VentureFounders focuses on expansion plans

VentureFounders, the UK-based equity crowdfunding platform, has announced continued expansion with a trio of appointments and an office move, as part of its stated growth strategy.

Jamie Beare joins VentureFounders as Investment Director, having previously worked as a Partner at investment and advisory business Ironbridge Capital Partners. Prior to this he worked at Brandon Hill Capital and Dawnay Day in Equity Sales. Jamie will be responsible for developing investment opportunities, from sourcing and the due diligence process through to engaging investors and maintaining the relationship with entrepreneurs.   

Darren Rebeiro joins VentureFounders as Head of Digital following 14 years of communications and marketing experience in the industry. Darren will be responsible for designing and delivering digital campaigns, cross channel content marketing and web development to further build the company’s digital presence. Prior to joining VentureFounders, Darren held the position of Client Services Director at Street Smart Social, a leading boutique digital agency. 

Roberta Main-Millar joins the company as Communications Manager from content marketing agency Octopus Group. The strategic appointment will further the brand's investor engagement programme and raise the brand’s profile within the industry. In her career, Roberta has worked across a range of innovative companies, from startups to multi-nationals in various fields including Fintech and Retail.

VentureFounders has also unveiled its plans to move to new, larger premises in Victoria Street, Victoria.  The new offices will enable the business to grow further, as new appointments are made in line with the businesses growth plan.

Commenting on the company’s progress, James Codling, Co-Founder of VentureFounders, said:

“We have ambitious plans for the coming years and these appointments, along with our office move, demonstrate our commitment to further growth.  We are excited about having Jamie, Darren and Roberta on board and are certain their collective experience will play a key role in VentureFounders’ continued success.  We are committed to our current clients and look forward to working with even more ambitious and entrepreneurial companies.”

Investors see progress in Findel

Findel disappoints the market as large exceptional items led to net loss; Results show a year of progress as operating margins improve to 7.6%

As Findel reports its full year results, Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, explains what they mean for investors.

“This morning, home shopping and educational supplier Findel disappointed the market as large exceptional items led to a net loss of £25.3m. However, there was good progress during the year as pre-tax operating profits rose by 28% to £26.5m and operating margins improved to 7.6% highlighting a particularly strong performance from its Express Gifts business which reported sales up by 4.7% to £302m.

“Investors should note that the group’s management team see this as another year of progress for the retailer, with further opportunities for growth within its businesses. Findel has been addressing various issues and focusing on cost cutting and improving distribution channels over the last year. The group is also targeting further profitability within its businesses to reduce its core legacy debt.

“As the group continues to improve its strategies and results show proof of progress, we continue to with our ‘buy’ recommendation for investors seeking capital growth and willing to accept a higher level of risk.

Concierge startup Djenee smashes record for equity crowdfunding in Asia on FundedByMe 

Djenee, a start up focused on personal on-demand digital concierge service, will be basing operations in Singapore. Raising almost S$500,000 on the first day of the campaign on FundedByMe, the campaign set a new standard for equity crowdfunding in Asia. 

Crowdfunding is fast becoming a route for start-ups to raise funds, and if Djenee’s (read “Genie”) record-breaking campaign on FundedByMe is any indication, it’s here to stay. Investor interest in Djenee comes hot on the heels of Magic, a similar service based in the US, which recently raised money at a US$40million valuation just after six months of operations. 
 
“We’re extremely excited about partnering with Djenee to raise their very first round of funding, which broke records for Asia and with investors from all around the world. This is a start for crowdfunding in Asia and we expect South-East Asia to exceed US$1 billion as a market by itself in the next few years. FundedByMe will give companies a global stage for companies in Asia to find investors, so that these companies accelerate and build powerful momentum from day one,” said Daniel Daboczy, CEO and Co-Founder of FundedByMe. 
 
If pundits’ predictions on the end of apps are to believed, digital concierge services like Djenee will dominate how we get stuff done on our smart devices. 
 
“People have busy lives, and are desperately trying to simplify. Tech hasn’t done much to solve that problem. There are a million apps out there and we’re still as busy as ever. This is why we built Djenee. You simply ask Djenee, and it gets done,” said Co-Founder and CEO Pär Helgosson. 
 
Pär continued, “We think we’re onto something huge, and the response to our campaign is a sure sign that agree with us.”
 
Helgosson and his team were previously from The Service Corporation, specialising in providing sourcing and support services to high-growth companies. With decades of experience, the team is focusing its energies and expertise on making Djenee the next phenomenon in service delivery. 
 
The campaign is still live here.
 
Crowdfunding in Asia is quickly gaining momentum, with Malaysian authorities announcing licenses for equity crowdfunding platforms to operate in the country. Asia-focused crowdfunding platforms CoAssets, FundedByMe, and New Union also launched a regional alliance in May this year.