Bridl has become the latest business to join Hartpury’s Tech Box Park. The innovative equestrian start-up aims to make the buying and selling of sport horses easier, faster and more transparent.
Bringing security and ease to the process of buying and selling sport horses online, the innovative Bridl platform helps professional and amateur riders worldwide purchase their ideal horse.
Founder and CEO of Bridl, Marie Marks, said: “During the last few years and especially due to the Covid-19 pandemic, show jumping has been digitised in ways that people could not have imagined ten years ago. Riders from all over the world are involving more and more technology in their day-to-day operations. Whether it is to close sales or to manage their horses’ operations – the growth of digitisation in show jumping has become inevitable.”
With 330 horses currently listed on the Bridl marketplace across the UK, Europe, and the USA, the digital platform enables potential buyers to review a horse at any time of the day and from anywhere in the world.
Raised in Oklahoma surrounded by horses, Bridl COO, Joseph Harding said: “Working with horses every day brings me a tremendous amount of joy.
“Our ever-expanding Bridl team care about our clients, our horses, and our sport. We take great pride in our high-quality bespoke services from the moment a horse is listed on our catalogue to being in the hands of its new owner – it’s wonderful to be part of the Bridl journey.”
Joseph continues: “We’re thrilled to work with Hartpury and its world-class equestrian facilities to promote our platform to students, alumni and academics passionate about equestrian sports. We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate on research and development projects, offer student internships, and build brand awareness and credibility within the equestrian community.”
Catherine Briggs, Tech Box Park Centre Manager said: “We’re delighted to welcome the high-energy and ambitious Bridl team to the Hartpury Tech Box Park and support them as they use their technology to digitalise the equestrian industry.”
Hartpury is one of the world’s largest providers of equestrian education and a key influencer in the sector. The institution is home to a renowned equine department that has developed expertise in applied, industry-led equine education. Nearly 900 students across further and higher education programmes have access to globally recognised academics who lead a variety of subject modules as well as cutting-edge facilities including international competition arenas, a rider performance centre, and the equine therapy and hydrotherapy centres. The benefit of this can be seen in Hartpury’ high employability rates, with 97% of graduates in employment, further study, or other purposeful activity (Graduate Outcomes 2022).
Hartpury’s Tech Box Park facility funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the GFirst LEP ‘Getting Building Fund’ and the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust is dedicated to enabling the growth of innovative local businesses looking to develop new or existing products and accelerate them into the agri-tech market.
