By Kieran Headley & Andrew Allen, Co-founders of Hike SEO
We’ve got some pretty exciting news that’s going to help us bring even more value to small businesses around the world.
We’ve just secured a £250,000 loan from NatWest, but this isn’t your usual growing business loan. It’s an IP-backed loan that was granted on the strength of our intellectual property. For us, that’s a big deal! It’s validation that what we’ve built at Hike is worth backing — and we’re really looking forward to the possibilities this opens up for us, and more importantly, for you!
So, What’s This Loan Going Towards?
We spent some time tossing around ideas on how to use the loan. Spoiler alert: we won’t be investing in a high-speed yacht or Hike branded plane (though the thought did cross our minds for a very quick second). Instead, we’re doubling down on what we do best — helping small businesses take charge of their SEO with smarter tools and more automation.
From day one, our goal has been to make SEO accessible for small businesses. Over the past year, we’ve been busy improving Hike with more automation and AI and this loan allows us to push that even further. We’re investing heavily in further developing our AI integration that will make Hike the first fully automated SEO suite for non-SEO experts. Imagine being able to handle all your SEO tasks with the touch of a button — that’s where we’re headed, and we’re really excited to bring it to life!
The cool thing about these new features is that they’re designed with you — the small business owner — in mind. We know how busy you are, and we know SEO can feel overwhelming and expensive when you’re already juggling a million things. These AI-powered updates will save you time, effort, and a lot of frustration.
Growing the Team
On top of that, we’ll be growing our Hike family by 30%, bringing in new talent to help us innovate even faster and deliver the best possible experience for our users. The more we grow, the better we can serve the small businesses that trust us to help them achieve incredible SEO — and that’s what it’s all about.
This IP-backed loan from NatWest means we can keep growing without giving up more equity, which is always a win. It’s great to see our software recognized for its value, and this investment will help us deliver even more for our customers.
What Does This Mean for You?
If you’re already a Hike user, you can expect some pretty awesome updates to hit the platform over the next year. More automation means you’ll spend less time on SEO and see better results, all without needing to hire expensive experts or agencies. And if you’re not using Hike yet, now’s a great time to join the movement!
We know that SEO can be a tricky area for small business owners, but we’re here to make it simple and accessible. With this investment, we’re confident we’ll be able to bring even more value to businesses just like yours, helping you grow your online presence and reach new customers.
A Big Thank You to NatWest
We couldn’t wrap this up without a huge shoutout to NatWest and Inngot, who’ve been incredible throughout this process. Their IP-backed loan program is a game-changer for businesses like ours, enabling us to leverage the value of what we’ve built without diluting ownership. Here’s what Chris Garnett, NatWest’s Senior Relationship Manager, had to say:
“Since meeting the team in May, I’ve been fully on board with what Hike is doing. This IP loan funding is the perfect way for them to take the next step in their journey, helping even more SMEs take control of their SEO.”
Thanks again to NatWest for believing in us, thanks to Martin Brassell and the team at Inngot for facilitating the process and thanks to all of you for being part of the Hike journey. We’re just getting started, and we can’t wait to share more with you soon.
Stay Tuned
This new chapter is all about growing Hike, supporting our users, and shaking up the SEO world, one small business at a time.
