Sydney-based local services marketplace, Oneflare, has secured an additional AUD 1 million (approximately USD 876,000) in funding, taking its total funding to AUD 1.5 million (approximately USD 1.3 million). The funding round was backed by investors including Equity Venture Partners’ Les Szekely, the Sydney Seed Fund’s Garry Visontay, and The Strategy Group’s Dr Jeffrey Tobias. Oneflare plans to use the funding for hiring, sales and marketing, and international expansion.
Oneflare enables users to request quotes from pre-vetted service providers across more than 200 categories, including cleaners, electricians, plumbers, painters, accountants, and gardeners. With 50,000 registered businesses, the platform currently attracts 500,000 visitors each month. According to Oneflare co-founder, Marcus Lim, if the platform replaces Yellow Pages and directories as the preferred means of finding services, it could capture up to AUD 18 billion of the Australian market.
Aside from the Yellow Pages, TrueLocal and Gumtree are among Oneflare’s competitors. However, the platform distinguishes itself by offering multiple quotes, verifying businesses’ Australian Business Numbers (ABN), insurance, licenses, and qualifications, and displaying customer reviews only for completed transactions. Oneflare also provides a guarantee of up to AUD 500 for home damage caused by listed businesses, and an on-time guarantee, where businesses can back themselves with a AUD 50 bond if they fail to arrive on time.
Oneflare’s website and mobile app have reportedly facilitated over AUD 55 million worth of job requests to date, with the platform recording a threefold revenue increase over the last year and a 300% surge in total traffic in the past 12 months.
