Verve, an events platform based around influencers, raises $60M and rebrands as Pollen –
Summary
Influencer marketing and the related area of sponcon have become a cornerstone of how the internet’s wheels spin: personalities attract traffic and buzz, and help shift not just sentiment but often products for brands, giving boosts both to online engagement and commerce. Now, a London startup called Verve, which plays on the influencer theme in the area of selling tickets to experiences and events, has raised a significant round of growth funding to expand its business. Pollen has now raised $100 million, and while it is not disclosing its valuation, Callum Negus-Fancey, the CEO who co-founded the company with his brother Liam, told me that it’s about 3.7 times higher than in its previous round. The company is based around a members-only business model, with membership being free, but only open to those who have built networks of people who look to them to make recommendations for interesting things to do. “The most exciting prospect for me is the potential the company has to play a pivotal role in how brands engage with an entire demographic.