uRoutine secures £555k from Timothy Hely Hutchinson and Tom Weldon
This article covers the pre-seed funding round on 10 September 2025 for uRoutine, the productive social network, founded by Gabriel Sirbu and Ed Johnson. The company raised £555k in a round led by Timothy Hely Hutchinson CBE with participation from Tom Weldon.
What does uRoutine do?
uRoutine is a mobile app and social platform for creating, sharing and tracking daily routines and habits. It uses social interaction and AI insights to motivate users and report productivity in five-minute daily sessions.
Why is uRoutine useful?
Problem
Many people struggle with distraction, low productivity and weakened wellbeing after the pandemic and rise of remote work. Existing social platforms encourage scrolling and make it harder to form lasting routines and healthy habits.
Solution
uRoutine helps by offering a five-minute-a-day app to create, copy and track routines with social accountability. It uses gamification and AI productivity insights so users stay motivated and build lasting healthy habits.
How much did uRoutine raise?
uRoutine raised £555k in a pre-seed round from investors including Timothy Hely Hutchinson CBE and Tom Weldon, alongside existing backers.
Who invested in uRoutine?
Key investors in uRoutine include the following backers.
- Timothy Hely Hutchinson CBE: an angel investor bringing expertise in publishing and media, and a former CEO of Hachette UK.
- Tom Weldon: an angel investor with a background in book publishing and senior leadership as CEO of Penguin Books UK.
- Glynn Woodin: an angel investor specialising in food and hospitality entrepreneurship, founder of Mustard Foods and Mustard Catering.
- Paddy Dear: an angel investor known for his work in alternative asset management as co-founder of Tetragon Financial Management.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of AI venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of AI angel investors in the UK
Who founded uRoutine?
The founders of uRoutine are Ed Johnson (Co-Founder and CEO) and Gabriel Sirbu.
The modern social media landscape often leaves people distracted, unfocused, and unmotivated. Closing our round in just three weeks and welcoming thousands of early users tells us there’s a real hunger for a more productive alternative to social media.
— Ed Johnson, Co-Founder and CEO of uRoutine
Where is uRoutine based?
uRoutine is based in London, UK.
What sector is uRoutine in?
uRoutine operates in the productivity and wellbeing app sector. This sector builds simple tools to help people form routines and use time better.
Key trends and challenges in digital wellbeing and productivity apps:
Growing demand for short, habit-focused tools
Many users prefer micro-routines, such as five-minute habits, to improve focus during remote work.
AI personalisation versus privacy and transparency
Apps use AI to give personalised reports, but users worry about data sharing and GDPR compliance.
Balancing engagement with healthy design and sustainable revenue
Developers must avoid addictive features while monetising, for example offering employee wellbeing subscriptions.
For a deeper look at innovation in this space, see the AI startups in the UK.
Click here for a full list of 7,526+ startup investors in the UK