Manchester-based job app startup to give away shares

The brains behind Manchester-based startup Vonkel, an iOS app connecting young people with industry experts and employers, plans to give away company shares.

The firm’s founder, entrepreneur Dan Kelsall, said he will give a share of the Vonkel company to the first 5,000 new people to register.

Dan said he created Vonkel to offer young people a better way of standing out from the crowd than with a traditional CV.

The app is centered around Vonks, videos up to 60 seconds long that let applicants and employers explain who they are and what they are about.

Vonkel also lets users search for organisations looking to recruit, connect with mentors and launch Q&A sessions using the app’s in-built chat portal.

Dan commented: “Vonkel is more than a recruitment app. CVs and written applications favour the highly qualified and those with keyword-rich experience, two things that young people often lack.

“Videos are honest – young people immediately know whether they could work with that employer, and employers know whether that young person would fit within their culture. It often takes much less than 60 seconds to make that decision, saving time for both parties.”

So far, Vonkel has brought in experts from telecoms firm TalkTalk, professional services giant Deloitte, retailer Mamas and Papas and high street bank NatWest to support users.

To develop Vonkel, Dan signed up to the Entrepreneurial Spark Powered By NatWest programme at the bank’s office on Hardman Boulevard, Manchester.

Discussing the programme, Dan said: “It’s been a positive experience for us. NatWest’s Head of Enterprise Gordon Merrylees loves the product and is giving young entrepreneurs with business ideas the opportunity to pitch themselves to his team using the app.”

NatWest’s entrepreneur development manager, Dale Sidebottom, said: “Vonkel is a fantastic platform that has the potential to really effect change for young people.

“We wish the business every success for the future.”

Vonkel will be available on the iOS App Store from February 2017.