Thumbtack, which operates an online community marketplace where people can easily list and book local services, has raised $4.5 million in Series A funding, TechCrunch has learned. The round was led by Javelin Venture Partners, with MHS Capital and venture capitalist Tim Draper participating.
Founded in 2009, Thumbtack aims to “make hiring a service professional as easy as it is to buy a book on Amazon.com”. It’s up against startups like Redbeacon and OpenChime, among others.
It seems users have had no trouble finding their way to their website. Thumbtack says a new user has signed up every minute of every day for the last six months, on average.
The company also says 240,000 local merchants (carpenters, life coaches, wedding photographers, babysitters, math tutors, makeup artists and whatnot) have listed on Thumbtack.com to date, or roughly half as many registered merchants one can find on review site Yelp.
Thumbtack currently has 8 employees but plans to use the additional capital to hire more.
At Thumbtack we believe there’s a better way to hire local service professionals. Tell us what you need. We’ll identify verified service pros based on your specific needs. Available service pros will submit quotes for you to compare. You choose and hire the service pro that’s right for you. We’re excited to be helping with life’s bigger moments, like planning a wedding or remodeling a home, and with more regular jobs, like cleaning your house or getting a massage. We also help with...
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