blur Group is a technology company reinventing how businesses do commerce at blurgroup.com. Its Global Services Exchange delivers services differently: a new way to buy, manage and pay for core services. As of July 2013, more than 30,000 businesses in 141 countries have adopted this s-commerce platform and changed the way they work. 100 projects per month from companies like Broadridge, Coral, Exceed, HCA, Momentive, Red Commerce, the Financial Times, Berlitz, Butlins, GE Healthcare and Tyco are received. Over the same time, average brief value has grown from around US$1,500 in 2010 to US$10,800 in the first quarter of 2013. By mid-2013, more than 2,200 projects had been submitted with a combined value of over US$35 million. These have come from the US, UK, Europe, Africa and Asia with over 28,000 expert service providers on eight exchanges responding to them


http://blurgroup.com/

Up she goes..

Mitzy
Do you think this is sustainable not sure which way to jump

the caveat lies in the shares performance over the last few days and the fact that it is totally illiquid etc etc

Hard to tell kev.

Not in, but nice rebound.....more zip than Zippy the kangeroo on springs !...will it last ?....euhhh..or was it Flipper....euhhno.....Skippy........yes....hope it doesn't end up in one...euhh...that's a skip...I mean...

Mild dementia setting in rf or just a case of a little too much ale? !!! ;o)

Well it might be ale last night but the sp is up and down like a yoyo.....

New blur 4.0 brief app

RNS


RNS Number : 8371Y

blur (Group) plc

30 January 2014






RNS REACH

30th January 2014





blur Group plc

("blur," the "Group" or the "Company")





New blur 4.0 brief app brings added functionality and true services-buying freedom



blur delivers early on tech roadmap demonstrating A grade technology function



blur Group plc (BLUR), the technology company that's reinventing commerce at blurgroup.com announced today the release of its ground-breaking blur 4.0 brief app, one full quarter ahead of schedule, which will see not only flawless stand-alone use across every browser, OS, platform and partner site, but a 'wizard'-like project buying user experience and feature-augmented mobile build. It marks the beginning of the phased roll-out of blur 4.0 over the next 2-3 quarters - the 4th generation of blur's market leading services commerce (s-commerce) platform.



It is the first phase of our 2014 mission of a component-based platform architecture, allowing for faster future integration of exciting new functionality and technology. Separating the brief app into a discrete application frees it from being used solely within the blur platform, making it easier and more convenient for customers to buy services from more locations.



Key to the 4.0 release is an enhanced user experience. Seamless customer-focused content supports those buying services on every step of the project submission journey. This improved journey includes clear highlights of where they are in the buying process, what is needed for the complete project brief, where to go next, what's happening with their information and what to expect from blur Group. This demonstrates blur using shareholder funds to out-innovate others and to raise competitor barriers, maintaining focus on functional lead.



Taking on-the-go services buying further, blur's mobile brief app has been updated and will capitalise on the success already seen after the initial December 2013 launch. Already over 10% of all projects submitted to the Global Services Exchange each month are via smartphones - both iOS and Android.



The new version includes more requirements fields so customers can provide more detailed information about their projects, enabling a faster, more thorough response from the exchange.



"We want to make submitting a project so easy and so accessible that businesses won't hesitate in trying out online services buying with blur," says blur CEO Philip Letts.



"The 4.0 Brief app update adds significant momentum to this campaign, and marks the beginning of 2014's push to integrate our platform in every part of a company's short - and long-term strategies.



"It will also hugely increase the bond to our partner sites, a vital side to blur's overall continued growth. blur is architecting 4.0 to match the changing nature of work. Users can start projects any time, anywhere, so they can buy services and blur can execute on the opportunity represented by our addressable $2trn s-commerce market. It's a vital stage to consolidate and further both our own position and the profile of services commerce."

Too volatile for me.

blur Group using shareholder funds to build barriers to entry

By John Harrington

January 30 2014, 10:11am
The early delivery release of the V4 shows us that blur is using shareholder funds to out-innovate others, raise competitor barriers and maintain its functional lead.



With cash from its recent fund raising under its belt, blur Group (LON:BLUR) is out-innovating others and raising competitor barriers, Panmure Gordon asserts.

In a note following the crowd-sourcing leader's announcement of the early release of a new and improved app for submitting project briefs to the blur business services exchange, the broker concedes that it is still early days in the blur story, but an early start to the transition to version 4.0 of the platform is another sign of the company's ability to execute well.

