Success Story
The entrepreneurs behind two of the UK’s most successful hospitality tech businesses have joined forces to launch a new venture that aims to reshape hospitality recruitment.
| Region/Nation | Yorkshire and Humber |
|---|---|
| Sector | Technology |
| Programme | Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II |
| Partner |
Sam Brown and Nick Holroyd-Doveton have raised £785,000 to further develop their matchmaking platform, Candid Hospitality. The funding came from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia Ventures and part of the Northern Powerhouse Fund II (NPIF II), Haatch and an angel investor, and marks the first NPIF II equity investment in Hull.
Sam Brown was previously a director of Airship Services, which was also backed by Mercia and the first NPIF and was sold to Zonal in 2022, while Nick Holroyd-Doveton co-founded Omnifi, which was sold to Access Group in 2021.
Hull-based Candid was developed with input from leading hospitality operators and suppliers. It enables candidates to build an anonymous profile and view opportunities, and employers to find the right people without sifting through multiple CVs. In place of CVs, candidates are matched on skills and values to ensure they not only meet job requirements but also fit into the company’s culture. Hospitality operators and suppliers pay a flat monthly fee to recruit candidates at all levels, from front of house to boardroom.
Launched in February 2025, the platform has already attracted over 3,000 candidates and 100 brands including Big Table Group, Loungers, Honest Burgers, Turtle Bay, Punch Pubs, Flight Club and The Alchemist, and resulted in over 700 matches. The company plans to double the size of its team from seven to 14 in the next two years.
Nick Holroyd-Doveton, Candid co-founder, said:
Having spent years in hospitality, both Sam and I know the challenges of recruitment. Candidates are often afraid to look for a better job in case their current boss finds out, while employers spend huge sums on new hires only to find they are the wrong fit. We felt the process must be ripe for change.
Using our industry contacts, we spoke to 60 operators and over 100 candidates and developed Candid based on their feedback. It uses the 3Cs - culture, competencies and compensation – which are key to successful hires. The anonymity protects candidates and removes subconscious bias, and enables employers to access ‘passive hires’ who may not be active job seekers but may be interested if the right role came along.
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