40. Openr

Openr is a centralised data platform that synchronises menus, pricing, and product information across multiple hospitality systems.

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Founder: Joel Robinson
Year founded: 2022
Website: Openr

It’s no secret that working in the hospitality industry can be hectic, where busy shifts and constant demands are just part of the job. But even something simple like updating a menu can sometimes involve a huge amount of time and resources.

Businesses often have to input the same data multiple times through different systems, such as tills, delivery apps, and websites. Not only is this repetitive, but it slows operations down and can easily lead to mistakes.

Founder Joel Robinson noticed this when working as a tech director. He saw first-hand that firms were wasting thousands of hours on unnecessary admin, and how slow updates were harming both profitability and customer experience.

These encounters, and the realisation that the process needed to change, led to Robinson launching Openr in 2022.

Providing a centralised platform for menu synchronisation, pricing, and product data, Openr’s mission is simply to make life easier for restaurant businesses and hospitality firms by keeping all their systems in sync – in turn reducing errors and saving time.

But even with a strong business idea, Openr found it challenging to enter a market where operators were sceptical about a new platform, particularly one that could solve these issues without disrupting their current operations.

So instead of trying to replace everything, Robinson and his team built the platform to integrate seamlessly with existing systems so that operators could keep their current tools while getting the full benefits of Openr.

“We worked closely with early customers, co-designing solutions around their real workflows, proving the impact quickly, and building trust,” Robinson explains. “That approach turned scepticism into advocacy and gave us our first major wins.”

We worked closely with early customers, co-designing solutions around their real workflows, proving the impact quickly, and building trust.

And those major wins aren’t an exaggeration, as the company has since teamed up with Stonegate Pub Group and Azzurri Group, two operators of some of the UK’s largest hospitality brands, including Zizzi, Slug & Lettuce, and Coco di Mama.

Robinson’s forward-thinking also secured Openr £3m in funding by leading investment firm Imbiba in March 2025 – a major step towards the company’s goal of becoming the leading global platform for menu data, and to help hospitality operate more efficiently and profitably.

View the full Startups 100 Index for 2026

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Written by:
Helena is Deputy Editor at Startups. She oversees all news and supporting content on Startups, and is also the author of the weekly Startups email newsletter, delivering must-know SME updates straight to their inbox. From interviewing Wetherspoon's boss Tim Martin to spotting data-led working from home trends, her insight has been featured by major trade publications including the ICAEW, and news outlets like the BBC, ITV News, Daily Express, and HuffPost UK. With a background in PR and marketing, Helena is particularly passionate about giving early-stage startups a platform to boost their brands. That's one reason she manages the Startups 100 Index, our annual ranking of new UK businesses.
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