Newcastle-based PopTop UK, an online events marketplace specialising in weddings, celebrations, and corporate events, has secured €685k in equity investment from a syndicate led by Dow Schofield Watts Angels, the Northern angel network, and Northstar Ventures, along with over 30 business angels.
PopTop is the only real-time booking platform for the UK events sector. It provides an online marketplace which matches people planning events with suppliers including caterers, entertainers and photographers.
The company was started in Kiev in 2014 by Eugene Shestopal and Ignat Tkhorovskiy, and relocated to Newcastle the year after with the support of Northstar Ventures. PopTop has scaled up steadily, it is already turning a profit and employs 20 people at its offices in Newcastle and Kiev.
Eugene Shestopal, founder and CEO, said: “Our mission is to make event planning as easy and safe as booking a hotel online. We want to be the go-to marketplace, and to expand internationally. We are very happy with the team we have assembled following this round. Our investors are passionate about our business and experienced enough to help us to sky-rocket its development.”
Rick Charnley, investment manager for Northstar, commented: “Eugene and Ignat have been a pleasure to work with and their level of commitment, team ethic and execution have been impressive. We’re really excited about their expansion plans for PopTop which this funding round will help unlock.”
