Launched in 2017 by siblings Martijn and Floor van Rooy, Parfumado is shifting how consumers discover perfumes and beauty products online. The platform connects brands with consumers, offering a B2C subscription for perfumes and a B2B sampling platform for beauty products, called Rocket Campaigns.
The company is backed by prestigious partners including L’Oréal, Rituals, and LVMH, and recently secured €3.2M in a pre-Series A funding round led by VC fund Borski Fund and Rabobank, bringing its total raised to €4.5 million. We spoke to the co-founders about their inspiration behind the company and their vision for the future.
The key inspiration behind starting Parfumado was the challenge we saw in online perfume discovery due to the physical nature of fragrances. Our vision initially focused on offering a subscription-based model for sampling perfumes before purchase, directly addressing the issue.
As our company has grown, our vision evolved beyond online subscriptions. We've diversified by forming B2B partnerships and entering physical retail, expanding our reach and offering customers diverse fragrance discovery experiences. However, we are still very much focused on innovation to provide the coolest and best perfume experiences across various channels.
One significant challenge Parfumado faced was overcoming brand resistance in a traditional industry. Our disruptive subscription-based model encountered skepticism from (established) brands. Despite this, we continued, determined to prove the viability of our model.
Through perseverance and dedication, we showed that our model could succeed, gradually winning over both brands and customers. This experience taught us the importance of resilience and conviction in pursuing our vision, even in the face of resistance.
What sets Parfumado apart in the perfume industry is our innovative use of technology for customer profiling. By leveraging data, we personalize fragrance recommendations, enhancing the customer experience. Moreover, we prioritize customer satisfaction through exceptional service and continuous improvement, setting us apart from competitors.
Looking towards the future, Parfumado's main goals include successfully expanding into other European markets to broaden our reach and serve a larger customer base. Additionally, we aim to close corporate brand partnership deals to enhance our product offerings and provide the best experiences to our customers.
We're also committed to building out our innovative tech solutions, leveraging data analytics and AI to further personalize the fragrance discovery process and improve overall customer satisfaction.
Being leaders, Parfumado is guided by core values of having fun, being proactive, and staying humble. We prioritize creating a work environment where team members enjoy what they do, boosting creativity and innovation.
Proactivity drives us to anticipate challenges and opportunities, ensuring we stay ahead in a dynamic industry. Importantly, humility reminds us to remain open-minded, continuously learn, and collaborate effectively.
We were motivated to join the Techleap Rise programme due to its alignment with our steep international growth ambition. As a company, we are humble and eager to learn from others. We believe the programme's resources and network will provide invaluable insights and support as we scale globally.
Rise’s focus on fostering growth and innovation resonates with our future goals, making it an ideal platform to accelerate our journey and learn from experienced peers in the tech industry.
