Soft launch note: Roadmap / endorsement narrative. Live consumer product is free browse / match / chat; Premium and £1k job protection are not enabled yet.
TradeBridge is the UK’s first swipe-based artisan discovery app (“Tinder for tradespeople”). We connect homeowners and renters with local plumbers, electricians, cleaners and handymen in seconds, with a trust-first design aligned to UK consumer protection (DMCC Act 2025, CMA guidance).
Users swipe through nearby, verified tradespeople; when both sides like each other they form a mutual match and can chat and agree work. The app runs on Flutter (iOS, Android, web), with Firebase (Auth, Firestore) and Google Maps/Places. Artisans use it for free; we monetise via consumer subscriptions (Free / Plus / Pro) and premium likes.
Novel mechanism. No UK platform (Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People, Bark, TaskOnTap, etc.) offers swipe-based discovery with mutual match for hiring trades. TradeBridge does: householder swipes on artisan cards; chat unlocks only after both opt in. That reduces spam, raises intent, and fits how people choose services.
Consumer-paid, trust-first model. Incumbents sell leads to tradespeople. We charge consumers (subscriptions); artisans are free at launch. Incentives align with householder outcomes. We build in verification (ID, trade credentials, links to Gas Safe, NICEIC, TrustMark, NAPIT), cost guide, job protection badge, and safety tracking (opt-in location share and “arrived/left” check-in in chat).
Regulatory fit. We design for DMCC 2025 and CMA guidance on vetting, reviews and complaints. Safety and complaints process are documented (web and in-app).
Technical. Single Flutter codebase for iOS, Android and web; real-time chat and matching; Remy in-app assistant for job drafts and cost/verification tips.
Product. Working MVP: swipe deck, map, filters, likes, matches, chat, job posts, Remy, verification flow, cost guide, premium UI, artisan dashboard, community hub, safety tracking. Web landing and business-plan page live; app at usetradebridge.com/app/.
Business model. Clear subscription tiers (Free / Plus £7.99/mo / Pro £14.99/mo). Unit economics: blended ARPU ~£7.50/mo, LTV ~£105, CAC ~£18, LTV:CAC 5.8:1. Targets: £180k Year 1, £720k Year 2, £2.4m Year 3.
Runway. £450k seed over 18 months; ~£24.3k/month burn; 55% product/engineering, 28% growth, 17% ops/legal. RevenueCat/IAP and full legal ToS/Privacy in progress; endorsement pack and hiring plan documented.
Product. Flutter + Firebase scales with users; marginal cost per user is low.
Go-to-market. City-by-city: M1–6 (1–2 cities, £3–5k MRR), M7–18 (2–3 cities, £12–18k MRR), M19–36 (national, £45–55k MRR). Market: UK TAM £42bn/year, SAM £2.1bn (online discovery).
Hiring and jobs. Months 0–18: two co-founders. Months 12–18: +1 support/community role when MAU ~15k. Months 18–36: +1–2 engineers, +1 growth/partnerships, +1 trust & safety/ops. Core team 5–7 by Year 3; platform supports thousands of UK tradespeople winning work.
Team. Gbolahan — software engineer (BT); builds Flutter app, Firebase, Maps, Remy, chat, safety features. Tobi — co-founder; growth, ops, go-to-market, business plan and visa readiness.
Evidence. Shipped production Flutter app (auth, real-time chat, maps, verification, safety tracking); live web presence; detailed business plan with TAM/SAM, unit economics, hiring plan and Innovator Founder alignment. Demonstrates technical and commercial execution.
We seek Innovator Founder endorsement for a new, innovative UK business: first swipe + mutual-match marketplace for trades, with a clear 18–36 month plan to launch in 1–3 cities, reach ~25k MAU and £15k MRR by month 18, and scale team and platform to support thousands of tradespeople.
We can provide: live product demo (mobile and web), full business plan, this endorsement pack, and traction/compliance updates as available.