FLOWERBX announces the close of seed-plus fundraising round and names Mark Sebba as non-executive chairman

Flowers continue to take their place in the news today when it has been announced that a new start-up business which has captured the interest of many fashion influencers and investors is on its way to greater success.

Promotional photo from FLOWERBX released to offer patrons the opportunity to send 100 of top quality Red Naomi Roses to their valentines earlier this year.  

London-based FLOWERBX -  the online, wholesale, flower-delivery website - has announced the close of its oversubscribed £1.5m seed-plus fundraising round.

Among FLOWERBX’s strategic investors are Dame Natalie Massenet DBE, founder of global fashion portal Net-a-Porter.com, Mark Sebba, CEO of The Net-a-Porter Group from 2003-2014; Carmen Busquets, luxury, fashion, and tech entrepreneur; business women Eiesha Bharti Pasricha and Tania Fares; Rose Uniacke, Founder and Creative Director of Rose Uniacke Studio; and Pat Finn, Managing Partner of Finn Capital Partners, a US-based venture capital firm.

FLOWERBX’s new growth capital will be used to accelerate expansion into new markets both within the UK and abroad, to increase innovative technological capabilities with a key focus on the customer experience, and to scale high-return customer acquisition programs. Revenues have doubled in the first quarter of 2017 vs the same period in 2016, and sales are on a trajectory to reach £1m in the next 12 months.

FLOWERBX, which is billed as one of the most promising startups in the $50 billion global flower market, is fundamentally changing the way that individuals and businesses purchase flowers according to its co-founders Whitney Bromberg Hawkings and Adam Wilkie.  As a proprietary, inventory-less operating model, the company delivers flowers directly from the auctions in Holland and cutting out the handful of middlemen that perpetuate the traditional bricks-and-mortar supply chain.

Since its inception in April 2015, FLOWERBX has attracted much attention from consumers and media alike, garnering press in the FT, Vogue, Esquire, The Times Luxx, Vanity Fair, Grazia, and Elle Décor, and won a prestigious Wallpaper Design Award for Best Delivery Service.   Covetable corporate clients include Dior, Bottega Veneta, Tom Ford, Jimmy Choo, Christie’s, and other notables in the high-end fashion industry, leaders in the restaurant and hotel industries, and celebrities.

According to its Chairman Mark Sebba, FLOWERBX is able to offer freshness while passing savings onto the customer, and its fashion-led design team offers exceptionally curated flowers and provide one of the first branded floral experiences.

Carmen Busquets says from her London base, “The FLOWERBX team reminds me of the Net -a-Porter team in the early days. One quote we all believe in is ‘think big, but start small.’ The FLOWERBX team understands the importance of building a strong brand. I believe FLOWERBX can and will become the international ‘Uber of flower delivery’. I have been a loyal client since day one as I know I can trust the reliability of the delivery, the freshness of the flowers and the quality of the presentation. Sometimes it’s hard to trust the taste level of a virtual florist, but thanks to FLOWERBX, there are no bad surprises. The presentation is always chic and elegant.”

Pat Finn, says from his California HQ, "the team at FLOWERBX continues to impress me with their steady-handed approach to building an enduring and meaningful brand. Amid the kind of robust growth that can sometimes challenge a company’s abilities to adapt, the mature and capable team is building something rare: a rapidly scaling brand with a strong foundation in an industry desperate for new solutions.”