News / Business

Bristol startup named in Forbes ‘ones to watch in 2019’ list

By Ellie Pipe  Wednesday Jan 23, 2019

A Bristol company dedicated to spreading joy through small gestures is making big waves on the national business stage.

Huggg – a platform that enables people to send real gifts via messaging – has been named in the Forbes’ list of startups you should watch in 2019.

The prestigious accolade marks the end of a fruitful year for the Runway East-based business that was founded in 2015 with the aim of sharing kindness – in the form of a coffee, cake or cinema ticket.

Better Business
Better Business is an initiative launched by Bristol24/7 to help businesses thrive, whilst creating a positive impact on Bristol and the people who live here.

Huggg grew from a team of three to 18 in 2018, secured some big partners, including Caffè Nero, Odeon, Vue, Lola’s Cupcakes, Crosstown Doughnuts, and went national with its unique product.

As the only Bristol company in the Forbes list, Huggg was singled out for success because “the money and product are right” and it’s “already a hit with Apple”. The company is also tapping into a growing market, said to be worth upwards of $250 billion.

Paul Wickers says the past year has been pretty unbelievable for the business

Responding to the recognition, Huggg CEO and founder Paul Wickers said: “We’re thrilled to have been included in Forbes’ ‘ones to watch list’ alongside some amazing businesses who are using tech for good.

“The past year has been pretty unbelievable, and with even more national brand partnerships to be announced soon, 2019 looks set to be even more exciting.”

Read more: Bristol named UK’s most productive tech cluster

Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
I want to receive (tick as many as you want):
I'm interested in (for future reference):
Marketing Permissions

Bristol24/7 will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing. Please let us know all the ways you would like to hear from us:

We will only use your information in accordance with our privacy policy, which can be viewed here - www.bristol247.com/privacy-policy/ - you can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at meg@bristol247.com. We will treat your information with respect.


We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

Related articles

You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Independent journalism
is needed now More than ever
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Join the Better
Business initiative
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
* prices do not include VAT
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Enjoy delicious local
exclusive deals
You've read %d articles this month
Consider becoming a member today
Wake up to the latest
Get the breaking news, events and culture in your inbox every morning