Fooji, a real-time fan engagement platform, has closed a USD800,000 seed round led by Omaha-based Dundee Venture Capital with additional support from KGC Capital.
Fooji will use the initial funding to scale by expanding its sales team and hiring engineers to build out on-demand service integrations. It will also further develop analytics and reporting capabilities to create and refine its on-demand delivery marketing channel.
Fooji’s platform arms brands with ways to fortify fan brand loyalty and engagement via in-the-moment social engagement and user-generated content. The Kentucky start-up has already built a strong base of brands on its platform, including Fox, Verizon, Warner Bros and AB Inbev, enabling the start-up to reach tens of millions of fans through unique engagements.
“Brands win when they engage audiences on social and chat, and Fooji provides a way to supercharge interactions,” says Mark Hasebroock, founder of Dundee Venture Capital. “Dundee focuses on startups that think outside the box, and Fooji is a prime example of how original thinking can quickly yield Fortune 500 customers and exponential growth. We’re excited to be part of this journey with Gregg and Erik.”
Fooji empowers brands to send food, beverages and product samples and services using emojis linked to on-demand services. Through fan experience activations, Fooji boasts an average purchase conversion rate of 34 per cent.
“Partnering with Dundee Venture Capital and KGC Capital puts Fooji in a strong position to accelerate the expansion of our platform’s capabilities and team,” says Gregg Morton, co-founder and CEO of Fooji. “Most importantly, the Fooji team is proud to be executing against our vision of creating technology that connects with fans on a personal level. We believe brands are only beginning to tap into the potential of personalised, real-time engagement.”
Fooji has 120 million organic fans to date and over 500,000 brand mentions resulting in two global and eight national Twitter trends this year alone.
“The amount of fan engagement that stems from Fooji is proof that most fans value a brand that’s willing to give before it gets,” says Erik Zamudio, Fooji co-founder. “We are excited to see how brands can creatively leverage our platform and raise the bar on high-performing social advertising.”
