Scottish start-up SWURF secures £200k funding to expand flexible working pods across Edinburgh

Edinburgh-based remote working platform SWURF has secured a £200,000 investment round as it accelerates plans to transform the Scottish capital into one of the world’s most flexible working cities.

The funding will support the rollout of SWURF Pods, the company’s on-demand private meeting spaces designed for professionals who need secure and quiet spaces to conduct calls, meetings and focused work while on the go.

The investment round includes backing from industry figures such as Gareth Williams, one of Scotland’s most successful tech entrepreneurs, and tourism investor Anna Lagerqvist Christopherson, who owns several well-known venues in the city including Boda BV, the Green Room and Victoria Bar.

SWURF’s strategy focuses on creating a high-tech, private reservation network located in busy urban areas. These shared meeting spaces are designed to give remote workers instant access to private spaces without the need for a traditional office.

Each pod includes advanced soundproofing technology, private WiFi networks with encrypted connections, ergonomic seating, air filtration systems and adjustable LED lighting to provide a professional environment for business calls or focused work.

Pods have already been installed at Edinburgh Airport and YOTEL Edinburgh, and the company plans to quickly expand the network across the city.

SWURF’s long-term ambition is to ensure that every worker in Edinburgh is within 15 minutes of a SWURF Pod location, effectively transforming cafes, hotels and hospitality facilities into a distributed workplace network.

Alongside the pods, SWURF uses a mobile platform that connects remote workers to locations across the city that embrace flexible working.

With the SWURF app, users can find participating locations, check in digitally and access secure WiFi networks. This program also unlocks benefits and advantages at partner locations, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem between employees and hospitality businesses.

The platform currently counts over 450 venues across Edinburgh, including venues such as Hoxton Edinburgh, Crowne Plaza Edinburgh Royal Terrace, and the Royal Scots Club.

More than 14,000 users, known as “Swufers”, are now registered on the platform, and the community continues to grow as integrated and remote working patterns take hold among the UK workforce.

SWURF says its model is designed not only to support remote workers but also to generate new revenue streams for tourism businesses.

By encouraging professionals to use cafes, hotels and pubs as temporary workplaces during off-peak hours, the company estimates it has contributed around £2 million to Edinburgh’s local economy.

Locally, the model allows underutilized spaces to generate income during periods of unemployment, while for workers it provides a wide range of flexible workspace options across the city.

Margaret Auld, general manager of YOTEL Edinburgh, said the pods helped bring new guests to the hotel while also improving the services available to guests.

“The SWURF Pod is a great service we can offer our hotel guests, and it brings new people to our hotel,” he said.

SWURF was founded by CEO Nikki Gibson, a travel industry expert who saw an opportunity to connect remote professionals to existing urban areas rather than relying solely on traditional liaison offices.

Gibson said the company’s mission is more than providing desks or meeting spaces.

“People want more than just a place to sit and a laptop,” he said. “They need flexibility, safety and stimulating environments that help them be productive.”

“Our aim is to make Edinburgh the global gold standard for working conditions. By expanding our local hosting network and rolling out SWURF Pods across the city, we are turning Edinburgh itself into a distributed office.”

The latest funding round follows a six-figure investment secured by 2025, which helped the company expand its local network and grow its user base.

SWURF has also strengthened its leadership team with several top industry figures joining the board.

The chairman of the board is Alison Grieve, an entrepreneur known for raising technology businesses around the world.

He is joined by Scott Leckie, who moved from chief technology officer to a permanent board position, and Daniel Rodgers, founder of Scottish hospitality technology company QikServe.

A strengthened leadership team is expected to help SWURF scale its model beyond Edinburgh in the coming years.

The company’s expansion comes amid ongoing changes to working practices across the UK.

Hybrid work arrangements have become commonplace in many sectors, creating a growing need for flexible meeting spaces, quiet workspaces and secure communication outside of traditional offices.

Cities with strong digital infrastructure and healthy hospitality sectors are increasingly positioning themselves as hubs for this new operating model.

By bringing together technology, hospitality partnerships and small, purpose-built workspaces, SWURF aims to put Edinburgh at the center of that global transformation.

With new funding secured and additional pod locations planned, the company believes the Scottish capital could become an iconic city for flexible, independent work in the area.