South West-based AgoraStaff, the first AI-powered health staffing marketplace created by social care professionals, has been selected by Google to take part in a showcase to support ‘gov tech’ companies in the sustainability and healthcare sectors.
The Google-backed cohort comprises 30 startups -all operating at scale or at the ‘product fit’ stage. The teams’ work with Google will focus on operational efficiency and transformation.
Collectively, the companies have secured more than £336 million in funding and all use Google Cloud Platform as a core component of their strategy. AgoraStaff’s inclusion reflects growing recognition of the urgent need for innovation within social care.
Each company will be pitching their innovative technology on Monday 9th February to an audience of venture capitalists, senior government officials, Google executives and industry leaders to secure investment, network, build relationships and educate the audience on the most promising companies in the UK as selected by Google.
AgoraStaff was founded to address rising costs, staff shortages and inefficiencies across the care sector. The app connects care homes, local authorities and other providers directly with vetted, trained and compliant carers reducing reliance on traditional agencies that often take significant fees while offering carers little control.
The platform was the idea of Richard Williams-Pears, a longstanding Cornwall councillor and former mayor of St Austell, who witnessed firsthand in his elected local government role the strain on social care budgets.
He was joined in Agorastaff by his wife, Jolene Williams-Pears, Director of Outstanding Compliance, with extensive experience in operating theatres, and Janet Shreeve, Director of Business Development, who runs Shreeve Care Services in Wiltshire and brings frontline sector knowledge with more than 25 years’ experience in social care.
Richard Williams-Pears, Chief Executive Officer of AgoraStaff, said, “Being selected by Google validates both the problem we are solving and the way we are solving it.
“Social care is under enormous pressure and too much money is lost to inefficiency. By using AI and modern Cloud infrastructure, we are cutting out unnecessary middle layers so more funding stays with carers and providers.”
Janet added, “Carers deserve flexibility, fairness and respect for their professionalism. Our marketplace gives them control over the shifts they work while ensuring providers can access skilled, vetted staff when they need them. Being part of a Google-selected cohort shows that social care innovation is finally being taken more seriously at a national and global level.”
AgoraStaff uses AI to match carers and providers quickly and efficiently, while maintaining strict compliance and quality standards. Care providers can access AgoraStaff initially free of charge and will then pay just five per cent of the agreed daily shift fee to the company. Carers join free of charge once vetting and training requirements are met.
The platform has been launched in Wiltshire, Somerset and surrounding counties, with further regional expansion planned.
To find out more, visit: agorastaff.com
Pictured above: Richard Williams-Pears and Janet Shreeve, two of the founding team of AgoraStaff (Image: Barbara Leatham Photography)
