Proceeding with it’s UK market launch later this summer, Wauwaa has now closed the seed round by securing €220,000 from private investors and a further €100,000 from Tekes, the Finnish government agency. The investment was led by two US investors, Peter Briger and Michael Pierce, with additional investors coming from Europe. The funding is being cited for technology development and content creation. The company has now been valued at a healthy €2 million.
Wauwaa created by parents, for parents, is based in London and Helsinki and aims to provide an online community for parents to find information, multimedia content, and event-based e-commerce sales. The platform contains a large collection of video interviews with real parents on subjects relating to pregnancy, birth and parenting. The aim of the online community is to share genuine stories and experiences for new mums and dads when going through childbirth for the first time.
With a blend of experts and parents, Wauwaa offers a multitude of opinions from relationships, family situations and different cultures. In close collaboration with the UK National Health Service (NHS), Wauwaa allows users to view over 300 videos from medical professionals.
CEO and co-founder Ivan Lopez is said to be thrilled with the seed round, “It is a pleasure to have such a supportive group of experienced investors from around the world trust in our vision and plan. We are on a clear path for launch and I am really impressed with what we are going to offer to the market in a few short months”.
Lopez goes on to praise the funding from Tekes and how it will play a vital role in the development of Wauwaa.“Receiving the grant from Tekes also validated our business plan and approach. We chose to base our operations in Finland as well as London in order to tap into a mixture of young and highly experienced technology talent. The support from Tekes is a real added benefit for developing unique technology and design for the Wauwaa consumer experience.”
