Student services start-up launches after funding boost from Just Develop It

Gradlancer is the UK’s first student services marketplace and plans to connect university students to freelance opportunities so they can work, learn and earn while they study.

Founded by three entrepreneurial students, Ben, Jay and Anthony, while they were still completing their final year at university, Gradlancer was developed to provide UK employers with skilled students on affordable, flexible contracts.

Gradlancer will help businesses fill part time roles and freelance placements. By utilising university students as freelancers to undertake specific tasks related to their skill sets and degree, businesses can save on the cost of outsourcing professionals and harness the enthusiasm and intellect of the next generation of talent.

Based on their own experiences from university the three founders also recognised that no service existed to help students gain meaningful, paid work experience. Gradlancer assists students in an increasingly competitive world to find work experience around their university courses, allowing them to differentiate themselves once they graduate.

Commenting on the investment, Just Develop It CEO, Chris Phillips, explained: “We tend to invest in people rather than businesses and I was impressed by the Gradlancer team’s work ethic and how keen they were to get this business off the ground. They are three young entrepreneurs who saw a gap in the market and had an original and innovative idea on how to fill it, so I was more than happy to help.”

Co-founder Ben added: “The financial investment from Just Develop It was better for us than any investment from a bank could have been, as it not only allowed us to develop a new website and secure offices, but they also provided us with marketing, PR and technological support. Their financial investment was, of course, invaluable, but their knowledge and expertise will continue to be long into the future and we could not have done it without them.”

Gradlancer has brand ambassadors at universities up and down the country spreading the word and signing new students up on a daily basis. But Gradlancer are also calling to businesses across the UK to register their interest at www.gradlancer.co.uk, to enable instant connections.

There are also plans to extend the service with a ‘Prolancer’ service, designed to help professionals get freelance work once they’ve finished their university degree, or for those who just find that freelancing suits them better and want to continue on a project by project basis.