Marking the beginning of a brand-new decade, 2020 had all the right intentions of being a year to positively remember. And, although it’s been full of surprises (that no one asked for), it’s the year that changed everything… the Oxford dictionary couldn’t even decide on their word of the year, breaking years of tradition!

A time that most people are probably very eager to forget, it’s also important to remember what this year has spotlighted – the increasing need for interconnectedness, a sense of belonging and communal trust. With that in mind, Hello Lamp Post has gone through a year of transformation, evolving into the business you see today.

… Let’s explore Hello Lamp Post’s highlights over the last year.

Highlighting the importance of innovation in driving the survival and evolution of businesses, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed all sectors to respond quickly to the ever-changing needs of its citizens and the realities of the time.

As a result, Hello Lamp Post enhanced its product offering, shifted its perspective and adapted its tool, to acknowledge shifts in society behaviour. Here’s what we’ve done:

Interested in finding out more about the government’s latest reforms to the planning system? Read more here.

Explore our work with TP Bennett here.

To find out more about how we’ve brought talking Christmas trees, reindeers and Santas to life in towns like Dorking and Lerwick in the UK, click here.

Find out how Hello Lamp Post can enhance university experiences and increase student satisfaction rates here.

Read more about our work with Southwark Council here.

New Business Advisors

Earlier this year, we were delighted to announce that new strategic advisors were welcomed during our latest expansion phase, who have collectively brought a diverse range of skills, expertise and experience to the team.

Say Hello to some of our advisors…

Our First Ever Round of Funding

We successfully closed our first funding round, which enabled us to bring on some excellent strategic advisors and investors like Dave Worsell, Kathy Kyle-Bonomini, David Stroud and Steve Pankhurst – the ex Co-Founder of Friends Reunited, and will support in improving our product, with benefits to organisations like local authorities, our end users, the general public and our business. In addition to this, the funding we’ve received has also helped our business capacity to work with more organisations, local areas, towns and cities around the world. Thanks to this funding, Hello Lamp Post has already received incredibly positive results and is looking forward to a very exciting year ahead.

Mayors Innovation Challenge

In January, Hello Lamp Post was one of 23 tech startups from the UK selected to join the Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge. Over the five-week period, Hello Lamp Post developed an innovative solution to tackle one of three challenges London was facing. Supported by experts at the Metropolitan Police Service, Greater London Authority, Transport for London, Social Tech Trust and Microsoft, Hello Lamp Post was able to develop and pitch a proposal that democratised planning to the Mayor of London.

Microsoft ‘AI for Good’ Accelerator Programme

Hello Lamp Post was selected, along with 12 other startup businesses to join the Microsoft ‘AI for Good’ Accelerator Programme, in partnership with Social tech Trust, back in January.

The opportunity to join this programme was invaluable to Hello Lamp Post and has shaped and transformed our business. As a result of the experience, expert advice and mentorship we received, Hello Lamp Post can successfully say that we:

  • Can service 95% more user questions coming to our platform.
  • Have advanced our technological and AI capabilities by embedding an AI recognition tool into our systems.
  • Have built a network of contacts, enhanced our reach and grown our customer base around the world.
  • The programme aided us in raising our first round of funding and enhanced our credibility when speaking with investors.
  • Now we have the framework to measure our social impact for our customers and end users.Hosting our First Webinar

Positioning Hello Lamp Post as a thought leader in the AI and Tech Industry, we hosted our very first webinar ‘Tech for Good’, from the series ‘Digitally Transforming the High Street’. With guest speakers from Microsoft, E.C.F and Southwark Council, together, we explored the benefits of technology in overcoming social, economic and environmental challenges, whilst also celebrating pioneers and their experiences in leading this positive change. To find out more or listen to the whole webinar, click here.

After what could have been a very challenging year for our business, Hello Lamp Post has gone above and beyond to adapt and facilitate a range of exciting initiatives and projects for our clients, and are delighted with the response and outcomes. A big thank you goes to everyone who has supported us and our journey. With 2021 looking just as, if not more positive, we’re excited to share more of our highlights and success stories as the year progresses and look forward to taking our business to new and greater heights.

For now, we’d like to mention that we’ve just been accepted onto a unique, smart city technology accelerator programme which begins in January – more information and announcements to follow soon.

To get in touch with Hello Lamp Post, fill out our enquiry form or get in touch via contact@hlp.city.Back