The French start-up, WeLink, is based in Boulogne Billancourt and founded in 2018 by Charles Passereau and Kévin Goncalves, has raised €4.2m ($5m) in a funding round from venture capitalists Oneragtime, Takara Capital, and business angels. The company offers a SaaS solution for professionals, specifically an online directory of self-employed individuals and independent professionals, principally focused on accountants, building contractors, and lawyers.
Currently, WeLink operates in eight European countries, including France, the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Ireland. The funding will allow the company to expand its services to Brazil, Mexico, and Canada and further accelerate its international growth.
With more than 3,500 independent professionals on its platform, WeLink plans to reach over 11,000 by the end of 2021. To achieve this, the company plans to hire over 800 new personnel within the next three years.
Oneragtime and Takara Capital are both venture capital firms that invest in early-stage start-ups. Oneragtime is based in Paris and provides funding to companies in various sectors, including fintech, healthcare, and media. Takara Capital, meanwhile, is based in Geneva and invests in start-ups in Europe and North America.
This funding round is a significant milestone for WeLink, helping it to expand its services and increase its visibility in the highly competitive professional networking market. The SaaS business model has proven to be an effective way of connecting professionals, and WeLink's success in this funding round represents a vote of confidence in the company's ability to succeed in this market.
