Edd Read appointed as Technical Advisor of ideal flatmate

Co-Founder of Graze.com, Edd Read, joins the team here at Ideal Flatmate to lead development and product optimisation

Edd Read, Co-Founder & CTO of Graze.com, joins as the Technical Advisor of Ideal Flatmate, the UK’s first compatibility based flat-sharing site.

Read has been working with the start-up for the last two months as interim CTO and brings to the team a wealth of experience in growing a business from idea stage through to execution, following the exponential growth and development of Graze. 

As Technical Advisor of Ideal Flatmate, Read will be focussed on developing the matching technology built into the platform, assisting in user experience upgrades and ensuring the product is delivering on its core aim of helping users find the right flatshares. Areas of development under Read’s guidance will also include setting the platform up for scale, fine-tuning its referral programme, building strategic partnerships and launching an App.

“I was attracted to Ideal Flatmate because of the original way it is trying to tackle a problem faced by millions of flatsharers – no other flatmate or house sharing platform in the UK features a compatibility focussed algorithm which has the potential to have a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Read.

“It is an exciting time to get involved with the business and my focus will be on ensuring the platform’s technology is set up for scale and that we continue to innovate quickly.”

The Ideal Flatmate platform, designed in collaboration with University of Cambridge professors, is based on an algorithm similar to that of dating websites and prioritises tenant compatibility in an effort to facilitate long-term relationships for tenants and landlords alike.

Founders of Ideal Flatmate Tom Gatzen and Rob Imonikhe came up with the idea for the platform following years of becoming increasingly frustrated with the revolving door of flatmates they had found through listing websites.

Of the new hire, Gatzen said: “We are delighted to welcome Edd as Technical Advisor at Ideal Flatmate. His knowledge and experience in growing a start-up will be greatly received and he has had an enormous impact even in the short time he has been with us. It’s an extremely exciting time for Ideal Flatmate and under Edd’s guidance, we are well placed to achieve our goals and ambitions.”