Aberdeen entrepreneur's online obituary platform RIP Notice set for launch

An Aberdeen-based entrepreneur is launching an online obituary platform in a bid to take away the stress from families and save funeral homes almost £10,000 a year.

The firm says it will work as a close partner to undertakers and funeral directors. Picture: PA Wire.

Sean Clogher, an artificial intelligence PhD student originally from Ireland, is behind RIP Notice, which launches next week to facilitate the process of placing obituaries and sharing details of bereavements, and “transform one of the world’s oldest industries and bring it into a modern era”.

The firm, which calls itself an “online death notice company,” says it will work as a close partner to undertakers and funeral directors, passing on savings of around 70 per cent a year. Families and friends can use the digital platform to share condolences and memories of the deceased, along with the option to send personalised sympathy cards and flowers.

Clogher said: “A few years ago, a friend of mine lost a close family member and I wanted to be able to reach out and send my sympathies, as well as attend the funeral. However, I didn’t want to bother him during a difficult period. Thankfully, in Ireland, there is an online death notice website that you can use to find out such details. I started to consider what Scotland was missing out on and realised there was a gap in the market.”

Clogher, who has a research relationship with Robert Gordon University, is backed by £25,000 of funding from the Scottish Government and further support from Business Gateway. He has hired three North-east web developers and secured private investment from a silent partner.

In addition, Clogher believes RIP Notice – which will be offering clients an initial three-month free trial – could be a “huge turning point for a very traditional and well-respected industry”.

He added: “RIP Notice offers a new, and modern way of operating for funeral directors and grieving families. With a range of generations now using smartphones and social platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, this new platform embraces technology in a respectful and sympathetic surrounding.

“This platform has the potential to transform one of the world’s oldest industries and bring it into a modern era.”

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