Emerging technology startup, Timely, today announced that Trade Me alumnus and investor Rowan Simpson has backed the company. The funds invested will be used to grow the New Zealand based product and support teams, and accelerate marketing. Simpson, who brings a wealth of experience with fast growing businesses, including Trade Me, Xero and Vend, will also work closely with the business as an advisor.
Timely is a new venture founded by Andrew Schofield and Ryan Baker, whose previous company, BookIt, was acquired by Trade Me in 2010.
Timely (gettimely.com) is an appointment system for small businesses in service industries, from clinics and salons, to tradespeople and tutors. Although the service was only launched late last year, there are already hundreds of customers in 14 countries using the software and it is growing quickly. The software integrates with both Xero and Vend to provide a complete solution for small businesses that take appointments.
Simpson says Timely has an opportunity to become the next successful software business to emerge from New Zealand. “The challenge now is to manage the next phase of growth, and I’m excited to be involved in that.”
Timely was a winner of Startup Alley at Webstock earlier in the year and was recently a finalist in the Emerging Company category at the NZ HiTech Awards. Baker says he is “stoked” with the start the business has made. “We’ve taken Timely from an idea, to a business with hundreds of customers in the first year.”
“Having Rowan come on board at this stage is fantastic timing as we ramp up our growth of the product both here in New Zealand and around the world. We’re really looking forward to this next phase and bringing a team together for the ride.”