Crowdfunding platform Seedrs announces plans to open an office in Berlin
The UK company, which allows people to invest as little as £10 in startups in exchange for a piece of equity, said the Berlin office will be responsible for raising awareness in the local startup and early-stage investment ecosystem.
Berlin is widely regarded as one of Europe's leading tech startup hubs and is therefore an obvious place to expand to for Seedrs. It's home to startups like SoundCloud and Wunderlist, as well as international outposts for Uber, Twitter, and Microsoft.
The office will also be responsible for bringing deal flow to the Seedrs platform from the DACH region [Deutschland, Austria, and Switzerland].
Business Insider has asked Seedrs where in Berlin the office will be and when the office is set to open and is waiting to hear back.
Jeff Lynn, CEO and cofounder of Seedrs, said in a statement: "I am very excited about the launch of our Berlin office, which follows our Amsterdam opening this summer. I have spent a substantial amount of time in the DACH region over the past few years, and I am constantly amazed by how vibrant the early-stage ecosystem is there, not just in Berlin, but across all three countries. I look forward to working with business and others in the region as we build up our presence there."
So far, Seedrs claims to have funded over 400 deals, with over £160 million invested on the platform.
Lynn has appointed Kyrill Zlobenko to lead the Berlin office and act as DACH regional manager. Commenting on his appointment, Zlobenko said in a statement: "Jeff and the UK team have always been impressed by the early-stage ecosystem throughout the DACH region, and it is my team's job to spread the world and ensure that Seedrs becomes a key player in financing startup and growth companies across the three countries."
Seedrs said it does not expect Brexit to impact its plans in the DACH region or beyond. In a press release, the company said: "Regardless of the final Brexit settlement, Seedrs has always aimed to be a pan-European business, and we will continue to try to build our presence across the continent."