Helsinki-based Skipperi, a boating subscription service and rental app, has raised €7 million in Series A funding to take boating experience to tech horizons. Yamaha Motor led the round, with Baltiska Handels Sverige, Matu Capital, and HP Capital also participating, EU-Startups reports.
- Founded in 2017 by Anna-Leena Raij and Kristian Raij, Skipperi develops a shared-use boating subscription service and peer-to-peer boat rental platform. This can make boating more accessible and hassle-free, as it is expensive and requires high-cost upkeep.
- Currently, the startup offers over 400 boats across six locations, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand, and Canada. It now also has plans to expand to the US and Australia – two big boating markets.
“Skipperi is an essential partner for us. It’s the only tech company that has developed and is already operating an efficient digital platform capable of providing seamless services to help more people enjoy the ocean and solve the inefficient and high-cost daily operations many boat club businesses face. We hope to create a stronger relationship and accelerate the development of the sharing economy through this investment,”
Toshiaki Ibata, from Yamaha Motor, comments.
- Yamaha Motor led the Series A round. It is a Japanese multinational manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors. Other funds including Baltiska Handels Sverige, Matu Capital, and HP Capital also participated in the funding.
- The investment comes after an impressive year for the startup. In 2022, over 40,000 reservations were made using the startup’s platform. The latest round brings Skipperi’s total funding amount to €12.6 million.
- The startup will use the funds to improve its platform as well as expand to the US and Australia.
