Venturefest South Innovator, Famiio has received a £50k grant from Innovate UK

Since becoming a Venturefest South innovator, GovTech startup, Famiio has been awarded a £50,000 grant by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to build and pilot a new online localgov childcare platform. The Dorset-based developer is one of 800 selected companies awarded a total of £40 million grant funding to deliver projects that address the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic*.

Over the next 6 months, Famiio will build and pilot a new, innovative online childcare platform to help parents and families, childcare providers and local authorities to better manage and access available childcare across the UK.

The Childcare Challenge

Childcare providers have been significantly impacted by the pandemic and many have already stated in a national survey that they will not reopen after lockdown**. This will inevitably create a shortfall in available childcare. Coupled with this, research shows that 65% of UK Grandparents provide some form of childcare in the UK and whilst they remain ‘at-risk’, this increases pressure on the childcare system. Lack of access to available childcare poses a barrier to parents returning to work and threatens post-COVID-19 employment levels and UK economic recovery.

Local authorities (LAs) have a statutory duty to manage the local childcare market – but current technology infrastructure is insufficient to collect and provide real-time updates of available childcare places by age, provider, etc. Famiio is utilising this funding to create the innovative and connected resilience platform that will:

• Enable LAs and childcare providers to manage the market and promote daily, up-to-date childcare availability.
• Empower parents and key workers to self-serve and access available childcare to meet their unique needs.
• Help to maintain key worker services and support UK economic recovery through childcare access.

Famiio welcomes expressions of interest from pilot local authorities seeking innovative solutions at this difficult time.

Founder and CEO, Gary Todd, stated:

“We are very excited to receive Innovate UK funding. To be selected from 8,600 applications is confirmation of the clear need for greater digital innovation and resilience in the childcare sector during the UK pandemic recovery. With this award, we will pioneer a smarter, more flexible connected solution for the future.”

Visit famiio.com for more information.