UrFuture, a recruitment brand specialising in supporting Gen Z jobseekers, is the latest Lancashire company to secure backing from the county’s Fhunded Angels network.
Founded in Preston by Thomas Keighley in 2023, and supported by co-founders Holly Hobbs and Jayel Williams, UrFuture was officially launched in August of this year. Since then, the UrFuture app – which gives users access to a variety of tools and resources to help them find the perfect job – has been downloaded over 23,000 times.
With around 20,000 active users, and having become one of the most visible Gen Z careers brands on platforms like Tik Tok and Instagram, UrFuture has also attracted interest from major employers wanting to reach younger audiences.
As a result, the UrFuture is now being used by national organisations and household names such as British Airways, Tesco, Sky, British Gas, and the Metropolitan Police, to promote their entry-level career opportunities.
To maximise its first-mover advantage in the highly competitive recruitment market, UrFuture has been proactively seeking early-stage equity finance since its inception.
Following two successful funding rounds involving both VC and private investment, the company is now undertaking its most ambitious fundraising to date, with a seven-figure target it aims to reach in the new year.
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Part of UrFuture’s latest round has seen a five-figure investment from a consortium of Lancashire’s Fhunded Angels, a community of high-net-worth individuals wanting to support dynamic local startups and homegrown entrepreneurs across the county. Launched by Lancashire County Council earlier this year, Fhunded Angels is the largest angel network of its kind managed by a local authority.
Fhunded Angel Nikki Whittle said: “UrFuture is already redefining the recruitment experience for thousands of young people. Further, by becoming a trusted brand among Gen Z, the company is getting significant traction with employers wanting to reach under-25s looking for jobs. The market potential is huge, both here in the UK and internationally, and Thomas and his team are incredibly experienced in this space. From an investor point of view, that all adds up to a very strong proposition.”
UrFuture’s founder and CEO Keighley added: “By blending the rigour of behavioural science, the immediacy and precision of AI, and the authenticity of social media, UrFuture has successfully developed a job-hunting experience which taps into the needs of Gen Z. But despite the rapid growth we’ve experienced since launching less than six months ago, and the long list of blue-chip companies who are queuing up to work with us, we can’t afford to sit still.
“That’s why we’re looking to close a further seven-figure round of equity investment early next year. Securing this backing from the Fhunded Angels is therefore very significant, as it demonstrates we are a very investible proposition going forward.”
UrFuture’s ability to engage with Gen Z job hunters was reinforced earlier this year when founders Keighley and Hobbs were invited to 10 Downing Street to meetPM Kier Starmer. As part of the visit, the government worked with UrFuture to announce the launch of a new network of Technical Excellence Colleges designed to get more young people into the construction sector.
Hobbs explained: “The government didn’t just invite us to talk with them about the launch of the colleges, they chose UrFutrure as the channel to announce them nationally. That demonstrates not only how embedded UrFuture already is within the Gen Z careers landscape, it also highlights how all employers, skill providers, and policymakers, need to find more dynamic and innovative ways to engage with young people.”
