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Klarsicht.online, the online marketplace for eyewear and optical services, expands new financing round with SeedBlink
The Austrian start-up Klarsicht.online is raising a total of 900,000 euros for its expansion plans in its new financing round. 200,000 euros will be offered via SeedBlink, the all-in-one investment platform for European tech start-ups.
- Klarsicht.online aims to transform the traditionally analogue eyewear market by offering opticians an online platform to reach customers digitally.
- The financing round is led by mpoweru, Seven Ventures (ProSieben/Sat1 Group) and GMPVC - the companies are backing Klarsicht.online with a media volume of 20.8 million euros.
- The company was previously backed by Ali Rezaei Ashtiani, co-founder of Digikala, and Markus Weiss of Minted.
Vienna, 26 June 2024: Klarsicht.online, an Austrian start-up offering the world's first online platform for eyewear and opticians, announces a total seed round of 900,000 euros led by mpoweru, Seven Ventures.
Founded in May 2021 by Gabriela Colic and David Gevorkian, the company offers a digital platform with tools and services for opticians. These include a digital shop window with professional photography, virtual fitting and telemedicine, social media management, a virtual sales assistant with real-time dashboards and a curated selection of the most popular products. The strategic investment will be used to further its mission to digitise the optician industry in the DACH market and drive market expansion.
"Supporting start-ups that help Austrian companies to become more digitalised and thus promote the domestic economy is a particular concern of ours. Our goal is to lead Austria and Europe into a digital future with all its innovations together with our partners - visionary companies like Klarsicht.online are a great example of how this can work in all areas, including traditional ones," says Ronald Rapberger, DACH Regional Manager at SeedBlink, who is delighted about the collaboration.
Investors and business angels can participate in the financing round via SeedBlink, the European all-in-one investment platform. The minimum investment is 2,500 euros.
Well-known business angels already involved
Well-known business angels such as the Gomernik family, which is known for its numerous investments in start-ups, Markus Weiss, Managing Partner of Minted, and Amir Preindl already participated in the previous financing round. In addition, Ali Rezaei Ashtiani, co-founder of the Iranian company Digikala and current developer of private equity funds, participated in the round, bringing significant technological expertise and support to Klarsicht.online.
"Our mission is to make it easier to buy glasses and become the world's leading eyewear marketplace. We offer a comprehensive digital platform and marketplace that enables opticians and eyewear brands to successfully present themselves, while shoppers can buy glasses more easily. Ultimately, we want to provide end customers with an exciting, faster and better shopping experience by introducing innovative technologies and solutions to the industry," says Gabriela Colic, co-founder and CEO of Klarsicht.online.
"Our offering combines the quality and service of local opticians with the benefits and convenience of online shopping," adds David Gevorkian, co-founder and COO.
Further expansion planned in the DACH region
The founding team has set itself the task of breaking through the segmentation of the optician industry and creating marketing mechanisms to help small businesses succeed by digitising their business.
The company currently operates in Austria and Germany and plans to expand throughout the DACH region by 2026 with the new financing round. It has secured an additional €20.8 million in media volume with mpoweru, Seven Ventures and GMPVC and works with leading eyewear brands. The platform currently comprises 189 providers and over 1 million users and expects to reach the break-even point in 2024 and to onboard the best opticians in Germany and expand its retailer base in the near future.
Economic contribution to the DACH ecosystem in the millions
To date, SeedBlink has contributed over €2.3 million to the DACH ecosystem and supported innovative companies such as BrainHero, Swisspod and SmartNanotubes. SeedBlink has already built a strong presence in Europe, with a community of investors who have invested over €66 million and a diverse portfolio of 260 funded companies from more than 15 European countries.
Honoured at the EY Scale-up Award 2024
Klarsicht.online has won the Silver Award at the EY Scale Up of the Year Award 2024 in the Software & Digital Transformation Consumer category. Out of thousands of start-up submissions, 250 were shortlisted. Klarsicht.online came out on top and secured second place in its category. The EY Scale-up Award is presented to start-ups that demonstrate exceptional growth potential and innovative solutions in their respective industries.
For further information, please contact: Bianca Iulia Simion, Head of Communications at SeedBlink - press@seedblink.com
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About Klarsicht.online
Klarsicht.online was founded in May 2021 by Gabriela Colic (Founder, CEO & Marketing Lead) and David Gevorkian (Co-Founder & COO). The world's first multi-optician platform enables nationwide access to regional eyewear retailers. The core of the business model is the provision of the digital infrastructure and the assumption of central processing functions for both opticians and brands. The offering currently includes over 10,000 eyewear models from 189 opticians. Klarsicht.online offers the first e-commerce eyewear concept & DOA (Digital Optician Avatar) that is customised to the needs of spectacle wearers.
About SeedBlink
SeedBlink is the all-in-one equity and investment platform that provides the infrastructure, financial services and network coverage for European technology companies and their stakeholders to access, manage and trade shares at every stage of growth.
With a comprehensive range of products and services, SeedBlink streamlines investment processes and provides solid support throughout the entire equity lifecycle, from initial funding rounds to mature investment opportunities and secondary markets.
Driven by a strong focus on technology and innovation, SeedBlink fosters a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and investors that turns equity management into a growth engine. For more information visit www.seedblink.com
PublishedJune 27, 2024
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