YACHTICO.com Raises Fresh Funding – Looking forward to the US market for strategic growth potential
The Leading Yacht Charter Company in Europe Sets Course for the US
– IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft and other companies invest in an expansion round
– Looking forward to the US market for strategic growth potential
YACHTICO.com, the international online search engine for boat rental and yacht charger completed a second round of funding. The capital injection provided by the investors is in the low seven figures. The investors for this round include existing institutional investors such as the VC Fonds Kreativwirtschaft Berlin (managed by IBB), as well as new partners and ProFIT, a special program supporting research, innovation and technology in Berlin. Yachtico.com plans to use this round of financing for international expansion, with a focus on the US market.
The platform has always been international, available in German and English since its launch. Hence, half of its users come from other countries than the German-speaking area. With over 15,000 boats worldwide available to book on the site, there are frequent charter requests from as far away as Asia, Australia, New Zealand. Founder Steffen Brünn however thinks that the US market offers the greatest potential for the strategic growth of Yachtico.com
“There are three favorable factors combined in the USA. There is an extensive coastline as well as many private and commercial boat and yacht owners. At the same time, Americans are more accustomed to booking travel online. Last but not least, the trend for independent holidays and private rentals in Europe creates mutual synergy in the US market.”
Founder Steffen Brünn thanks the commitment of the existing investors: “we are very happy to have the trust of our existing investors in this new round. We are confident that Yachtico can offer attractive chances to generate revenue on the invested capital.” “With over 15,000 boats on the platform and growing, Yachtico.com is clearly on the right course for growth and we want to continue to expand our investment“, adds Rima Thadani, investment manager at the IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft.
In 2012, 24 percent of Germans booked their vacation homes online. Back in 2009, only 17 percent did so (Federal Statistical Office 2013). Yachtico benefits from the growing trend of online travel planning by providing their users with comprehensive information for their trips, such as detailed destination and route guides, transparency on the actual costs involved, and local sailing requirements. In keeping with the motto “book in three clicks” Yachtico offers its customers a user friendly experience.
About YACHTICO.com
Yachtico.com is an international online search engine for boat rental and yacht charter. We enable our users to find and charter yachts quickly and easily by bringing boat seekers and providers together. There are over 15,000 boats on the platform for rental worldwide, including Germany, Mediterranean countries, USA, Caribbean and Asia. The target demographic includes sailors and water sport fans at any age or skill level. Founder Steffen Brünn has extensive experience in founding start-ups as well as business angels. Over 150,000 users currently visit the portal each month and search for yacht charter offers.