Rich Martell

This article is about the British entrepreneur. For his company, see Floxx. For other people with the surname, see Martell.

Rich Martell
Martell at Buckmore Park in 2025
Born
Richard Lewis Martell

(1989-02-10) 10 February 1989
Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
EducationUniversity College London
OccupationsEntrepreneur, investor, television personality
Years active2005–present
Known forFounder of Floxx, creator of FitFinder, co-founder of Orderswift
TelevisionMillion Dollar Intern
TitleChief Executive Officer

Richard Lewis Martell (/mɑːrˈtɛl/; born 10 February 1989), known as Rich Martell, is a British entrepreneur and investor. He is best known as the founder of Floxx and the creator of the social networking website FitFinder. Martell is also the founder of Orderswift, a restaurant technology platform, and the co-owner of Buckmore Park Kart Circuit in Kent. He has appeared as a business mentor on the BBC television series Million Dollar Intern.[1]

Early life and education

Martell began his primary education at Bedford School and later attended University College London, where he studied economics and computer science.[2] He founded his first online business at the age of 15, using income from his early projects to support his education.[3] During his time at university, Martell also worked within the technology divisions of different investment firms, including Goldman Sachs.

Career and Companies

FitFinder

While studying at University College London, Martell launched the social networking website FitFinder in April 2010.[4] The platform allowed university students to post anonymous messages about people they had seen on campus. It quickly gained national attention for its popularity and controversy.[5] Due to complaints from different universities, Martell was suspended from his school and pressured to take the site down.[6] At age 15, he had hacked into his school’s database to retrieve a teacher's phone number for a friend, a prank he later described as something he was not proud of. Martell later announced plans to relaunch the project in an updated form.[7]

Floxx Media Group

In 2011, Martell founded Floxx, a digital media and technology company initially inspired by FitFinder. The platform evolved into a mobile social networking platform that allowed users to share locations of anything of interest, not just people. The company received investment from Doug Richard and American entrepreneur Kevin Wall.[8] It later focused toward mobile and location-based applications. In 2011, the company launched MapChat and Spottd,[9] both designed to connect users through nearby posts and shared locations.[10] By 2012, Floxx had expanded into a broader digital media business, offering mobile product development and design services.[11]

Orderswift

In 2013, Martell founded Orderswift, a UK-based restaurant technology platform that provides online ordering and digital menu solutions for the hospitality sector. The company supports both independent venues and national chains with software for online and in-store order management.

Buckmore Park

In 2017, Martell and his wife, Leonora, took over the ownership of Buckmore Park Kart Circuit, a venue historically linked with Formula 1 drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.[12] In 2025, the circuit secured planning permission for a new paddock complex, a restaurant, and upgraded visitor facilities. Press coverage of the redevelopment described the project as an effort to modernise and expand the venue's motorsport offerings and visitor experience.[13] Buckmore Park received a Gold award at the Visit Kent Tourism Awards in 2019.[14]

Million Dollar Intern

In 2013, Martell was filmed as part of the BBC Worldwide television series, Million Dollar Intern.[15]

Recognition

In 2011, he was named as one of Business Zone's 'One to Watch'. In the same year, he was shortlisted for the Real Business Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Personal life

Martell is married to Leonora Surtees, daughter of John Surtees CBE, the Formula 1 and motorcycle world champion. The couple live in Surrey and have two children.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Buckmore Park in Kent unveils plans for its future". BBC News. 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Revolutionising Library Studies – The Launch of FitFinder". The Times. 31 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ "BBC Million Dollar Intern Q&A: Rich Martell". BBC Nordic. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Spotted someone you fancy in the library? Confess your crush on Fitfinder". The Guardian. 28 April 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  5. ^ "University criticised as 'flirt website' is closed". The Standard UK. standard.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  6. ^ "Britain's most wanted geeks". The Times. 22 October 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  7. ^ Labi, Aisha (1 June 2010). "British Student Is Fined Over Controversial Dating Web Site". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  8. ^ Barnett, Emma (8 January 2011). "Floxx: the 'FitFinder' flirting website for students relaunches with the help of a BBC Dragon". The Telegraph. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  9. ^ "MapChat: The location-based instant messaging app for strangers". the next web. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  10. ^ Butcher, Mike (10 October 2011). "Floxx pivots towards location-based offers". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  11. ^ "Floxx". Floxx. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  12. ^ Zambartas, Daniel. "From the brink of closure to plans for a game-changing motorsports centre - the tale of Buckmore Park". Insidermedia.com. Insider Media. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  13. ^ Dale, Bob. "Karting circuit has plans for racing-themed hub". BBC. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  14. ^ Britcher, Chris. "Buckmore Park Karting wins gold for Tourism Experience of the Year in 2018 Beautiful South Tourism Awards". Kentonlin.co.uk. Kent Online. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Return to Cover Page: Undercover intern shakes up garden centre for TV show". newsweaver.co.uk. NewsWeaver UK. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.