Scottish traveltech firm SWURF launches on-demand private meeting pods with two major partnerships

Edinburgh Airport and Yotel the first to adopt the innovative solution for 'meetings in motion'

Edinburgh startup SWURF has agreed partnership deals with Edinburgh Airport and Yotel to install its new private meeting pods at the two locations.

The 'SWURF Pod' features advanced soundproofing, private Wi-Fi networks with security-grade encryption, smart LED lighting, air filtration systems, and ergonomic seating for those who suddenly find they need a private space for sensitive business calls. Each measuring one metre squared, users can book slots instantly for 30 minutes or longer through the SWURF platform.

Two pods will be installed at Edinburgh Airport with an additional unit being installed at Yotel's Queen Street site. The pods are designed to address the modern trend of 'meetings in motion' which was identified as one of the key Business Travel Trends for 2025 by forecasting agency Globetrender.

SWURF was founded in 2020 during the pandemic by Nikki Gibson to connect remote and hybrid professionals (the company calls them 'Swurfers') with underutilised hospitality venues like cafés, hotels, and co-working hubs across the UK. It operates a growing network of over 450 activated venues and more than 12,000 users, generating significant revenue for its hospitality partners, including Hilton, IHG, Kew Green Hotels - approximately £1.85 million in total.

SWURF has recently secured six-figure follow-on investment backed by private investors, the Scottish Government's Techscaler programme, and Scottish Enterprise. The investment round was also supported by Gareth Williams, co-founder of Skyscanner, who has been a long-term investor. This funding is aimed at accelerating SWURF's expansion across the UK, selected European markets, and preparing for further global growth. The company also recently announced new appointments to its board with G-Hold founder Alison Grieve, former SWURF fractional CTO Scott Leckie, and Daniel Rodgers, founder of QikServe, joining.

Nikki Gibson, Founder of SWURF, said:

"Our research consistently highlighted that taking private calls whilst travelling is the biggest challenge facing hybrid workers and business travellers. Traditional meeting room hire at airports and hotels can be prohibitively expensive and often unavailable at short notice. The SWURF Pod solves this with an on-demand, affordable solution that can be accessed within minutes.

"We are now focussed on deploying 100 pods across the UK in the next 12 months with key commercial partners in the pipeline. We're also looking to raise further investment early in 2026 to support global growth."

Stephanie Wear, Chief Commercial Officer at Edinburgh Airport, said:

"We're always looking for new ways to make travel easier and more comfortable for our passengers, and these new SWURF pods are a great example of that. We want to ensure passengers have the right spaces and tools to stay connected on their journey."

Margaret Auld, General Manager of Yotel Edinburgh, said:

"This partnership with SWURF demonstrates our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of nomadic business professionals. With the growth of the 'bleisure' travel (business leisure) and the rising number of remote workers in and around city centres, we must adapt to provide the infrastructure that today's professionals require.

"These pods represent an innovative use of space that generate additional revenue for the hotel whilst solving a real customer pain point. Remote workers can now come into the hotel, work in a comfortable setting and still have the privacy required for important meetings."

SWURF plans to roll out its pods across major UK transport hubs including train stations, conference centres, and additional airports.