In an increasingly cashless society and where more teams are spread across different locations or working remotely, GiftRound is changing the way groups collect money for gifts.

Edinburgh-based fintech startup GiftRound is the brainchild of Craig Forsythe. Mr Forsythe has created an easy-to-use, online service that eradicates the hassle of passing the brown envelope from desk to desk in the hope people having the right cash at the right time.

Developed initially as an idea for office team collections GiftRound has already been picked up by a new generation of tech-savvy parents as well. Parents are moving away from the traditional ‘World’s Best Teacher’ mugs and plastic trinkets and are using GiftRound to group together to buy altogether more meaningful gifts for their children’s teachers. 

One parent said: “GiftRound made the collection for Christmas gifts for our class teachers super smooth this year. I have recommended the service to other classes at the school and I’ll be looking into using this at work too.”

Craig Forsythe added: “The success of GiftRound for teachers’ collections links into the popular move away from giving multiple, low-value gifts, often made from plastic, and towards the opportunity to buy a valued gift or unforgettable experience.

“We all know that the school run is stressful enough without the pressure of having to collect cash from other parents, and then for them all to sign a card or give out their personal bank details on WhatsApp. We’ve seen collections on GiftRound for teachers, sports coaches and club leaders across Scotland and the UK this Christmas. And we’ve received some amazing feedback from our customers, saying they’re looking forward to using GiftRound at work as well.”