88. Compare and Share

Founders: Benita Matofska and Nick Tong
Founded: January 2013
Website: www.compareandshare.com

One of our Top 20 Startups of 2013, Benita Matofska and Nick Tong’s start-up Compare and Share was formed with the principle of sharing at its very core. Billed as the world’s first sharing economy comparison marketplace, Compare and Share launched in January of last year as a car-sharing comparison site, quickly attracting a range of leading providers including Zipcar, Blablacar and Liftshare. En route to signing up more than 90% of the lift-sharing market, the founders have wasted no time in adding accommodation sharing to Compare and Share’s offering. Early signs point to this, too, being a success, with 16 corporate affiliates already signed up including Housetrip, Homeaway.com, Flipkey, Alterkeys and Roomarama.

Compare and Share made history in January 2014 when it became the first company to triple a funding target on a crowdfunding website, raising more than £151,000 on Crowdcube. It is clear members of the public are just as enthused about the burgeoning sharing economy as the start-up’s founders. The next 12 months will prove pivotal for the young business, as it looks to raise an additional £2.5m and expand the range of sharing services it offers.