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BloomMe will use the funds to accelerate software development, expand its spa base and ramp up marketing efforts

HK-based spa and salon booking marketplace BloomMe has raised well beyond US$500,000 from a syndicate of five unnamed Hong Kong and Israel-based investors, said an official press statement. CFO of BloomMe, Wolfgang Ettlich, also stated the funds included investments from its founders; he declined to specify the exact total amount raised.

Most of the newly-raised capital will be channeled towards software development in regards to the company’s iOS and Android apps as well as the merchant backend systems. The press release states the new versions will feature “a more intuitive user interface, a revamped website featuring web based bookings as well as more advance reporting functionality for the spa partners.”

Also Read: [Update] LVMH-owned Sephora acquires beauty retailer Luxola

Founded by Philipp Koblenz, Iella Peter and Michael Geva in Hong Kong in 2013 and officially launched in 2015, BloomMe  is staffed by 20 employees based in Hong Kong, Israel and Kiev. It offers a live booking system which it claims will significantly “reduce administrative overheads for spa receptionists and allow its users to instantaneously make a booking in as little as a minute ahead of the treatment.”

Currently, BloomMe has partnered with 200 spas and salons–it will add 300 more once they pass its quality assurance tests.

Ettlich said that BloomMe will definitely expand into Southeast Asian markets–where it may face tough competition from Rocket Internet-backed Vaniday, as well as GetKlarity, Vanitee and Mefitted.

Also Read: India’s on-demand beauty services startup stayglad raises Series A

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