Two entrepreneurs have secured backing from NPIF II to launch a new venture aimed at revolutionizing the hospitality recruitment industry. Sam Brown and Nick Holroyd-Doveton, both successful founders of hospitality tech businesses, have raised £800,000 to further develop their matchmaking platform, Candid Hospitality.
The funding comes from NPIF II – Mercia Equity Finance, managed by Mercia Ventures and part of the Northern Powerhouse Fund II (NPIF II), Haatch, and an angel investor. This marks the first NPIF II equity investment in Hull.
Brown, who was previously a director at Airship Services, which was also backed by Mercia and the first NPIF, and Holroyd-Doveton, who co-founded Omnifi, which was sold to Access Group in 2021, have joined forces to develop Candid Hospitality.
The Hull-based platform was developed with input from leading hospitality operators and suppliers and aims to streamline the recruitment process for both employers and candidates. It allows candidates to build an anonymous profile and view job opportunities, while employers can find the right fit for their company without sifting through multiple resumes. Instead, candidates are matched based on their skills and values, ensuring they are not only qualified for the job 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 the boardroom.
Since its launch in February 2025, Candid 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. The platform has resulted in over 700 successful matches. The company plans to double its team from seven to 14 employees in the next two years.
Holroyd-Doveton explains, “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.”
Candid uses the 3Cs – culture, competencies, and compensation – which are key factors in successful hires. The anonymity of the platform protects candidates and removes subconscious bias, while also allowing employers to access “passive hires” who may not actively be seeking a new job but would be interested if the right opportunity came along.
The hospitality sector is the UK’s third-largest employer, with around 3.5 million jobs directly and a further 3 million in the supply chain, according to a report by the trade body UK Hospitality.
Will Schaffer, Investment Director with Mercia Ventures, says, “Having worked with Sam previously during his time at Airship, we are pleased to back him and Nick in their latest venture. Candid offers an innovative solution to the challenges of hospitality recruitment and has gained rapid traction. The funding will enable the team to build on its initial success and to drive further growth.”
Lizzy Upton, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, adds, “The hospitality sector plays a vital role in the UK economy and is an industry built on people. Candid Hospitality is showing how innovative businesses in Yorkshire are using technology to tackle longstanding challenges and unlock new opportunities for growth. Through NPIF II, we’re proud to support these businesses and ambitious founders like Sam and Nick as they innovate and help strengthen one of the UK’s most important sectors.”
Jonathan Keeling, Partner at Haatch, comments, “We’ve backed over 150 startups at Haatch, and it’s rare to see this level of product-market fit so early on. Sam and Nick are proven founders with deep hospitality experience, and Candid is already delivering results for some of the UK’s most respected operators. We believe this business can redefine how hospitality recruitment is done, putting culture and competence at the heart of hiring.”
The £660m Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) covers the entire North of England and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help a range of small and medium-sized businesses to start up, scale up, or stay ahead.
The purpose of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunities for new and growing businesses across the North of England. The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II will increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for the North’s smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and help to break down barriers in access to finance.
Press contacts:
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Mercia Asset Management PLC
+44 (0) 7464 480 137
alison.dwyer@mercia.co.uk
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Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.