Queensland at-home catering platform Gathar has raised practically $800,000 in a crowdfunding on the female-founder targeted Microwd.
The personal chef platform, dubbed the Airbnb of dinner events, partnered with expat movie star chef Curtis Stone to take the idea to the US, kicking off in his house state of California firstly of 2023.
Greater than 80 traders tipped $797,500 into the Microwd CSF marketing campaign.
Cofounder and CEO Jodie Mlikota launched Gathar in 2018, initially in her far north Queensland house cities of Cairns and Port Douglas. It has now expanded to 30 markets nationally, together with Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, and the vacation locations of Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and 35 globally.
“We’re thrilled with the outcomes of our first crowdfunding marketing campaign. We hoped to lift a minimal of $500,000, so securing virtually $800,000 within the present market was a incredible end result,” Mlikota mentioned.
“We now have a imaginative and prescient to grow to be the primary world platform for wonderful culinary experiences, and we’re excited to carry each subtle and mum and pop traders on that journey with us.
We have been notably heartened to see so many individuals from our neighborhood come on board, with lots of our cooks, prospects and employees investing in our future progress.”
Gathar caterers come to your house, vacation home, or workplace and prepare dinner, serve, and wash up after. Demand soared by 330% on the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and it had booked greater than $5 million in income by the launch of the increase, which had been trying to increase as much as $2 million on a pre-money valuation of $12.3 million.
Mlikota mentioned the money injection might be used to broaden within the US. Gathar US has already delivered catering for large manufacturers equivalent to Amazon, TikTok and SheIn.
“After launching in California earlier this yr, we’ve since expanded into Texas, with extra states to come back,” she mentioned.
“We’re additionally trying ahead to enhancing our already fashionable new meal prep providing, whereas rising our in-house B2B and expertise groups to make sure we will finest meet the wants of the market.
Former banking exec and Microwd CEO Megan Owen launched the crowdfunding platform final yr to assist ladies entrepreneurs within the battle to lift and already has a number of profitable campaigns beneath its belt, together with for Mizzie the Kangaroo and Hoopsy.
The Gathar founder mentioned “they couldn’t have requested for a greater accomplice” for his or her first crowdfunding marketing campaign.
“Not solely is Megan is keen about supporting women-led progress corporations, she can be highly-successful in her personal proper and has helped us each step of the way in which,” she mentioned.
Mlikota mentioned their imaginative and prescient is to grow to be “the primary world platform for wonderful culinary experiences”, from intimate dinner events to weekly household meals and huge company occasions.