º£½ÇÊÓƵ

A Manchester-based tech start-up has raised £29m in its latest funding round, and will now double its headcount over the coming months.

Orka Technology Group said on Monday it will use the latest funding to fuel the "rapid growth" of its earned wage access product, Orka Pay.

The firm providing tech solutions for shift workers said it will now double its headcount to 50 by the end of this year and invest further in its portfolio.

The firm's best-known product, Orka Works, allows workers to find temporary employment with large organisations in industries such as security, cleaning and logistics.

It is used by over 50,000 people in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ.

Tom Pickersgill, co-founder and CEO of Orka, said: “Four years ago we set out to transform the experience of hourly paid workers, who make up 85% of the global workforce.

"What we’re doing is unique in this sector, and thanks to this funding, we’ll be able to reach many more businesses and their employees in the coming year – and improve the service that we can offer them.

“The worker landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. More people are looking for work that fits around their life and want the entire process to be less onerous. Our success since launching proves that there is real appetite amongst businesses and employees for an innovative alternative to the traditional recruitment, onboarding and payment model, saving both time and money.”