"From here the journey could take many paths - becoming a platform play and an associate of the ERP [enterprise resource planning] software stack; similarly it could be a BPO [business process outsourcing] of sorts managing the long tail procurement (the serendipity specialist) for large companies, or indeed it could enter co-related vertical markets and continue the current tack," Panmure Gordon speculates.

"With ‘4.0’ all options remain open as blur shows that the twin pillar of (1) customer centric development, and (2) use of technology for competitive barriers is unchanged – nice release guys," the broker continues.

The release of the app, which works as a stand-alone tool and is therefore not tethered to the blur platform, is the first phase of the 2014 road map to deliver a component-based platform architecture.

As Panmure observes, this means investors can expect faster future integration of exciting new functionality and technology).

The shares have virtually tripled in the last year but Panmure Gordon says shareholders should stay on board, and retains its 'hold' rating ahead of forthcoming full-year results in early April.

Buyers return today.

New Appointments

RNS


RNS Number : 8462Z

Blur Group PLC

12 February 2014










RNS REACH

12th February 2014





blur Group's Exeter HQ attracts top tier talent to support stellar growth



New hires from companies such as Virgin Media demonstrates readiness to scale globally to meet $2tn s-commerce opportunity





blur Group, the company re-inventing commerce at blurgroup.com, today announced striking successes in talent acquisition and consolidation at its South West headquarters, proving the development of a UK 'Silicon Valley' to be truly achievable as momentum gathers rapidly.



Following the dramatic growth in customers, global reach and projects submitted to the exchange over the past three years blur is delighted to announce a number of new hires and internal promotions. A combination of increasing international s-commerce adoption, first-mover advantage and strategic investment has allowed blur to entice hires from the likes of Virgin Media to key roles in the global teams.



James Porter joins blur Group as Group Financial Controller from previous tenure as Finance Director with Drift Innovation and City Gateway Media, with his 15 years of commercial experience as a chartered accountant making him a clear choice for scaling development of blur Group's finance function.



Alastair Coggins arrives as Product Manager, bringing with him a diverse project-management portfolio that most recently saw him work with Virgin Media. Alastair's key role will see him coordinate tech, UX (user experiences) and businesses-related operations, maximising company efficiency and potential.



Additionally, two new internal promotions to C-Level positions further reinforce the career opportunities available within the multi-award-winning company.



Jon Hogg is promoted from Global Head of Platform to Chief Platform Officer and Dorothy Mead becomes Chief Acquisition Officer, previously Global Head of Marketing.



The new faces are clear testament to the strength of a shared vision, says company founder and CEO Philip Letts: "We are building a great global company by hiring and promoting great people. The spectacular growth in our business has made blur a destination employer. Our staff, new and current, share a vision which is generating a real excitement about working for and with blur.



"The new hires are located at our Exeter HQ. In a further strategic move, all global functions will operate from the Exeter HQ, to ensure and maintain a framework of tightly-synchronised, cross-department productivity. Members of blur based in London at its EMEA commercial hub will shortly be relocating to new offices in Paddington."



-ENDS-

LISTEN: Philip Letts, CEO of blur Group, discusses a number of new hires and internal promotions for the Group

Click here to listen

'Letts" hope these New Hires work there Magic, one need's Nerves of Steel holing this share recently!!

UPDATE - blur Group momentum builds as it lands US$3.2mln marketing project

By Ian Lyall

February 25 2014, 10:30am
The win is the latest of several large-value projects submitted across blur's exchanges..
The win is the latest of several large-value projects submitted across blur's exchanges..


---ADDS SHARE PRICE AND BROKER COMMENT---

blur Group (LON:BLUR) has notched up another significant project on its services exchange.

The fast growing group said a global LED (light emitting diode) manufacturer has kicked off a US$3.2mln marketing programme with blur for the manufacturer's 2014 pan-European product launch and roll-out.

It is the latest of several large-value projects submitted across blur's exchanges, the firm added.

Further scope for continuing this momentum is promised in the form of a partnership in Innovators International, a global association with over 50 corporate members, including 3M, Pernod Ricard, The Shekar Group (part of Tata), The Mayo Clinic and Patagonia.

Chief executive Philip Letts said: “blur's platform development and investment in our digital marketing and sales channels continues to show results in an ever-faster adoption of s-commerce globally.

