Investing in Growth: Backing S4labour to Transform Hospitality Workforce Management

At YFM, we back businesses that are using technology to solve real-world challenges—and scaling impressively while doing so. That’s why we’re excited to announce our latest investment: £4 million of growth capital into S4labour, a Banbury-based SaaS platform that’s helping hospitality operators manage their teams more efficiently, profitably, and intelligently.

This marks a significant milestone in S4labour’s journey. Built by operators, for operators, the platform is already used by over 250 brands across the UK—including Bistrot Pierre, Revolution Bars, City Pub Group, and Nisa—to manage everything from rota scheduling and payroll to HR and labour cost forecasting. With demand for digital workforce solutions on the rise, S4labour is in a strong position to scale.

Hospitality is a sector under pressure. Rising costs, labour shortages, and changing customer behaviours are putting new demands on operators. Many are still managing rotas in Excel or outsourcing payroll to third parties—processes that can lead to inefficiencies, compliance issues, and lost profit.

S4labour helps solve these problems head-on. Its intuitive, cloud-based platform enables smarter scheduling, real-time visibility over labour costs, and streamlined payroll and HR processes. Whether it’s preventing “shift bleed,” cutting unnecessary overtime, or simply giving site managers the tools to plan more effectively, S4labour is helping businesses unlock new levels of productivity.

Its value proposition is clear: fast deployment, minimal onboarding, and a strong return on investment—often within just a few months. The platform is up to 20% more cost-effective than the market leader, and the team’s hands-on understanding of customer pain points has made it a standout in the mid-market.

Founded by hospitality veteran Alastair Scott, S4labour was originally a consultancy before pivoting to technology in 2018. Since then, the company has scaled impressively with limited external capital and through some of the most challenging conditions the hospitality industry has faced.

Now, with Mark Jensen—former VP Sales EMEA and APAC at Fourth—leading the commercial strategy, and an experienced board including industry heavyweights like Ben Hood (ex-CEO of Fourth), the business is entering a new phase. Our £4 million investment will support that growth, funding strategic hires in sales and marketing and enhancing the platform’s capabilities in HR and payroll to better serve larger managed pub groups and multi-site operators.

We look for companies with a strong product-market fit, a clear growth plan, and a leadership team with the experience to execute. S4labour ticks all those boxes—and more.

The business has grown ARR by 56% over the last three years, with clear traction among hospitality operators who need scalable, affordable, and easy-to-use workforce solutions. With over 40 software integrations and a growing suite of features, the company is well positioned to grow its market share further and expand into new verticals.

We also see a significant M&A opportunity in this space. With larger players increasingly seeking consolidation, and S4labour’s mature and well-structured offering, the company is well placed to attract strategic interest in the years ahead.

At YFM, we bring more than just funding. We’re strategic partners, supporting businesses with everything from board development and talent strategy to market insights and product scaling. For S4labour, we’ll be working closely with the team as they continue to professionalise operations, build out the leadership bench, and accelerate their go-to-market strategy.

As technology adoption continues to filter through the hospitality sector, mid-sized operators are looking for platforms that offer both sophistication and simplicity. That’s exactly where S4labour excels—and why we’re proud to support their mission to help the industry work smarter, not harder.

This is the kind of business YFM is proud to back: a passionate team, a proven platform, and a clear opportunity to scale. We’re excited to be part of the journey.