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Taxpayer-backed app vVoosh fails without launching
A lifestyle application backed by Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, received over £1 million in UK government funds but collapsed before releasing any product, newly filed documents reveal.
Company background and promises
vVoosh, founded by Manuel Fernandez-a close associate of Ms Ferguson-pledged to empower users to "Find, Plan, Share, Live, and Remember" activities they enjoyed or wished to explore. Ms Ferguson had previously identified herself as an "ambassador" for the firm and was an investor.
Neither Ms Ferguson nor Mr Fernandez responded to requests for comment on the company's failure.
Financial details and government funding
The firm raised approximately £9 million over its lifespan, including more than £1 million from UK taxpayers through research and development tax credits. Despite hiring teams in the UK and India, vVoosh never launched its app or generated revenue.
Development halted after the Indian contractor threatened legal action. An administrator's report cited a "breakdown in communication" between directors, major creditors, and Mr Fernandez, who stopped engaging after resigning as a director earlier this year.
Debts, assets, and shareholder losses
The company is owed £324,609 by a former director, believed to be Mr Fernandez, who sold his North London home for £1.3 million last summer and is thought to have left the UK. Meanwhile, vVoosh owes £50,000 to La Luna Investments, a company linked to Ms Ferguson, which also held just under 1% of its shares.
Administrators warned of "significant uncertainty" over repayments to creditors. The firm had over 60 small shareholders, primarily based in Essex and London, with a few in the US.
Mark Guzy, an American backer, injected over £400,000 to sustain essential services and protect the software platform, vVoosh's sole remaining asset.
Charitable foundation dissolved
The vVoosh Charitable Foundation, intended to receive 10% of the company's profits, has been removed from the Charity Commission's register after failing to operate. The foundation was over four years late in filing reports, with its last accounts from 2019 showing £1.28 million in income but only £18,240 spent on charitable activities.
HMRC declined to comment on the tax credits, while Mr Guzy and other directors did not respond to inquiries.
Legal disputes and past controversies
Mr Fernandez denied allegations of misusing company funds in a recent interview with The Times, stating the claims would be "disproven in legal proceedings."
Ms Ferguson, 66, lost her duchess title after her former husband, Prince Andrew, relinquished his Duke of York title amid ties to Jeffrey Epstein. She has faced scrutiny over other business ventures, including a failed cryptocurrency firm that paid her up to £1.4 million as a "brand ambassador."
In September, multiple charities severed ties with her after a 2011 email surfaced in which she referred to Epstein as her "supreme friend" and appeared to apologize for criticizing him publicly.
Founder's background
Mr Fernandez, a former soldier in the Royal Anglian Regiment, attended school in Billericay, Essex. Before founding vVoosh in 2010, he held senior sales roles at several tech companies. He was frequently photographed with Ms Ferguson in 2015 and 2016, though she dismissed rumors of a romantic relationship, calling him a "good friend."
