It has generated nearly £600k of income for locals in its first year in pilot city Bristol
Birmingham is the first city selected to welcome indie experiences marketplace Yuup as the business embarks on UK expansion after a very successful first year of trading and a crowdfunding round that secured almost £1m in investment.
Launched in its HQ city of Bristol in the midst of the pandemic, the platform has offered small independent businesses and indie creators a platform to host unique experiences. Customers can find 100s of local experiences to do and to gift: from pottery making to food tours, silversmithing to wine tasting, and from paddleboarding to immersive cinema events.
Bristol has welcomed Yuup with open arms, with 300 hosts joining the platform and over 23k experiences sold since Yuup’s launch in September 2020.
Since launch, Yuup has injected nearly £600k of income into the local economy and has offered businesses an alternative revenue stream in order to remain agile in an ever-changing economic environment. Positive social impact is at the heart of the company’s operations, with local, independent businesses and budding entrepreneurs being the centrepiece of Yuup’s offering to consumers.
Now Yuup has set its sights on Birmingham as the location for its first steps outside of its HQ city. Yuup will highlight the best of Birmingham’s hidden gems, bustling independent scene, whilst providing a service that generates income for local people.
Birmingham is home to a whole host of quirky independent shops, bars, venues, and restaurants. It has a bustling arts scene, innovative food and drink offerings, and most importantly- a passionate and diverse community that loves Birmingham and is proud of the city’s independent spirit.
Dominic Mills, Co-Founder, and CEO of Yuup said: “It’s the people of Birmingham and the West Midlands that sold it for us.
“A city, like Bristol, that is full of creative people, champions local independents and is made up of diverse communities united by a collective desire to share their passions and new experiences.”
Ed Rowberry, CEO of Yuup’s lead investor Bristol & Bath Regional Capital (BBRC), expressed his support of Yuup’s potential when pledging a £250k investment in Yuup through Bristol-focused fund, City Funds:
“Yuup is a ‘have your cake and eat it too’ type of company. Not only have the
Yuup team found a unique and growing niche in the market, they’re also generating new and lasting local value.
“It’s an exciting combination of innovative disruption and local impact,
powered by a team with the experience to execute. Yuup has already made a significant positive impact on communities across Bristol and we’re excited to be supporting the team to scale up this impact.”
Yuup’s Birmingham launch scheduled for July
Summer in the city of Birmingham is set to have a little more Yuup added to it this year. The company has announced that it plans to launch in Birmingham in July 2022.
Independent venues, side hustlers, and local businesses will be invited to join the platform as hosts in May 2022.
Launch preparations are fully underway, with some incredibly exciting experience hosts and partnerships in the pipeline. Those living in and visiting Birmingham will be able to experience the city from a local’s perspective whilst injecting money into the local economy.
If you have an idea for a Birmingham experience or host, or would simply like to know when you can start booking unique experiences in the city, you can get in touch with Yuup at https://say.yuup.co/birmingham.
