A Limehouse couple who set up a local website are celebrating after receiving a six-figure investment and a distribution deal from a major international telecom firm.

Aurore Hochard and partner Rahul Ahuja set up their website, Taskhub, to allow residents to post the odd jobs they need doing and the price they’re willing to pay for them – then others are able to bid for the work.

Aurore, who used to be a French teacher, and former banker Rahul, began work on the site in January, 2012, after Aurore tried to help her friend search for a local cleaner, and realised no web ‘taskhub’ existed.

The couple successfully applied to a business mentoring scheme called Wayra, run by O2 operator Telefónica, the Spanish telecom giant.

The website went live a few weeks ago, and there are already 150 registered members.

Last month, Telefónica Ventures invested in the company and the couple signed a partnership deal with O2, which will involve marketing the website to its customers.

The deal was reported by several prestigious business publications, including the Wall Street Journal.

“It’s quite a big validation for us to have such a big company invest in us,” Aurora said. “It’s been quite a big change from nothing to what it is now.”

The 33-year-old, who lives with Rahul in Stainsby Road, admits the couple work incredibly long hours, but said she enjoys working with her partner.

“People say how can you work together? But we work really well together because we don’t compete with each other – we support each other.

“We want to create something which has a social impact on the way people live. The idea of Taskhub is to help create a community.”

The couple want to continue to build the local website, www.taskhub.co.uk, but they are open to expanding it nationally, she said.