Expanding Bristol search engine optimisation (SEO) firms upUgo and GoRank are poised for further expansion after securing investment from Dragons’ Den entrepreneur Imran Hakim.
Both firms have benefited from the lockdowns of the past year as more business goes online and already boast a already the likes of WH Smith, Hotel Chocolat and H Samuel among their clients. 
Now with the undisclosed backing from Imran Hakim’s investment vehicle Hakim Group, the firms are expecting to double their value over the next year to around £20m, open a Northern base in Manchester and create around 30 jobs.
Imran, pictured, secured investment of £140,000 from Dragons Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis when he appeared on the show with his iTeddy children’s ‘edutainment’ gadget.
Now he is looking to back upUgo and Go Rank’s head Angel investor Luke Sartain in his quest for further growth.
Luke said: “This partnership not only gives our group a newfound stronghold in the North, but will likely allow us to more than double the team in 2021, as well as build new relationships with talented and passionate entrepreneurs. 
“Although the pandemic has turned the business world upside down, we have successfully formed two new companies which are already trading worldwide and growing exponentially.
“The world of digital marketing and SEO has moved forward by five years in just five months – we’re excited to see what’s next.”
This partnership between the serial entrepreneurs is on course to add nearly 200 new clients to upUgo’s ever-growing roster, which already includes the likes of W H Smith, Hotel Chocolat, and H Samuel. As a result, the duo is expecting to create around 30 new jobs across the country, within the digital marketing space.
Imran said: “Luke and the team are able to deliver a broad spectrum of digital services that almost every business relies upon for growth. This has been extremely evident during the pandemic, with many businesses accelerating their plans online.
“In a hyper-digital world, we are delighted to invest in this journey to support the growth ambitions of this exciting business.”
