The actual property market in South Korea may be very fragmented, which implies individuals typically must work with dozens of brokers earlier than they discover a new residence. Based in 2020 by a former WeWork govt, Dongnae needs to create a centralized base for brokers, serving as a a number of itemizing system (MLS). Since its first seed spherical final 12 months, Dongnae has elevated its brokerage companions to greater than 70. In the present day the startup introduced it has raised a seed extension of $4.1 million, doubling its complete raised to $8.2 million.
The brand new funding was led by funding fund NFX, with participation from returning buyers Flybridge and MetaProp, who led Dongnae’s first seed spherical. NFX normal companion Pete Flint, who co-founded Trulia and is a former Zillow board member, will be part of Dongnae’s board. The startup’s different buyers embody Goodwater Capital, Maple VC and strategic angel buyers in South Korea and america.
“It’s an thrilling time of development at our firm, and we need to be sure that we’re executing our go-to-market plan,” founder Matthew Shampine, who previously ran WeWork Asia, advised TechCrunch concerning the seed extension. “Pete Flint and [principal] Brittany Yoon at NFX carry a tremendous mixture of actual property experience and Korean startup expertise that shall be invaluable to Dongnae.”
Dongnae additionally introduced the discharge of its Android app right now. The corporate’s Android and iOS apps let potential renters and patrons take a look at listings and guide excursions of properties within the Seoul metropolitan space.
Shampine mentioned that Dongnae now has greater than 8,000 listings. Since its final funding announcement 5 months in the past, Dongnae has elevated its closed deal quantity by greater than 65% and income by 150%.
Shampine added that the brand new funding shall be used to develop Dongnae’s brokerage community throughout the Seoul metropolitan space, which accounts for nearly half of South Korea’s inhabitants, and the event of its know-how and brokerage groups.
“On the time of our seed funding, we had simply launched our brokerage companion program so we truly had one companion. The title of our first companion is World Actual Property, based mostly in Yongsan, and so they had been truly the brokerage that helped me discover my private house across the time we began Dongnae,” mentioned Shampine. “They’ve been an exquisite and affected person companion as our group has grown this 12 months, and we’ve already labored collectively to assist a lot of our prospects discover nice properties.”
In a press release, Flint mentioned, “The manager group at Dongnae is uniquely certified contemplating their world backgrounds and deep native actual property experience, and I consider the timing is ideal for Dongnae and the market want they’re addressing in Korea.”
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