Floom set to bloom with £580,000 crowd investment

Floom, the London-based online marketplace for florists, has closed £580,000 on crowdfunding site Crowdcube.

The round exceeded its initial target by 29%, with new investors including Bigfish Games CTO Ian Hurlock Jones and Finance Wales chief executive Giles Thorley.

Launched in February 2016 by Startups columnist Lana Elie, Floom – which was one of our top new businesses of the year – allows consumers to find and order flowers from independent, boutique florists.

The platform is now available in 12 locations across the UK and counts Condé Nast, Ogilvy, Frieze, Asos, Kiehl’s and Lindt as clients.

The funding will be used improve Floom’s technology capabilities ahead of national and international expansion and invest in talent as it looks to disrupt the estimated $50bn global flower market.

Discussing the decision to crowdfund, Elie said it was: “An easy decision to make. As well as introducing Floom to an engaged audience of discerning, savvy investors, it was very much in keeping with the spirit of Floom – we want as many people as possible to share in what we’re doing, whether as a thriving partner florist, thrilled customer or an energised investor.”