Angels back EthicalCommunity
Online marketplace EthicalCommunity has secured a £200,000 investment from a syndicate of business angels.
The business, founded by University of Leeds graduates Liam Patterson and Jason Dainter, sells eco-friendly and natural products. More than 850 sellers from around the world have signed up to use the site and 7,000 items are for sale.
The funding round includes investment from Mary Turner, chief executive of smart home technology company AlertMe.com and board member at ASOS.com; Giuliano Stiglitz, chief executive of Orange Advertising Networks; and Kelvin Au and Robert Barnes, founding member of Alchemy Partners.
Patterson said: "We’ve come a long way with the business and have big plans, particularly with overseas markets such as the US, Canada and Australia, where eco-friendly products are extremely popular.
"The investment will give us a tremendous boost in this respect together with our refined marketing and IT efforts. Moreover, we now have a team of successful entrepreneurs on board whose experience and advice will be invaluable in helping us achieve our growth ambitions."
EthicalCommunity will use the new funding and angel expertise to grow its seller and shopper base, and launch an improved version of its sales platform. Products currently for sale include organic t-shirts from eco-fashion designers in London and Fairtrade coffee direct from Ethiopian farmers.
