Assen, the Netherlands-based Vipio, an online booking platform, announced on Friday that it has secured €4M in funding from Dutch investment company NOM.
The company says it will use the funds to accelerate its platform and international expansion. The company is recruiting talent, including software developers, online marketers, and sales professionals.
One of the founders of Vipio is René Schoenmakers, co-founder and long-time CEO of well-known auction platform Catawiki.
NOM was also an early investor in Catawiki in 2010. When sold in 2020, it resulted in the highest return that NOM ever made on an investment.
Schoenmakers says, “After Catawiki I wanted to work on something new again. The best phase of a company is the initial phase, where everything can still go in any direction.That continues to attract. I happened to be looking for a really special accommodation with my son for a weekend away together. Finally, with great difficulty, I found something on a campsite website and thought that a specialised platform could have helped me here. Thus, Vipio was born.”
“The concept unconsciously resembles Catawiki: selection of special overnight stays versus selection of special objects. Because of the always pleasant cooperation with the NOM and the successful results, we have chosen them as an investor again,” adds Schoenmakers.
Vipio: Booking platform for special overnight stays
Founded in 2020 by Mark Borgman, Aike van Deursen and René Schoenmakers, Vipio is a booking platform for special overnight stays and holidays. To date, the platform has attracted over 100,000 travellers who crave unique and unforgettable experiences.
“If you are looking for something special on other platforms, you often spend hours wading through the standard offerings. You can no longer see the forest for the trees because there are more than 15 million holiday accommodations worldwide. Hopelessly much. Our mission is to select the truly special ones,” says Mark Borgman, co-founder and CMO of Vipio.
“For example, we just added Freddie Mercury’s former vacation home. Who wouldn’t want to sleep there? Our selection team approaches these types of special places ourselves. In addition, we also receive many spontaneous registrations from B&Bs, campsites, and boutique hotels, many of which unfortunately we have to reject because they are not special enough. The prices vary from €50 to €10,000 per night and are therefore suitable for every budget,” adds Borgman.
The Investor
NOM is an investment and development company that offers tailor-made financing and advice to innovative entrepreneurs who want to grow in the Northern Netherlands.
The company helps entrepreneurs with money, connections, and knowledge.
They aim to contribute to the growth of entrepreneurs and thus sustainably strengthen the northern economy.
Marco de Jong, Investment Manager at NOM, says “We obviously invest in Vipio because René and his team have a good track record, but especially because we see that Vipio is responding to a rapidly growing segment of travellers who want something special and want to be helped with that.”
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