Aiming to tap into what it calls a ‘second wave gig economy’, the Utrecht-based startup that connects those with a camera to visitors at over a million identified public locations and attractions, Smiler has raised $8 million in a seed round.
The funding round will be used to further develop its marketplace technology as well as press forward with global expansion plans.
Billed as an on-the-spot photography marketplace, Smiler is offering consumers a ‘photos better than a phone camera’ offer and creating an alternative income source for a wide range of photographic enthusiasts.
The startup has won contracts and tenders with venue and event partners across Europe, including Manchester City Football Club, Paris’s Montparnasse Tower, ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo, and is the official guest photography provider for the Tower of London.
Smiler’s $8 million seed round was led by Mosaic Ventures, with Speedinvest, Dutch Founders Fund, and PROfounders Capital participating alongside angel investors including Nous founder Greg Marsh.
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