YPlan has attracted a host of well-known angel investors to contribute to a seed investment round worth $1.7 million (£1.06 million).
Lastminute.com co-founder Brent Hoberman is lining up alongside the likes of Sherry Coutu (who has invested in Duedil and is an advisory board member at LinkedIn), Songkick’s Peter Read and Andy Philips of booking.com as backers of the company.
Founded by Viktoras Jucikas and Rytis Vitkauskas in 2012, London-based YPlan is described by the business as ‘tonight’s going out app’ for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch which provides handpicked London highlights and an ability to then book them.
Alongside its new angel backers, which also includes Tom Hulme (IDEO), Gi Fernando (Techlightenment) and Robert Linney (Chemical Brothers), Wellington Partners and Octopus Investments are also contributing to the round. The two firms have previously invested in businesses such as Spotify, taxi app Hailo, Graze.com and property website Zoopla. Baltcap, a VC fund directed at the Baltic region, has also participated.
Daniel Waterhouse, general partner at Wellington Partners, comments, ‘We’ve seen a huge shift to mobile commerce in the last couple of years as consumers carry out more of their day-to-day living using their smartphones with apps like Spotify and Hailo.
‘We’re thrilled to be backing Rytis, Viktoras and the rest of this incredible team.’
YPlan now has what it calls a ‘dedicated team of experts’ as part of its team. Its staff has had roles at Time Out, toptable, Songkick and lastminute.com and Vitkauskas says he is confident with his team and board expertise.
Frederic Lardieg, principal on the ventures team at Octopus Investments, has led the deal for the firm having joined in August of this year.
Lardieg says, ‘At the intersection of online and offline, YPlan brings the convenience of last-minute booking to the entertainment space.
‘The mobile app delivers a beautiful experience that people will find easy and intuitive. Octopus looks forward to working with the team to deliver the next generation of mobile commerce technology to the entertainment industry.’