“A high value, long lifetime project kicking off on the exchange such as blur's latest US$3.2mln marketing project increases the predictable and long-term revenue stream enabled by blur's robust platform, designed to support projects of all sizes and values.

“The project news validates the exchange's mainstream potential whilst blur's major new partner is happy to extend the reach of s-commerce to some well-known names in new markets and regions - one step closer to realising blur's potential US$2tn addressable market."

Broker N+1 Singer reckons the recent weakness in the shares means now is an "attractive entry point" for investors.

It notes the shares are still up 210% in the last 12 months and blur remains well positioned to disrupt the US$2tn business services market.

The group has grown dramatically in its first years as a public company, analyst Tintin Stormont notes, from projects submitted totalling around us$18mln at its initial public offering (IPO) to around US$163mln today.

"The group continues to make investments in terms of technology, people, and infrastructure to build on its first mover advantage."

Blur shares rose 5.46% on Tuesday to stand at 482.5p.

LISTEN: Philip Letts, CEO of blur Group, provides an update on the company's s-commerce platform

Click here to listen

blur Group previews new online platform ahead of launch

By Jamie Ashcroft

February 27 2014, 9:12am
'blur is changing the way business buys and sells services,” Letts says
"blur is changing the way business buys and sells services,” Letts says


Blur Group (LON:BLUR) has provided some of its users a preview of blur 4.0, its new online services exchange platform.

The AIM quoted firm said the new platform is designed to be responsive and reactive for easy browsing on any device, and it is expected to encourage the conversion of adverts into project awards.

Tens of thousands of users have been given the opportunity to use the new platform so that they can provide blur with feedback.

"blur 4.0 is the most significant release we've made since launching the first version of the trading platform. Each year we increase robustness, usability and with 4.0 we're driving towards a scalable solution for the enterprise,” chief executive Philip Letts said.

“With nearly 40,000 businesses worldwide using the platform, allowing instant feedback means we know just how closely we've delivered

Stronger performance today to buck the recent trend.

in at 450p

Two major new categories: Video and HR Services

RNS


RNS Number : 4286C

Blur Group PLC

17 March 2014








17th March 2014

RNS Reach

blur Group plc

("blur," the "Group" or the "Company")



blur brings s-commerce to Video and HR sectors

Two major new categories are announced to further disrupt traditional players





blur Group plc (BLUR), the s-commerce company, announced today two new categories on its Global Services Exchange for Video and HR Services, moving into areas which are currently the domain of the very large service providers.



Video Services will launch for both experts and customers when blur 4.0 goes live in April: it builds on the success of video projects which currently are briefed via blur's Design and Marketing categories, with a large number of expert providers already on the Exchange. These services will now extend to include all forms of broadcast production as well as the current content videos which form an increasingly important element of companies' content and communication strategies. This move is also designed to disrupt the last bastion of the global ad agencies as TV advertising becomes available through the s-commerce platform.



HR Services will offer three main project types: Executive Search and Selection; Training and Development; and Benefits and Remuneration planning. For Search and Selection projects, companies will now be able to brief outside the traditional headhunters making the process more competitive and opening up the long tail of providers. blur will follow its established launch process for a brand new category, by building its expert crowd of HR providers globally and launching for projects when critical mass is reached. This approach has seen it rapidly build 8 successful verticals to date. HR experts can start to sign up with the launch of 4.0 and it will be open for projects later in the year.



Offering these services also extends the reach of blur Group across the enterprise, with the Chief People Officer now joining other C-level executives who see increasing value, efficiency and quality from using s-commerce. It also provides opportunities for a new set of expert service providers globally who can benefit from the new business the Exchange is already offering to nearly 40,000 service providers.



With the Video Services category globally forecast to be worth $12bn for video ad spend alone and HR Services $53.4bn in 2017, these two categories provide additional market share for s-commerce from the $2tn+ global services market, following blur's success in marketing, creative, technology and professional services.



Philip Letts, blur Group CEO, said:



"Video has always been a popular project on the Exchange; driven by an incredible array of expert providers around the globe who are able to be more competitive by working directly through the platform. However we recognized that these providers could deliver on the full gamut of production and further disrupt the older style network agencies. We saw a similar opportunity for disruption with HR Services: a huge potential market with many companies looking for outside expertise and support. And for expert search and selection, it's another segment that has been characterized by a small number of very large providers, whereas better expertise often exists outside this. So we look forward to seeing those large providers join the Exchange and compete on a level playing field for new business."



Ends