London’s networking platform Guild raises $2.7M to take on Linkedin and Whatsapp

London-based ad-free, digital community and networking app and platform for professionals, Guild has raised $2.7million in seed funding from existing angel investors, as it seeks to establish itself as an alternative to Linkedin and to those using WhatsApp for business purposes.

Creating a platform and ecosystem for professional communities and networking that is as easy to use as WhatsApp or LinkedIn but without the ads that result in privacy problems, the startup was initially launched as a safer business alternative to WhatsApp. It went live in beta in 2019, and then opened to the public in early 2020. Guild was created by entrepreneur Ashley Friedlein, who also founded Econsultancy, sold to Centaur Media plc in 2012, and is an investor in a number of technology and B2B media businesses.

Since then, it has evolved to become both a platform for businesses to run GDPR-compliant communities and groups, and an alternative to Linkedin for individuals. Guild is designed mobile-first as a native messaging app but also has a web version. The $2.7 million seed investment comes from Guild’s existing angel investors including B2B media and tech entrepreneurs Tim Weller (Founder, Incisive Media), Ben Heald (Founder, Sift), Victoria Mellor (Co-founder, Melcrum), Alex Martinez (Co-founder, Procurement Leaders).

Guild’s growth has accelerated due to the increased importance of digital collaboration and networking during the pandemic, both across organisations and for individuals – up 500% since the start of 2020. The investment will be used for continued product development, including integrations and payments, and to invest in marketing to grow the user base, as Guild moves towards a Series A funding round in 2022.

As a community platform for businesses, the startup replicates ease-of-use of consumer messaging apps but with GDPR compliance and greater admin, customer service and data control. Guild customers include The Marketing Society, CIPD, PRCA, PPA, The Lawyer, Management Today, Cambridge University Judge Business School, Econsultancy, Deloitte and the National Education Union.

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