JumpIn (Forefront I&S Ltd)
Sales and marketing.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Forefront I&S Ltd., operating as JumpIn, was a specialized mobile application facilitating taxi booking and ride-sharing, exclusively for the student demographic. The company was founded in 2012 by University of Leeds students Sam Ryan and Barney Williams. The founders' direct experience within the student community likely informed the application's core objectives: to reduce transportation costs for students, enhance their safety during travel, and lower the carbon footprint of inner-city transit.
The business operated on a platform model, connecting student users with taxi providers. Its mobile app allowed students to book rides and find others to share the fare, creating a closed community for its users. Key features included group booking capabilities and fixed fares. To build its service network, JumpIn established partnerships with private hire vehicle suppliers and major taxi services, such as ComCab in March 2014. The company's revenue model was likely based on commissions from the fares processed through its platform. The service was active in several UK cities with large student populations, including Leeds, Nottingham, and Newcastle.
After securing approximately $110K in a seed funding round in early 2014, the company demonstrated sufficient traction and market potential to attract a major industry player. In August 2014, JumpIn was acquired by Addison Lee, the UK's largest private hire operator, for an undisclosed amount. This acquisition was part of Addison Lee's broader strategy to invest in technology and expand its app-based services to compete in the evolving ride-hailing market, which included specific campaigns targeting the student demographic.
Keywords: JumpIn, Forefront I&S Ltd, student transportation, taxi sharing app, ride-sharing, student safety, Addison Lee acquisition, Sam Ryan, Barney Williams, University of Leeds, ComCab partnership, mobile booking platform, carpooling app, student services, UK startups, ride-hailing, shared mobility, transportation technology, fixed fare taxi, group travel