Passionfruit - making freelancing work better for everyone

by Startacus Admin
London-based startup Passionfruit is transforming the world of freelancing by providing work opportunities, access to financial tools, mentorship, upskilling and lots more besides...
Something that startups need is work. What business doesn’t need people getting work done? The disadvantage that a startup has is that it is, of course, just getting started and will often not have the funds to hire many, if any, staff to begin with. But who specialises in getting jobs done before drifting off to the next town in need like the Magnificent Seven (but hopefully losing fewer people)? Freelancers! The answer to so many of life’s questions, freelancers can come in, kickstart your marketing, get your conversion rates up, and put you on a better footing moving forward. But how do you find the best, most trusted marketing freelancers?
London-based freelancer platform Passionfruit was created by Raffi Salama and Issah Abdul-Moomin after seeing so many younger people doing away with the traditional 9-5 work structure. Particularly with the COVID lockdowns, more people have realised in recent years just how much they dislike the restrictiveness of being a cog in someone else’s machine, and have turned to newer ways of regaining a little freedom, be it simply working from home or hybrid working, or working self-employed as a freelancer. But for freelancers to find work, they have to have a large network of contacts and/or a platform through which clients know how to find them. Passionfruit is that platform.
Freelancers are put through a vetting process that starts with looking at their experience, skills, and professionalism, and goes through 5 more steps of reviews, interviews, a written test, and on-going monitoring. This means that only 12% of freelancers actually get through the vetting process, allowing the platform to boast a pool of only the best freelancers. The startup is also able to provide those freelancers with financial tools, mentorship, and opportunities to upskill.
When a client needs to find a freelancer, rather than browsing through a load of potentials like other platforms, they will speak to the Passionfruit team, who will match them with the perfect freelancer for their needs. The client will then meet with that freelancer before getting to work.
With such a solid platform, it’s no wonder that Passionfruit closed a £3.6 million seed funding round in July. Led by Firstminute Capital and Playfair Capital, the round also saw participation from FJ Labs, Portfolio Ventures, and angels from Stripe, Airbnb, and Workday, and comes on the heels of a December pre-seed round of £581,000. This will be used to increase their service offerings and bring in more clients.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Tobin Capital continues to expand its portfolio by investing in pop-up marketplace Sook, the startup on a mission to revolutionise the high street.

Sodexo and L Marks open call for applications from innovative startups and scaleups to join their inaugural Sodexo Healthcare and Seniors Accelerator.

The lowdown on FuturePlus, the startup that's on a mission to make sustainability accessible, achievable and affordable for all businesses.

John McLachlan, author and co-founder of Monkey Puzzle Training & Consultancy examines the differences between action-oriented and reflective leaders and which approach is best.

The fitness app that's not just about physical fitness; GoJoe helps employers to engage, motivate and connect their people across all pillars of wellbeing.

Now in its fifth year, North West England water firm United Utilities opens call for Innovation Lab, its pioneering ideas incubation programme.

Not-for-profit OneTech has spunout from Capital Enterprise to expand its offering and continue its mission of creating a more equitable, diverse and supported startup ecosystem.

London-based startup Deep Render tackles the internet’s data and bandwidth challenges via its innovative AI-powered file compression technology.

The lowdown on Dublin-based startup and NUI Maynooth spin-out Neuromod Devices and its innovative evidence-based bimodal neuromodulation treatment for chronic tinnitus.

With the clear shift towards generative AI, Richard Hayes, search director at digital marketing agency Catalyst explores what it means for SEO...
Published on: 23rd August 2022
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Startup Sook Receives Investment from Tobin Capital 24th May 2023 Tobin Capital continues to expand its portfolio by investing in pop-up marketplace Sook, the startup on a mission to revolutionise the high street.
- L Marks Seeking Startups and Scaleups for Sodexo Healthcare and Seniors Accelerator 23rd May 2023 Sodexo and L Marks open call for applications from innovative startups and scaleups to join their inaugural Sodexo Healthcare and Seniors Accelerator.
- United Utilities Innovation Lab launches call-out for innovative ideas for fifth programme 18th May 2023 Now in its fifth year, North West England water firm United Utilities opens call for Innovation Lab, its pioneering ideas incubation programme.
- OneTech Spins Out from Capital Enterprise to Support Underserved Communities in Tech Across the UK 18th May 2023 Not-for-profit OneTech has spunout from Capital Enterprise to expand its offering and continue its mission of creating a more equitable, diverse and supported startup ecosystem.