Chris and Will Donnelly launched Lottie in 2021 after struggling to find suitable care for their grandmother. The platform was initially envisioned as a “Rightmove for care homes” but has since evolved into a multi-faceted service aimed at revolutionizing the care industry. Lottie’s core offering is a marketplace where families can find carefully vetted care homes, retirement living, and at-home care services.
Users can compare care fees, addressing one of the biggest pain points in the sector—fee transparency. The company’s offerings have expanded significantly. Lottie now provides Found by Lottie, a CRM software for care providers; Seniorcare by Lottie, an employee benefits platform; and Care IQ, a data insights tool offering invaluable information about the elderly care market.
Lottie has demonstrated exceptional growth, supporting over one million people in finding care every month and partnering with 3,000 care providers across the UK.
Lottie’s innovative care services
“Most first-time care choices are often made urgently and under high-pressure situations,” say the founders.
To address this, Lottie launched the largest Care Seeker Survey in the UK in 2024. The goal is to improve its business model and raise awareness about the state of care in the UK. Lottie’s ambitions extend beyond the UK, with plans to expand into India, Australia, and the US.
The startup has raised £25m to fuel this global expansion, including a £16.3m funding round in 2023. As Lottie continues to scale, it aims to bring innovation and transparency to the care sector globally. The startup is disrupting the antiquated eldercare system by providing families with the tools they need to make informed decisions.
Back for its third appearance on the Startups 100 list, Lottie is the top startup for 2025 and is set on breathing life back into later life care.