Bayes Centre community member Snugg, a home energy efficiency company who are developing a platform that connects homeowners, installers, banks and other relevant organisations. Making energy-efficient homes simple and affordable for everyone CEO and co-founder Robin Peters previously worked for insurance company Aviva, where he played a key role in establishing Aviva's digital business in Shoreditch, focusing on simplifying the complex process of buying insurance. "With Snugg, I aim to apply the same principles of simplicity and affordability to the realm of home energy efficiency" says Peters. It was through his experience in insurance and passion for addressing climate change that his goal to create an easy-to-use platform that empowers homeowners to reduce their energy use and their carbon footprint was born. The idea for Snugg was born out of this vision to streamline the process of researching and implementing energy-efficient home improvements, ultimately making sustainable living more accessible to everyone. Robin Peters CEO and co-founder of Snugg Snugg is making energy-efficient homes simple and affordable for everyone. With just your postcode, they will recommend a personalised home improvement plan that estimates the up-front cost of an installation, the reduction in energy bills and carbon emissions, as well as the potential increase in property value. They show grant and financing options you may qualify for. And they connect you with approved local installers to get quotes and a home assessment if necessary. Image The Journey Snugg has experienced significant growth and expansion since it was founded in 2022. Beginning as a startup in January 2022, they were able to launch their working product by July of the same year. Later in the year, in November, they went live with their direct-to-consumer offering, allowing them to reach a wider audience and gain valuable user feedback. During this time, we also established partnerships with various organisations in the energy sector, such as Heat Save Scotland, which helped us expand our reach and develop new capabilities. Robin Peters CEO and co-founder of Snugg To continue its growth trajectory, Snugg plans to invest in new features, broader and better-quality data, new partnerships, and other capabilities that will allow them to provide highly personalised and intuitive support for users looking to improve their home energy efficiency. Image Robin's advice for those looking to start their own business is to think about the problem first, rather than your solution, speak to other startups about their journey and don’t hold off speaking to potential customers. Snugg's achievements and challenges Snugg’s mission is to make energy efficient homes simple and affordable for everyone. They have come a long way since they were founded in 2022. In October 2022, they won the Rising Star: Best New Entrant Award 2022 at the Scottish Financial Technology Awards. “It’s a testament to how far we've come in such a short space of time, after a great effort by the entire Snugg team” says Peters. In addition, they have also closed some partnerships with 2 major banks, which they are excited to announce shortly. Image One of their biggest challenges has been negotiating with large companies. Through investing in developing a direct-to-consumer (D2C) proposition, they were able to overcome this challenge. This allowed them to reach customers directly and collect customer feedback much more quickly. "We still pursue B2B partnerships, but we’ve strengthened our business by adding the additional D2C offering" says Peters. Basing Snugg in the Bayes Centre Snugg has chosen the Bayes Centre as its base as it connects them to an ecosystem of academics, businesses and government agencies and provides access to data skills. Being based at Bayes gives us access to top-notch data skills that are crucial to Snugg's success. It also connects us to a thriving ecosystem of academics, businesses and government agencies who are all working towards net-zero goals. As a data-driven company, we value the importance of tapping into Scotland's talent pool and collaborating with other data-centric businesses to drive innovation and positive change. Snugg CEO and co-founder Robin Peters Being part of the tech-ecosystem at the Bayes Centre has been valuable for Snugg. We've forged strong connections with like-minded businesses and academics, which has led to exciting learnings and opportunities. Being associated with Bayes has also significantly boosted our credibility when approaching larger businesses for potential partnerships. We’re really happy working with the team at Bayes. They’re working really hard to build a strong, supportive community, and that helps Bayes stand head-and-shoulders above other co-working spaces. Snugg CEO and co-founder Robin Peters To find out more about Snugg, visit their website here. Find them on Twitter, instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. This article was published on 2024-06-06
