in knowledge workers looking for new opportunities and experiences seen over the past 24 months. 

At the same time, employers are trying to avoid the ‘great resignation’ by offering greater flexibility, choice and work/life balance to their employees, while tapping into the global talent market to tackle the growing skills gap. 

“Relocating is a messy amalgamation of 20-30 different processes that create a super stressful process during what should be one of the most exciting moments in someone’s life,” said co-founders Paul Bennett, Dr. Ace Vinayak and Oliver Markham. 

“There are support packages on the market to streamline relocation but these are often inflexible and expensive, costing companies thousands of pounds, and usually only available for those at the top of the company. 

“By bringing all the processes into one platform, with great support at accessible price points, we help both the relocating employee with their move but also their employer provide a high value employee benefit.” 

PerchPeek fixes this problem by providing companies with an end-to-end app that supports employees relocating to more than 25 countries around the world – including more remote locations and those with fewer rental options and tougher admin burdens. 

It combines technology with a global team of relocation experts to fully manage the relocation journey from one place. It says it can save companies up to 70% in relocation costs.

Using PerchPeek, employees are guided through every stage of their move – from helping them find a great home in the right neighbourhood to shipping their belongings and pets, setting up a bank account and sorting their utilities. 

Its global team of experts are available via instant-messaging, and give recommendations for properties, organise viewing and help plan facilities and amenities so movers quickly arrive at the right relocation option.

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Since January 2020, PerchPeek has helped more than 5,000 people start their relocation journey to hundreds of towns and cities globally including the UK, Ireland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the US. 

It has seen a 250% increase in the number of employees relocated via the app in the second half of 2021 compared to the first half, and the company expects growth to accelerate further into 2022, with relocations via the app in January 2022 already 330% higher than in January 2021. 

PerchPeek works with tech and social media giants as well as corporates including Thoughtworks, Liberty Global, Impala Travel and INEOS.