Sydney-based venture capital firms Equity Venture Partners (EVP) and Investible have jointly led a funding round for Programa, a startup revolutionizing the interior design industry. The cloud-based software developed by Programa drastically reduces the time it takes for designers to complete tasks, transforming days of work into mere minutes. By shifting designers and architects from the age of spreadsheets to the era of the cloud, Programa’s platform brings efficiency and convenience to the industry. It functions as a marketplace, seamlessly connecting designers and brands, while offering comprehensive project management, workflow organization, product management, and procurement capabilities.
Despite launching during the peak of Melbourne’s lockdown in July 2020, Programa has achieved remarkable success. Currently, it boasts a user base of over 2,000 registered interior designers and more than 350 registered brands and suppliers. Co-founder and CEO, Traviss Orr, shared that many designers express their desire to move away from spending a majority of their time on tasks like Microsoft Excel, internet searches, and requesting quotes. Programa addresses this pain point by providing a unified platform that integrates all the essential tools for running a design business. By reducing data entry time, designers can focus on designing and delivering profitable projects, enhancing their overall productivity.
Orr emphasized that Programa’s solution extends beyond Australia, as the challenges faced by the industry are universal. The team is committed to developing solutions for the local market before expanding into international markets. Co-founder Claudio Oyarce, who previously owned Australia’s largest interior design trade show, Denfair, recognized a significant opportunity to simplify the process of serving high-value clients for design brands. The complexity arises when designers have to manage hundreds of products from multiple suppliers for a single project, each with its own lead times, quoting platforms, and delivery schedules. Programa aims to streamline this process by providing a centralized platform that automates and organizes orders, quotes, deliveries, clients, and inventory, resulting in time and cost savings for all industry stakeholders.
Mark Velik, an investment manager at EVP, noted that Programa addresses a significant administrative burden faced by designers. He praised the platform for enabling designers to redirect their energy toward creative design work, freeing them from mundane administrative tasks. The rapid adoption of Programa by thousands of designers and hundreds of brands confirms the market demand for such a solution. In an industry that sees several billion dollars in annual spending, Programa’s success indicates the immense opportunity it holds.
