31-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Place and Shipshape.vc Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Scaling Founders
Place, the Cardiff-based talent partner for high-growth businesses, and the free investor search engine, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming how founders approach growth.
Kieran O'Connor, founder and managing director of Place, has placed more than 1,000 candidates and advised founders on 'how to grow with intent, not just speed'. Daniel Sawko, founder of has built a platform that surfaces national and international funding options for founders, with tens of thousands of investors indexed and made discoverable.
The pair said that startups often face a knowledge gap when it comes to people strategy, which they described as 'a critical yet overlooked component in long-term success'.
While financial modelling, go-to-market strategies, and pitch decks receive most of the attention during fundraising, founders are often left in the dark about how to build teams that truly deliver, said Kieran and Daniel.
The partnership aims to combine Place's expertise in strategic talent acquisition with real-time investor insight and startup intelligence.
Whilst the long-term vision for the collaboration is to offer it globally, it is launching by supporting the South Wales startup scene.
Daniel Sawko, founder of said:
'The partnership between Place and is a statement of intent that we are here to support startups. It's great to be joining forces with another Welsh founded business which shares a passion for supporting entrepreneurs, founders and early stage start ups on their journey to success. We're excited to grow both locally and internationally, and support others along the way too.
'We're delighted to be working with Kieran and the Place team to empower emerging tech companies globally with the knowledge on human capital they will need to succeed. It's fantastic that this initiative brings together two Welsh companies to do so.'
The partnership has marked the launch of their collaboration with the release of The Strategic Founders Hiring Guide a free, practical resource for founders currently raising investment.
