Startup Peerby raises € 2,000,000 from users
Peerby plans to to put the money towards the international expansion of its recently launched business model.
Amsterdam-based local sharing platform Peerby raises € 2 million over the course of a weekend from 1051 crowdfunders through Dutch sustainable crowdfunding platform OnePlanetCrowd.com. This amount surpasses the total amount of venture capital the startup received during earlier funding rounds, making the crowd the largest shareholder. Peerby, that is a certified B corp, is planning to use the funds for product development and international expansion of a new business model named Peerby Go, with a specific focus on the UK and North America. Peerby is listed nr. 34 in the top 100 of exponential organisations (above Facebook and Twitter).
Peerby is a website and app that enables consumers in cities to borrow and rent the things they need from others in their neigbourhood. For three years Peerby has been working towards a world where sharing items is a serious alternative to buying. The platform started with a lending service for neighbors in 2012 that offers access to $1Bn worth of products in over 20 cities in Europe and the United States. By the end of 2015 a new rental service named Peerby Go was added to the platform. Peerby Go enables access to household items from people nearby. The rental service offers a curated catalogue of products with guaranteed availability, delivery and insurance.
The tech startup launched their crowdfunding campaign to the public on a Friday. On Monday, only four days into the campaign, the ultimate amount of $2.2 million was reached. The size and speed of the investment constitute an absolute Dutch record. The startup succeeded in securing 669% of its target amount, as a result of one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in convertible notes internationally. The majority of funders are part of the devoted Peerby community. The crowdfunding campaign proved to be an compelling way for Peerby’s community to support the startup in its mission to create a transition towards smarter consumption.
Source: peerby.com