Dutch motorhome sharing platform Goboony raises €6M led by Amsterdam-based No Such Ventures

Utrecht-based Goboony, a platform connecting motorhome owners and travellers, announced that it has raised €6M in a fresh round of funding. Including this round, the startup has raised a total of €10M in funding since 2015.

The investment was led by Amsterdam-based venture capital firm No Such Ventures. The firm invested in Goboony due to its expertise in marketplace models and international expansion.

The firm’s deal-by-deal investment model allows it to represent over forty individual investors in this transaction, many of them entrepreneurs, who believe in Goboony and are ready to support the company with their network and know-how when called upon.

Bart Veldman, No Such Ventures Partner, says, “Who doesn’t like the freedom of motorhome travel? In the last couple of years, this trend has only become stronger. Goboony provides motorhome-owners with the ability to share their asset with others to cover (part of) their cost of ownership or even make a small business out of it. Mark, Foppe, and their team have shown us that ‘sharing the freedom’ is their bread and butter.”

Funds for expansion

Goboony, which claims to be an established motorhome rental platform in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy, will use the proceeds to focus on further international expansion and cement its position as Europe’s top sharing platform for motorhomes.

The startup has projected that they will offer the largest European fleet by early 2022.

Earlier this month, Goboony also launched its maiden activities in Germany and France and is currently working on the launch of a new range of products across all regions, including insurance policies.

Goboony’s CEO Mark de Vos says, “In the past two years alone, the business has experienced triple-digit supply growth (236 per cent) as a result of a strong increase in motorhome ownership across Europe and the growing popularity of ‘van life’ amongst the younger generations. Our platform is an international community where motorhome enthusiasts – owners and travellers – are connecting and sharing their passion for having freedom and adventure on the open-road. It’s an incredibly exciting place to be.”

Vos further adds, “While many are continuing to adventure closer to home, we are not only witnessing motorhomes rise in popularity but, as an online platform, are seeing how our technology is pioneering the way in facilitating demand and supply issues. The recent injection from No Such Ventures allows us to take our brand, and our story, to the next level. Expanding our geography to France and Germany and enhancing our current products and services at an accelerated pace.”

“Nothing beats the adventure of the open road”

According to the latest figures by the NCC (National Caravan Council) of the UK, 16,608 new motorhomes and campervans have been registered with the DVLA in the period starting July 2020 and ending June 2021 – an 8.25 per cent increase on the previous record of 15,342 in the same period in 2018/2019 (pre-Covid). 

This means motorhomes, which are naturally ‘socially distanced’ by design, are becoming a new way for Brits to travel safely as the world readjusts and responds to Covid-19.

Witnessing this demand first-hand and wanting to encourage people to travel in the great outdoors again, Goboony pioneered its offering by developing flexible travel terms and adjusting its pricing model to allow it to adapt to changes – now and in the future. 

Freedom of motorhome travel

Inspired by Airbnb, Mark de Vos and Foppe Mijnlieff started the Goboony platform in 2015 to focus on the motorhome and camper van community. This way, camper owners can earn back what they spent to purchase and maintain their vehicles. Also, many users simply rent them out to make others happy and meet new people.

The company believes that everyone should experience the freedom of a motorhome holiday at least once in their life. Their motto is: “Share the freedom”. 

Currently, Goboony has over 5,000 vehicles on its platform and has already sent more than 100,000 people on holiday from the Netherlands, UK, Italy, and Belgium.