Trouva, the curated marketplace for the UK’s ‘hidden gem’ homeware and lifestyle brick and mortar boutiques, raised $10m in Series A funding.
Currently bringing together more than 350 of the UK’s independent shops and boutiques in over 100 towns and cities, Trouva’s network of stores is set to continue to grow rapidly. “We will be using the investment to further develop our unique platform at existing stores within the Trouva community, while funding expansion to new shops and boutiques across the UK, and ultimately further afield too,” says co-founder and CEO Mandeep Singh.
Harry Briggs, partner at BGF Ventures, says: “I love the passion that independent boutiques bring to their craft – discovering wonderful products and creating a place that’s a joy to visit. Everyone’s discovered a boutique somewhere that’s full of things that feel made for their home. Trouva helps those boutiques reach more customers, and helps customers further-afield keep up with their favourite boutiques’ latest ‘finds’. Discovery is so hard in homewares, and we believe that Trouva could help people across the world discover those unique, meaningful products that make home feel like home – while enabling the most extraordinary independent boutiques to not only survive, but thrive.”
Trouva accepts only a minority of stores that apply to join their community. “We have to believe that they are truly amazing independents, run by great curators with a strong identity,” says Mandeep Singh. Having identified such stores, the company then provides its own cloud-based software to the shops, enabling them to digitise their stock. Trouva also handles all logistics, from click and collect to same day delivery and worldwide shipping.
“We want Trouva to become the global destination for the best independent shops in the greatest cities in the world,” he says. “Whether we’re talking about Montmartre in Paris, Shibuya in Tokyo or Shoreditch in London, the greatest independents will be united on our global platform.”
“Our customers will be able to browse and buy from these incredible stores, no matter where they are, and get their purchase delivered to them quickly and seamlessly. At the same time, through click and collect, we’re encouraging our boutique-loving customers to visit the shops in person.”
