RunToShop closes its largest financing round yet

Since this summer I have been actively developing www.runtoshop.com from scratch. Run is aiming to create a central mashup like hub for recommendation activity to boost sales of online stores. The idea is simple: interesting enthusiastic people expressing their strong opinions and recommendations about the stuff that they love leads to increased sales. Run is making this simple idea a reality through the existing social networks and services - acting like a mashed-up hub of social enthusiastic (and sometimes opinionated) recommendation activity that you can search, browse and use to discover cool new stuff.

We were building up speed during the summer, and started testing a service in the finnish language public beta here locally during the fall.

The company has just today signed and closed its most significant financing round yet. The round is lead by Veraventure. Additionally the company is being funded by a group of 8 prominent business angels.

WIth the active public beta test version the company has managed to sign about 410 (or so) online stores onboard as partners. They include big ones like Apple, iTunes, Amazon, Amex, Nike and such, as well as smaller local players: travel agencies, energy companies, online stores for cosmetics, sports, clothing and lifestyle products, etc.

With everything summed up this is my 10th round of financing that I'm involved in. Feels great to reach a milestone like this one!

Getting this round closed has been a lot of work, for the whole team here. And quite possibly the current economical climate isn't making it any easier for any of us. Closing this round is also partially the reason why I have blogged a bit less than say a month ago; getting the final details right and heading for full closure requires some energy and attention from the CEO.

With this round the company can plan all of next year and have a serious enough backing to go after the international markets - with a new and improved product version naturally.

And BTW: RunToShop as of today is currently very actively hiring. If you know competent programmers and web/concept designers, please tell them to be in touch ;-)

Now it's one milestone behind us - and many more to come. I guess this is precisely the time for the "get real or go home" part, right?