From our portfolio: 3 new funded investment opportunities; target sum for SmartHead hiked; Refresher signs first tranche
11/04/2022
We are delighted to see companies raise capital through our investment platform to fulfil their potential and continue to grow. This includes a premium cycling apparel brand, a company that provides comprehensive logistics solutions for e-commerce, and a company that captures reality almost perfectly and translates it into unique digital experiences. But there are also companies that have the same ambition to change the world and are just one step away from closing their investment. Find out which ones below.
Isadore Apparel – from cyclists to cyclists
In March, we successfully closed another investment round for Isadore Apparel. The Velits brothers' brand focuses on the production and distribution of cycling jerseys and accessories. In its sales and marketing strategy, the brand focuses primarily on the DACH region (German-speaking countries) and received the prestigious Euro Effie Awards for its advertising during Tour de France.
Thanks to an initial investment from Crowdberry investors in 2020, the company doubled its revenues. Today it has customers in 80 countries and enjoys strong recognition in the cycling community. World-class cyclists have also worked with the brand, including Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Anna Kiesenhofer. The new investment, which has reached a target of €2.1 million, is intended to strengthen the brand's position primarily in Western European markets and prepare the company for the entry of a foreign investor to help the company expand overseas and in the Asian markets.
isklad – comprehensive logistics for e-shops
It is isklad, that enables e-shops of different sizes to grow globally thanks to its comprehensive logistics services. It only takes one service package to provide a company with a distribution centre, warehouse space, and the software for automated process management. Currently, isklad has 144 active clients and plans to fully automate its warehouses in the coming months. It has several new major customers in the pipeline, including large companies with high revenue potential. This investment opportunity was funded with a target amount of €3 million.
Artzenal – digitization of 3D objects and NFT
We successfully closed the Artzenal investment opportunity at the end of last year.The young Slovak company is engaged in the creation of high-quality 2D and 3D digital content and the creation of virtual tours.
After the successful auction of its first NFT the company has other interesting opportunities in this area. It continues to digitise legendary F1 open-wheel cars and important heritage sites. For Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Artzenal has created a digitisation project and an interactive app, titled The Empress Sissi. The company intends to use the €425,000 investment to finance commercial digitisation projects and to further scale up its products. The professional investment fund CB Growth ONE has also joined the investment as a co-investor (€100,000 as an additional investment to the €600,000 already provided in 2020).
Refresher – a media portal with drive
Active investment opportunities on our platform include Refresher, which achieved significant revenue growth and high profitability last year. It exceeded its plan by 57% and also strengthened its position as the leader in native advertising. The company's prospects are bright and it is moving ever closer to its plans thanks to interest from investors, including big players in the media space. The investment has been signed and a number of Crowdberry investors have provided the first tranche to the company. The second is open to new entrants to co-own the brand, which will continue its expansion, building a globally established domain and exploiting new opportunities to monetise the content it creates.
SmartHead – sustainability management for companies
The SmartHead investment opportunity is also still active. The target amount has been increased by €190,000, which opens up space for other potential investors. This professional online tool makes it easier for companies to manage comprehensive data and information on their sustainability activities. In addition to a recent investment of €300,000 through the Crowdberry platform, SmartHead has previously earned the trust of professional investment fund CB Growth ONE, which provided the company with an initial investment of €310,000. Thanks to the growth capital provided, the energetic team, with experience in business, sustainability, and IT, managed to obtain GRI certification (Global Reporting Initiative, an independent international organization in the field of corporate social responsibility reporting). Currently, SmartHead has a portfolio of 230 profiles, including major players such as Tesco, Dell, and VUB Bank, and ambitions to expand into Germany, the UK, and the US.
Discover more active investment opportunities on Crowdberry and co-own Czech and Slovak companies and real estate.
Now including the biotechnology company DNA ERA and the Slovak brand of premium skin cosmetics Noili.