GoFetch Retrieves a $3.4 Million Funding Round
One Vancouver startup is wagging its proverbial tail quite happily today.
GoFetch has announced a $3.4 million round of funding. The new funding comes from a currently undisclosed set of angel investors and venture capital firms and will go towards fuelling expansion and enhancing the company’s current offerings.
The startup lets dog owners easily find a walker, house sitter, overnight pet care with a sitter, and daytime pet care, all through an easy-to-use platform.
The pet services industry is a $69 billion market in North America alone, and many owners are looking to find reliable ways to care for their pets without having to rely on kennels or always putting the burden on family members.
Just last week, Wag—the on-demand dog-walking and care app based in the U.S.—raised $300 million from the Softbank Vision Fund, a clear indication that the industry is in sore need of leaders, even if it may be uber competitive.
“It’s a nascent and massive industry, and it makes economic sense that there will be many global players,” said GoFetch’s CEO Willson Cross. “From a competitive standpoint, we love the competition as it helps build awareness of the superior experience pet owners can receive through technology-enabled platforms…this only makes going to new markets more efficient.”
GoFetch has over 35 full-time staff and they walk or sit a dog every 15 minutes on the platform. Last quarter, the startup added Deep Singh as their new president. Singh was the senior director of operations for Ola, one of the largest ride-hailing apps in the world valued at $7 billion.
Along with the new funding announcement, GoFetch has also unveiled a new app that allows users to book boarding, daycare and sitting services across Canada, as well as dog walking in select Canadian cities.
“Mobile usage for millennials is at is an all-time high,” said Cross. “Being able to service that market correctly, coupled with positive market trends, is a significant driver for business.”
The cost to board a pet through GoFetch for one night is typically $25 per night, which is generally more affordable and personal than a kennel. FInding a walker is even easier—just tap a button and they will be at your door in an instant.
A balanced review system ensures owners are leaving their little pups with trusted sources, and the platform encourages owners to share their experiences with the system and other users. On top of this, all on-boarded sitters and dog walkers go through a screening and training process.
“Every day we aim to make life simpler for Canadian pet owners, by building products and services they and their pets want and can trust,” says Cross.
GoFetch raised a seed round of $1.4 million in April 2017 that valued the company at $7 million.
