64. Pobble

Founders: Jon Smith, Henry Smith, Simon Blower and Tom Garbutt
Founded: February 2013
Website: Pobble.com

Sometimes businesses make it into our Startups 100 index because they have impressed us with their big turnover, fast growth and investment; on other occasions it’s their impact on people’s lives and social missions.  Pobble has managed to do both; acting as an online educational platform where children can write and develop their skills, and receive feedback and encouragement from a global audience.

The start-up was founded with the mission to create a more literate world and to make a “real, positive difference to people’s lives” but it’s also achieved considerable commercial success. Since launch it has generated revenues of a quarter of a million, acquired over 20,000 users and 250 schools partners, and overfunded on Crowdcube (gaining £170,000 investment). The award-winning business, (Pobble won our People’s Champion Award alongside other accolades), is based on a freemium model and generates revenues by partnering with schools – providing them with creative writing workshops and online portfolio products. The edtech start-up claims its USP is the teams’ background in education; three of the founders were teachers and their sales channels is made up of 10 to 15 full time teachers working with schools to introduce the platform.

Pobble’s priority focus for the next 12 months is growing this sales channel alongside its technology team; and considering the start-up is currently expanding into the United Arab Emirates and growing fast, it’ll need all the help it can get!