South African on-demand home cleaning service SweepSouth has concluded its Series A financing round, which it will use to expand into new markets and service lines.
Launched in June 2014, SweepSouth raised its last funding round early last year, and subsequently launched a mobile app and expanded to Durban having previously been operating in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town.
The latest round of funding comes from strategic investor Smollan, Tim Draper’s Silicon Valley-based VC fund Draper Dark Flow, and existing investors Identity Development Fund Managers and CRE Venture Capital. There is also a new incoming private investor in the form of Nkosinathi Maphumulo, better know as DJ Black Coffee.
SweepSouth’s revenue has grown by a factor of six since its last funding round, and this latest round of financing will be used to expand outside of South Africa. It aims to create work for 10,000 people within the next 12 months.
“We’re particularly excited about the strategic nature of our partnerships with our new incoming investors. Smollan’s reach – it operates in 36 international markets – will provide the perfect avenue to rapidly expand internationally,” said Aisha Pandor, SweepSouth co-founder and chie executive officer (CEO).
“From our very first meeting we had a wonderful synergy with Dave and Mike Smollan, and believe our shared values and combined strengths will result in a lot of great new innovation from SweepSouth. DDF Capital brings its expertise in scaling tech, particularly in Africa, and DJ Black Coffee is an inspirational and influential local ambassador with a brand we’re proud to be associated with.”
The company has already created work opportunities for over 3,000 women who were previously unemployed and underemployed, and recently reached the milestone of one million hours of cleaning.
“This funding will lay the groundwork for our international and service expansion, helping us intensify our efforts to create work for thousands more, and positively impact even more people in additional African markets,” says Alen Ribic, co-founder and chief technology officer (CTO).
