Did someone declare that startups would have a hard time raising money? Not for some of them. Paris Based Inspirational Stores will announce tomorrow a 10 million euros series B round lead by Atlas Ventures and OTC asset Management. Inspirational Stores offers famous high-end brands without online retail activity a full turn-key solution to give them a second life on the web starting from web presence to full logistical and customer support service.
The company was created last year by the founders of PhotoWays.com, one of the largest online pictures retail service in Europe. Since its ignition in 2007 the company has convinced 12 brands among which La Durée, you are probably aware of if you passed by their famous shop on the Champs Elysées. The whole model is based on the fact that the brands or the products are already well known and those assets are strong and unique enough (think of the “art de vivre” kind of brands) to generate interest and purchase intention/conversion. Obviously this does not put aside the basic rules of ecommerce. This is where the expertise brought by Insipirational Stores adds value specially in online marketing and customer service.
On their site the company declares having raised a total of 13 million euros – 3 more than the current round previously raised in a series A. The founders own still a majority stake in the company: so the current valuation of the round is not that bad given the current “crisis” context.
This is probably the major round table made those past years in an ecommerce startup in France and maybe one of the most important in Europe. The company is currently based in France but the next step is to expand abroad, so expect an Inspirational Store “near” you soon.
More on Fred Destin’s blog, a partner at Atlas Venture joining the board of the company or on TechCrunch France (if you read French)
It’s nice to see a start-up doing well during these tough times. It’s really INSPIRATIONAL!
Tired!
Raising money doesn’t necessary mean you’re ‘doing well,’ that’s when the hard work really begins, you have everything to prove.
13 Million Euros is close to 18 M dollars which is A LOT for an e-commerce platform.
I would like to know more about their business and revenue models.
Go back and read the post word-by-word, you idiot!
There will be a lot of private money available during these hard times. Once before I watched venture and vulture capital groups spend money when it was tough for banks. I doubt once this package is disbursed things will be much different then before. They’ll try to keep the interest rates down; which will help the little guy, and determine what to do with the everyday owners of homes that have been over assessed and have high interest rates, or interest only mortgages which will are coming due.
My only hope is that we continue to be aware that if we are not careful when things look better, there will be more to come. Cut back on personal spending wherever you can and use less in your daily utilities. We can make a difference by turning off lights in our homes, keeping our heat down and car pooling whenever possible.
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
Yes, and also keep the tires on our cars properly inflated so we do not have to import more Arab oil [as per Barak Hussein Obama.]
Grammo –What? Shameless plug.
2 quick things:
1) “Hussein” is a name of jewish origin. http://www.yout...h?v=AgHHX9R4Qtk
2) Fighting with “the Arabs who don’t like us” won’t solve our oil dependency as it represents merely 25% of our imports: http://perotcha...try-march-2008/ So what’s your next solution? Start a war with Canada, Mexico and Venezuela?
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You should go back to school. Oh wait, public schools suck because McCain cut their budget. I guess you’ll have to stay a dumb ass till you give us all TC readers the pleasure of disappearing from the face of the earth.
Lighten up, Stevie!! “us all TC readers”??? And you are quoting “youtube” -Man, you are really illiterate, plus a retarded teen…
Just go back to your sucky room, get some lotion and and get your right hand busy!!!
@Steven Dole. “Hussein is a name of ewish origin” –Of course! Let’s see: naturally, Saddam Hussein was Jewish and naturally, he prayed five times a day, towards the nearest synagogue.
The US imports about 40% of crude oil from Middle-Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, the rest from Mexico, Venezuela, Canada, plus domestic production.
Retards like you still believe that the war in Iraq was started because of oil sources… but do not worry, you are not the only one believing this crap: for children like you, terrorism does not mean much because there have been no attacks on US soil since September 11, 2001. But, then again, probably you were born after this date.
Your comment truly reflects your astounding ignorance, although you could be only 12 years old and using the computer in the den.
This is something you should really learn: before you write anything on TC: carefully read the posts and try to understand and learn something. Remember that when the big dogs play, the puppies should stay on the porch…
Peace.
@Steven Dole: “public schools suck because McCain cut their budget” Steven, this is not accurate. Unfortunately, it is a blatant lie perpetuated by, mostly, teachers and their unions.
It is true that a respectable number of teachers do not make much money, particularly in small cities and towns. It is also true that many school boards/districts across the US ask for more money because they would accept the children of illegal aliens alleging that they always care for all children and that they would not do the job of the immigration federal agency.
In the meantime, this misplaced attitude is responsible for the increase of property taxes for American citizens. This is one of the many reasons the California governor is asking now for loans from the federal government.
I would understand that you would not care to know all this. However, sooner or later, for your own sake, you will have to learn real facts, not repeating what is fed to you by liberals who do not care about anything but themselves and their twisted intentions.
A former teacher.
Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.
Phillipe, congrats on being a racist! You must be so proud of yourself and your upbringing.
Envoking the senator’s middle name, for no apparent reason (seriously, when was the last time you used John McCain’s middle name??) , is a racially tinged scare tactic that frankly shows nothing more than your ignorance and severe lack of multiculturalism.
As if you of all people has the right to insinuate that those who have Arab-sounding names are unfit to be Americans. Are there any other races or cultures that you care to discriminate against?? Seriously dude, you’ve got major racial issues if you think it’s legitimate to question Obama’s motives based on his name. I feel sorry for you.
Folks, are you all nuts? Ouriel posts on an e-commerce funding in Europe and your’re all over racism blabla and US politics? What’s the context? This is just boring, get better…