Spottly, a mobile social travel app based around video has raised $850,000 in seed funding.
Investors in the Hong Kong-based startup include incubator 500Startups, Cherubic Ventures, Gobi Partners and a number of angel investors.
Spottly, launched earlier this year, says it wants to be the first video focused travel app and that funding will go towards growth in local markets as well as expansion to new markets.
The idea behind the venture is to provide a more immersive experience for users to view and share travel recommendations.
Spottly has just released an enhanced version of the service which it says is optimised for iOS8 and the Today widget notifies users know if places they have saved are nearby. An Android version will follow shortly.
Founder Edwyn Chan believes the next generation of travel guides will have to be ‘curated, instant and visual’ and claims current social media platforms do not fulfill all three.
