Martin Port Secures £3.8m Funding for AI-Powered Startup
Deal News | Jun 19, 2025 | Business Cloud
Martin Port, a seasoned tech entrepreneur from Leeds, raised £3.8 million in funding for his startup, Build Concierge, just 18 months after suffering a heart attack. Founded in November 2023, Build Concierge offers an AI-driven customer engagement platform that automates communication for businesses across multiple channels, aiming to increase productivity and scalability. Despite his health challenges, Port has rapidly grown the startup, securing notable investors and appointing influential figures like Lord Ian Austin, Robin Proctor, and Charlie Kirk to its board. Port previously founded BigChange, which was acquired by Simpro Group for over £300 million in 2024. This new venture has garnered significant interest, closing the funding round in just four weeks.
Sectors
- Technology
- Venture Capital
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
Geography
- United Kingdom – The startup Build Concierge is based in Leeds, UK, and the article details its operations and funding within this region.
- Israel – Lord Ian Austin, a new board member of Build Concierge, is a UK government's trade envoy to Israel, indicating cross-border business relevance.
Industry
- Technology – Build Concierge operates within the technology sector, focusing on AI-driven customer engagement platforms.
- Venture Capital – The article discusses a funding round for the startup Build Concierge, highlighting its engagement with investors.
- Software as a Service (SaaS) – Build Concierge provides a SaaS solution for automating customer communications across various channels.
Financials
- £3.8m – Amount raised in the recent funding round for Build Concierge.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Port | Founder and CEO | People | Tech entrepreneur and founder of Build Concierge. |
| Build Concierge | Target Company | Companies | A Leeds-based startup offering an AI-powered customer engagement platform. |
| Simpro Group | Acquirer | Companies | Acquired Martin Port's previous company, BigChange. |
| Lord Ian Austin | Board Member | People | Former Labour minister and UK government's trade envoy to Israel. |
| Robin Proctor | Board Member | People | Former director of Travis Perkins and chairman of Bathrooms.com. |
| Charlie Kirk | Board Member | People | Founder and former managing director of Jet Aire. |