Event space rental startup Native Spaces notches €2m in funding
France: Nice-based event space rental startup Native Spaces has landed €2 million in funding to continue the growth of its platform and expansion in France and Europe.
The funding round, led by Vitosha Venture Partners and MFG Invest, will help Native Spaces to launch its app to connect customers and owners directly using artificial intelligence as it seeks to grow its presence nationally.
The startup, founded by Bulgarian entrepreneur Tanya Bencheva-Vigier in 2018, offers almost 1,000 atypical venues and spaces to rent for events in a dozen cities in France. After launching officially at the end of 2021, Native Spaces contributed to the organisation of 100 events in 2022 and it is aiming to triple that number by the end of this year by increasing its footprint in major cities such as Paris and Lyon.
While Native Spaces facilitates the administrative part for the owners, such as the management of payments or insurance, it also offers help with other services related to the organisation of an event, such as connecting with caterers, DJs or security. The company hopes that customers will eventually be able to directly book services via its own proprietary Native Spaces application.
Bencheva-Vigier told Maddyness: “The organisation of ‘unusual’ events is complex and time-consuming, whether it is to find a unique place or to set up all the appropriate services. At the same time, many extraordinary spaces remain inaccessible and under-utilised, such as private properties, gardens, museums, or galleries etc.
“I created Native Spaces to make organising unique events more accessible and simpler. On the platform, you can, in a few clicks, find the space best suited to your needs, book, and pay in a few clicks. This process used to take weeks,” she added.
Marin Iliev, CEO of Vitosha Venture Partners, said: “Tanya Bencheva-Vigier’s concept immediately appealed to us. Native Spaces is an attractive investment opportunity as it opens up a whole new segment in the events market disrupted by Covid-19. Now, companies, and especially those with teams around the globe, have an even greater need to deepen relationships through shared experiences in unique and engaging settings and to create valuable memories for everyone involved.
“In addition, Tanya Bencheva-Vigier impresses us with how she has developed a singular vision and an inspiring strategy. On a daily basis, she executes them with the utmost dedication and professionalism,” added Iliev.
