Australian community platform announces latest city expansion
Australian startup Airtasker is set to launch in Leeds city centre as part of its latest expansion plans.
Airtasker is a community platform website and app that connects people and businesses with members of the local community who are able to complete tasks to earn additional money.
Jobs posted on the platform range from cleaning homes, making deliveries and dog walking, to the more unusual such as baking birthday cakes, queuing for festival tickets and writing lyrics for a jingle.
Launched in 2012, Airtasker is the brainchild of CEO Tim Fung, who prior to launching in London earlier this April, secured £36m worth of investment to date and £18.8m in the latest round from firms including Seven West Media, Skyfield Capital, Exto Partners, Morning Crest Capital and Black Sheep Capital.
The company has invested into the Airtasker customer support team, as well as software tools such as a robot the team named Alan that identifies and disposes of any tasks that don’t fit within the community guidelines.
Airtasker have been working on its digital marketing strategy with Leeds-based agency Journey Further, led by founder Robin Skidmore.
The company currently has over two million members in Australia earning over $100m collectively, along with over 800,000 community verified reviews.
Lucas London, UK general manager, said: “After my appointment I spent six weeks in Australia meeting Tim and the 120-strong team, and learnt quickly how I can emulate the success the company has had there, right here in the UK.
“I’ve gone from working alone at my kitchen table to managing a team of seven in a matter of months.
“Leeds is a popular University city at the forefront of digital innovation. With businesses in the sharing economy already part of everyday life, plus online search data showing us a high volume of outsourcing queries are made, it was a natural choice for our expansion.”
