People’s Champion finalist 2018: Floom

Start-up name: Floom
Founder: Lana Elie
Started in: 2016
Based in: London
Business description: Floristry marketplace helping flower-lovers find the best artisan providers

Shortlisted category:

Crowdfunded Business of the Year

The Floom story:

A Deliveroo for flowers: this might be an over-simplification, but it gives an idea of what Floom does.

Set up by Lana Elie, who got fed up of looking for florists in her former job as an executive assistant at Burberry, Floom is an online marketplace that connects customers with independent florists. Users can enter the postcode they want to deliver to, and then pick from the most proficient floral specialists in that area.

Conceived as a response to the stranglehold of a handful of major players held over the floristry industry, Floom exists to promote small, artisan flower companies.

Its software-as-a-service platform is designed to be quick and simple to use, to help those florists that lack the time and expertise to maintain effective e-commerce platforms, and clients who simply want to deliver a dazzling bouquet without any undue hassle.

The business has raised over £1m in external funding, including a crowdfunding drive which garnered over £500,000 last year, and a fresh investment round is also in the works. This funding has helped fuel growth of 500% year-on-year.

Having started out as a local product used primarily by PAs, Floom’s glamorous office in New York is testament to its rapid-fire expansion. Orders have been received from 150 countries. The client list has grown to include Conde Nast, Facebook and Barclays, as well as celebrities such as Kate Moss and Jamie Oliver.

Elie’s own profile has flourished as the business has grown, her profiled burnished by blue-riband speaking engagements at Cosmopolitan and Instagram.

Now she, and Floom, are bracing for a potentially defining period: Floom is preparing for its first venture capital investment, and the former CTO of Just Eat has agreed to come on board as an investor-cum-advisor.

As if that wasn’t enough, nine new city launches are planned across the US within six months.

Why Floom made our shortlist:

Crowdfunding has played a crucial role in Floom’s crusade against the complacency of the floristry industry and has enabled the company to help customers from 120 countries spread love with flowers.

The company’s founder, Lana Elie, has built a transformative business which uses technology to modernise an outdated industry – and is currently going through a hugely exciting period of international expansion.

Where to find out more about Floom:

Website: www.floom.com/
Twitter: @FloomOfficial