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Ventures

Businesses we are building, running and backing today.

Each case study covers the opportunity, what we built to address it, and how it helps the business earn more, spend less or move faster. Where something is still early, we say so.

Current ventures

9 ventures, one way of working

Commercial judgement first, then brand, software and operations built around it. Listed alphabetically.

Showing 9 ventures

BetterFXRates homepage with a comparison widget showing an AED to GBP transfer against a typical bank rate

Financial Services

BetterFXRates

An independent FX comparison and introduction service for people moving large sums across borders.

  • Comparison built on the daily ECB reference rate
  • Quote funnel that routes larger transfers to a personal service
  • CRM with referral codes and commission tracking

One back office handles every enquiry from first click to commission, so the service can grow without adding administrators.

Centric Homes website hero over the open plan living area of a renovated villa

Property & Home Services

Centric Homes

Luxury villa renovation and redevelopment in Dubai's established communities.

  • Brand identity and positioning
  • Portfolio site led by a completed villa
  • Enquiries direct to the team

A credible brand and a clear portfolio help a premium renovation business win the attention of discerning villa owners.

Cyclists.com homepage with a route search box over a mountain road photograph

Travel & Publishing

Cyclists.com

A global library of cycling routes, with GPX files, road facts and a simple way to organise group rides.

  • 800 routes in 24 countries, each with a GPX file
  • Distance, climbing, surface and traffic measured for every route
  • Group ride organiser that replaces WhatsApp lists

A measured route library becomes hundreds of genuinely useful pages, generated from data rather than written by hand.

MagiPort ancillary revenue calculator asking for annual bookings and business type

Travel & Publishing · Technology & SaaS

MagiPort

Branded destination portals that help travel companies earn from the trip after the booking.

  • Branded portals configured per client, not built from scratch
  • Recommendations matched to each traveller
  • Revenue calculator for prospective partners

Turns an existing customer relationship into ancillary revenue, without paying to acquire a single new customer.

The new On the Spot website homepage offering a free website score for small businesses

Digital Marketing · Technology & SaaS

On the Spot

A Glasgow internet company since 1997, rebuilt as a modular growth platform for small businesses.

  • One platform, with each client's data kept separate
  • AI assistant that answers from approved knowledge
  • Website builder, CRM and content tools together

Services that used to be delivered by hand can be configured, measured and repeated across many clients.

Powerworks Garage homepage showing a technician at work and the same day service promise

Automotive

Powerworks Garage

An established Dubai car service workshop, run on a CRM built around how the garage actually works.

  • Bookings, job cards, estimates and invoices in one system
  • Estimates customers approve on their phone
  • Automatic sync with Zoho Books

One system replaced several disconnected tools and a shared spreadsheet, so every car's history is in one place.

The Entrepreneur Institute report page for RAK Property: Growth and Opportunity

Financial Services

The Entrepreneur Institute

Independent research and private briefings for internationally minded investors and entrepreneurs.

  • Research reports delivered by email on request
  • Investor evening pages with RSVP
  • Lead capture with source attribution

Every report download and event RSVP becomes a qualified contact the team can follow up.

The Garage Guys website explaining six steps from a WhatsApp photo to a finished garage

Property & Home Services

The Garage Guys

Dubai villa garages redesigned and rebuilt, from a WhatsApp photo to a signed contract.

  • AI design studio that turns a garage photo into a concept
  • Estimates, proposals and contracts from one CRM
  • Electronic signature built in

Professional concepts and proposals in hours rather than days, without a back office team to produce them.

The visit.network homepage, introducing the network with Visit Rome, Visit Slovenia, Visit Antwerp and Visit Boracay

Travel & Publishing

Visit Network

A network of destination travel sites running on one shared publishing and booking platform.

  • One codebase serving every destination domain
  • Tours, tickets and hotels from leading booking partners
  • Editorial and search tooling shared across the network

Every improvement is built once and appears on every destination site the same day.

Previous ventures and investments

Where the experience comes from

Businesses and investments from earlier chapters. Some were sold, some closed, all of them taught us something we use today.

  • Marcat

    1997

    A Glasgow web and new media agency, started in a single room with a small grant. It was listed in the Deloitte Fast 50 technology companies three times.

    Founder

  • iBooking.com

    2003

    Began as Clearfuse, building bespoke web applications, and became iBooking: online ticketing and booking software for coach, bus, sightseeing and activity operators.

    Founder

  • Affiliata and Clickspace

    2000s

    A portfolio of affiliate and search advertising projects that earned more than $1.5m from Google AdSense in its first 18 months.

    Founder

  • ResDiary

    2006 to 2018

    Restaurant reservation and table management software, cofounded with restaurateur Mike Conyers. Acquired by AccorHotels in 2018.

    Cofounder

    AccorHotels announcement(opens in a new tab)
  • DistinctMEDIA

    2008

    The merger of Clickspace with Dubai based Forsight, focused on paid search and comparison shopping traffic. It brought the business to Dubai and became part of Clicksco.

    Managing director

  • Clicksco Group

    2010s

    An advertising technology and performance marketing group headquartered in Dubai Media City, employing more than 200 people across nine countries by 2016.

    Cofounder and shareholder

  • DineAndGift

    2016

    Digital gift voucher storefronts for restaurants, a spin out from ResDiary with Performous as lead development partner.

    Lead development partner

  • Lydia.Capital

    2018

    A private vehicle helping investors enter cryptocurrency investing, with investor education events.

    Founding partner

  • PraSaga

    2018

    A layer one blockchain project, backed from its earliest stage.

    Early investor

    prasaga.com(opens in a new tab)
  • Yalla Protein

    2020

    A UAE sports nutrition manufacturer.

    Growth capital from Performous

Have an idea, or a business that could run better?

We're always glad to talk about new ventures, investment ideas, technology, or how an existing business could operate more efficiently.