Finnish startup Cluby raises $3.1M to help restaurants connect digitally. Founded by Kalle Ek, Joel Leino, and Pekka Koskinen, the company has over 500 restaurants and 100K users on its app. COVID-19 boosted digital adoption, and now Cluby offers an easy way for smaller venues to compete with big chains. Funds will help expand across Europe.
Finnish restaurant tech startup Cluby raised $3.1M in Seed funding. The company, founded in 2018 by Kalle Ek, Joel Leino, and Pekka Koskinen, has now raised $3.5M in total funding. COVID-19 sped up digital adoption in restaurants, and Cluby is helping smaller venues compete with larger chains by providing affordable digital tools. The funding round was led by Vendep Capital, with participation from Leadfeeder founder Pekka Koskinen and Wolt co-founder Elias Aalto.
Cluby launched its first prototype in 2019 and survived the COVID-19 impact by improving its product with selected restaurants. In 2023, Cluby's yearly growth rate was over 5x. The app now connects over 500 restaurants with 100,000 users. Co-founder and CEO Kalle Ek shared, "We kept our team small and improved our product. Now, we’re ready to expand." Cluby aims to become the category leader in Europe.
Cluby’s platform helps restaurants manage customer data, sell digital products, and run marketing campaigns. Restaurants can offer monthly subscriptions, tickets, VIP passes, and personalized loyalty programs. The central app allows customers to connect with multiple venues, making it convenient for users and beneficial for restaurants.
The new funding will support Cluby’s expansion across Europe. General Partner at Vendep Capital, Juha-Pekka Arala, said, "We invested in Cluby because of its experienced team and the huge market opportunity." Cluby’s goal is to bring its expertise to a broader audience, providing effective tools for restaurants to use customer data.
How will Cluby’s digital tools change restaurant experiences?
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