A start-up billed as the听UK鈥檚 first听肠耻谤补迟别诲听thematic and听fractional investment platform has closed a 拢2听million听funding听round.听
,听which aims to听serve consumers鈥� increasing appetite for shares investing, has been backed in a seed round led by听Fuel Ventures.听Headquartered in London, it has raised almost 拢2.7m to date.听
The funding听will听be used to听further develop the platform听and听open up听access to听fractional shares in global, household brands.听
Thematic trading allows people to听invest in shares without the complexity and cost that is so often associated with trading on the stock market.听听
It enables more than 62,000 users to invest and diversify their portfolio听across 31听popular shares and its 22 theme-based curated funds.听Curious users can invest as little as 拢10.听
Shares on offer include well–known brands such as Apple, Tesla, Games Workshop, Ocado and Netflix. By curating funds based around relatable themes, Wombat allows the user to match their beliefs and interests听with their investment choices.听听
Top trending funds include 鈥楾he Techie鈥�,听鈥�Pure Gold鈥�听and 鈥楾he Green Machine鈥�, the latter of听which aims to please the passionate social and impact savvy investor.听
In the coming months Wombat will further expand the number of shares and funds听on offer.听听
鈥�A majority of听people in the UK and Europe aren鈥檛 doing enough to听save for their future.听With banks providing all-time low interest rates, we have seen appetite for investing grow, many feel overwhelmed with the perceived complexity of handling shares,鈥� said founder and CEO Kane Harrison, a serial entrepreneur and former trader.听
鈥�Our goal is to make investing in the stock market relatable and less scary.听Some of the world鈥檚 most successful investors, like Warren Buffett, invest听in companies and brands they know, use and understand. We want everyone to have that same mindset.听听
鈥�This is why听we focus on helping people own a part of those companies they have an affinity with. I for one am a massive fan of Elon Musk, Wombat makes it easy听for me to be part of Tesla鈥檚 successful journey at a minimal cost.鈥�听
Mark Pearson, founder and managing partner of Fuel Ventures, added: 鈥淜ane and听the Wombat team are breaking open the stock market for everyone and giving young people access to other saving opportunities.听听
鈥�We haven鈥檛 seen a platform like this in Europe. Wombat is the first to help introduce regular, micro investing into the market听鈥撎�putting听people鈥檚 concerns at ease by easy investing in things they understand.鈥�听
The听investment sees Fuel Ventures join Wombat鈥檚 board alongside the continued support from Wombat鈥檚 angel听investors Chris听Adelsbach, a key investor in Atom Bank听and听Monese, James Moore, Trainline鈥檚 former UK General Manager amongst other prominent angels in the industry.听听