Shedul, the world’s most popular booking platform for salons and spas, has received investment of $5 million, led by Target Global, an international VC firm headquartered in Berlin, with backing from New York-based FJ Labs.
WHO: Shedul launched in 2015 to streamline business operations for salons and spas with intuitive, free-to-use software. In just three years, Shedul has quietly acquired a vast user base of merchants in more than 120 countries, primarily in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. The platform takes the hassle out of running a business by managing appointments, point-of-sale, customer records, inventory, and financial reporting.
In addition to the investment, the company also announced the launch of its consumer marketplace, Fresha.com, for everyday customers to book appointments at their favorite salons and spas. Currently in the initial rollout phase, the new offering provides mobile apps for customers and real-time booking integrations through Instagram, Facebook, and Google along with in-app payment processing, allowing for the most seamless online booking experience for consumers.
WHY: The investment will be used to supercharge product development and support the marketplace rollout.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: “We’re thrilled to have first-rate partners join our growth story, bringing their experience and networks to our rapidly expanding business,” said co-founder and CEO William Zeqiri, commenting on the new fundraise. “We are modernizing the beauty and wellness industry at the same transformative scale seen in other spaces like food ordering and local transportation. The massive opportunity is clear, by bringing thousands of pen-and-paper based businesses on our platform, we’re enabling a whole segment of businesses to connect with consumers online.”
“We have been impressed by founders and the product right from the start. Shedul has remarkably shown how a small company with very little VC funding can build the best product in the category, grow very fast and service millions of people every month,” says Shmuel Chafets, General Partner at Target Global. “We strongly believe that they can build the leader in a global trillion dollar market—one of our key investment thesis at Target Global.”
“The launch of Fresha.com is a triumph for people who want to look and feel their best,” said Nick Miller, the company’s co-founder and Chief of Product. “It is the easiest, most reliable way to book with salons and spas, and is a milestone in our mission to bring local businesses closer to their customers.”
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