Using real time data to analyse business performance

This article is part of our new series which uses alternative data signals to analyse business performance in real-time. Increasingly, conventional metrics such as SIC codes, revenues and prior funding rounds no longer provide the up-to-date insight required by investors. In response, MarktoMarket has introduced live tracking of alternative datasets such as job postings, employee growth, reviews and social sentiment, to help investment teams make decisions based on real-time data.

Although still deeply affected by COVID-19, the technology industry has arguably weathered the disruption caused by the pandemic better than most, with growth actually accelerating in areas such as HealthTech, EdTech and Cybersecurity – not to mention video conferencing.

With experts predicting that the pandemic has poured rocket fuel on the pace of global digital transformation, technology businesses are still attracting high levels of interest and investment compared to more traditional sectors. This trend is mirrored in M&A, with Facebook, Microsoft, Uber, DocuSign, Intel and Zoom all announcing acquisitions over the last six months.

Using MarktoMarket’s real-time data, we’ve profiled five companies across the UK technology sector which are showing signs of positive growth, despite ongoing lockdown restrictions.

Parcel2go

Parcel2Go is a parcel delivery website that provides comparisons of domestic and worldwide postage options from a range of providers. It enables users to quickly, easily and cheaply arrange parcel delivery in the UK, without having to go through the Post Office.

Trustpilot reviews for the business have been growing steadily since March. This correlates with a 62% increase in traffic to their website during the height of the pandemic, with current levels still sitting at 33% higher than pre-COVID. Although relatively small, the company has hired consistently through the summer, with a focus on customer service and support. Given the increased restrictions announced for autumn/winter, Parcel2Go may be set to see another spike in demand.

mENTION mE

Mention Me is a referral marketing and customer retention platform designed to fuel business growth. Since inception, the company has won a host of start-up and marketing awards, and secured $7m in funding from 8 Roads Ventures in 2018.

Headcount fell by over 20% in the first half of this year. However, new job listings spiked in June, suggesting the start of a potential recovery for the business, which has posted positive financial growth YoY since 2014.

Thought machine

Thought Machine is a fintech business that aims to cure one of the banking industry’s primary problems: its reliance on outdated IT infrastructure. Their solution is Vault – a complete retail banking platform that is capable of being configured to suit the needs of any bank.

Two significant series B fundraising announcements in March and July were preceded by a steady rise in headcount and a surge in summer job postings across commercial, technical and operational functions. This correlated with an upward trend in the number of press mentions and content placements in business publications, as the company heavily publicized its intent to grow rapidly on an international scale.

landtech

LandTech is billed as one of the UK’s fastest growing PropTech companies, streamlining site acquisition and planning processes for developers and architects. The business has received significant coverage from both business and technology focused press, as well as winning several awards for culture in recent years.

Whilst there was a plateau in job listings over the summer, July saw a sharp increase in roles being advertised across technical and commercial functions, mirroring the bounce back in the property market. Notably, LandTech is making several additions at C-Suite level around revenue and technology.

virtual college

Virtual College is an e-learning provider that offers a mix of ready-to-go and bespoke training solutions for a range of organisations.

From March, Trustpilot review levels for Virtual College rose steeply, peaking at a 1900% increase on the average in May, which was supported by a 25% rise in web traffic to the site over the summer months. Consumer satisfaction levels remain high at over 93%, and given the surge of interest in EdTech, these are potentially positive indicators for a business that has already seen significant financial growth over the last two years.