Virtual platform SCOOCS secures first investment round

Virtual event and communities platform Smart, Customisable, Online, Offline, Communities for Sustainability (SCOOCS) has raised €1m in investment from business angel Sebastian Loh. The funding will be used to develop the platform and expanding the team. SCOOCS was founded by Prof Dr René Bohnsack in 2020. He used the platform to host his own conference on the topic of sustainability and digitalisation. Founded in Portugal, SCOOCS has strong market presence in the country and in Germany, where both Dr Bohnsack and Sebastian Loh are based. The co-founder and CEO of SCOOCS, Francisco Chambel (pictured), said: “The whole team is excited to have Sebastian Loh on board. Alongside the investment, his business acumen, vast network, and hands-on mentality is something that SCOOCS will immensely profit from in the next growth stage.” “Fate has been kind to us and we were able to not only sustainably grow, but also serve internationally known customers – including large corporations such as Samsung, institutions such as the United Nations (UN), the German government, and universities across the globe.” At the UN Business Call to Action (BCtA) 10th Annual forum, organisers said: “(The) SCOOCS platform was very intuitive and easy to customise, with networking options that create a sense of an in-person conference.” SCOOCS has stated that it will use the funding from Sebastian Loh to develop what Chambel’s team had already in the pipeline in line with their growth strategy’s core pillars: smart events, on-site capabilities and expansion, and communities. On investing in event platforms, Chambel explained: “Covid is slowing down, people are wanting in-person connections again. “Throughout our client base and our clients’ customers, we receive the feedback that the majority still would like to have the option to attend events online. The advantages of efficient matchmaking, community building, and seamless connection between the offline and online world are increasing.” Loh added: “SCOOCS has been a great platform for our own events. To participate in the realisation of an event and to experience the features in my own environment was definitely a booster to look into this market. I believe that there are tremendous growth opportunities combining onsite and online participants in one platform.”