MOSCOW, September 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Russian online service YouDo.com has raised additional funds
in a new investment round, which drew in $17
million. The lead investor of the round, PJSC MTS (NYSE:
MBT)(MOEX: MTSS) Russia's
largest telecoms operator and digital services provider, accounted
for $12 million of this investment.
Current shareholders also took part in the round. The funds raised
are to be used to launch new services categories and a
federal-scale advertising campaign, as well as to further automate
the products on offer and expand the business geographically, which
includes foreign markets.
(Logo:
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/746318/YouDo_Com_Logo.jpg
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YouDo.com is an online platform, which allows users to quickly
find professionals to perform their private or business-related
tasks: cleaning and housekeeping, freight transport, courier
delivery, and many more. There are 5 million users registered in
the system, which includes over 800 thousand verified 'doers'.
YouDo.com officially operates in Moscow, St.
Petersburg, Nizhny
Novgorod, Kazan and Yekaterinburg, and nearly 30% of its
orders are virtual, and are issued and carried out from anywhere in
the world.
'YouDo.com is a business rapidly growing in the promising market
of virtual employment exchanges. We believe that positioning
YouDo.com within the environment of MTS partners will allow us to
achieve our full potential for a mutually beneficial long-term
partnership. MTS has the resources and the skills, which can be
beneficial both for geographic expansion and for raising the
efficiency of the company's digital marketing strategy, which will
help YouDo.com to maintain high rates of revenue growth,' said
Alexander Gorbunov, Vice-President
of MTS for Strategy and Development.
'The partnership with MTS means access to the vast clientele and
expertise of MTS. Our efforts combined, we will be able to produce
unique services for our customers and quickly expand the reach of
these services. At the same time, the company will remain
independent. If there's need for additional capital, we can further
raise current funding to $27 million
within the framework of the current round,' said Alex(ei) Gidirim,
Co-Founder of YouDo.com.
YouDo.com allows users to order services or to find assistants
either through the youdo.com website or its mobile app (available
on iOS and Android). All the user has to do is to publish the task
they need carried out, put out a price and choose the person they
will charge with it out of those who apply. All 'doers' undergo a
thorough screening process by the service and are rated by the
users, which ensures the high quality of the services they
provide.
The social function of YouDo.com is one of the company's primary
focus areas. On the one hand, the service allows freelancers to
find projects that suit them best and to monetize their free time,
while on the other hand it allows customers to spend more time with
their families and loved ones, doing what they love, while
professionals handle their chores.
The total amount invested into the online business of YouDo.com
to date draws up to $26,5 million.
The list of the investors of the business includes PJSC MTS, funds
such as Sistema Venture Capital, Flint Capital, and United Capital
Partner (UCP), as well as the owner of QIWI, Sergey Solonin, and
entrepreneur Alexander Kabakov.
Official website: https://youdo.com/
SOURCE YouDo.com