Recruitment startup raises £5m in bid to solve social care staff 'crisis'

Recruitment marketplace Florence has raised £5m in Series A funding.

Florence connects care home providers with professionals to fill temporary shifts.

The round was led by SEEK, a funder of the creation and scaling of online employment marketplaces, alongside existing backers Waverly Capital, Rianta Capital and a network of early stage angel investors.

Including this round, Florence has now raised £7m in total.

Charles Armitage, founder and CEO of Florence, said: “The funding round is a direct response to the value we can add to the UK social care sector.

“We have a track record of significantly improving the ease and efficiency with which social care businesses can source and coordinate a flexible workforce, and the control and accessibility with which nurses and carers can connect to work.

“We are delighted to have secured this investment as we deepen our commitment to transforming the staffing and recruitment process in social care for the better.”

Florence will allocate its Series A funding to widening its nurse and carer user base. The funding will also be invested in the development of digital tools to improve the platform experience, and native apps including mandatory training and revalidation features.

Charles concluded: “This investment is about more than just Florence - it has implications for the UK’s social care sector at large.

“As staffing pressures continue to build, the funding will allow us to expand and provide more organisations with a cost effective and high-quality alternative - putting control back in the hands of care home providers and professionals.

“With less resources being drained from a system already at breaking point, every one stands to benefit - not least those being cared for who deserve to be put front and centre in the social care system.”