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[Updated] Indonesian photography startup SweetEscape bags US$1M to support Philippine expansion

[Updated] Indonesian photography startup SweetEscape bags US$1M to support Philippine expansion

SweetEscape is an on-demand photographer service for customers who want professional photos taken of their holidays

Update: Included further details on SweetEscape’s expansion plan

Indonesia-based on-demand photography startup SweetEscape announced that it has raised a US$1 million seed funding round led by East Ventures, with participation of Beenext, Skystar Capital, and GDP Venture in 2017.

The funding has been used to support its expansion to the Philippines, which marks the startup’s first foray to international market.

“Starting last year, we saw an organic growth in the Philippines market, catching up with Indonesia. As the second biggest market in Southeast Asia, Philippines became our first choice for global expansion,” SweetEscape Founder and CEO David Soong explained to e27 in an email.

To enter the new market, SweetEscape has set up a local team and partnered with local and international brands such as Citibank.

The startup is also looking forward to expand to other Asian markets, particularly South Korea and Thailand.

In a press statement, SweetEscape Founder and COO Emile Etienne also said that the startup will continue on investing in product development.

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Launched in 2016, the startup provides an app-based booking platform that enable travellers to book for freelance photography services in their destination.

In addition to holiday photography, SweetEscape also offers photography services for other occasions such as pre-wedding or family photography.

Apart from being a platform that connects freelance photographer with potential clients, the platform also enables customers to download the edited photos in less than three days via its mobile app or web.

The startup has also secured partnership with online printing service Printerous.

“Our goal is to be a global company. When we first started, we only had Indonesian clients and now, 45 per cent of our clients are international, coming from Asia and US. The need for professional photographers is global,” SweetEscape Founder and CEO David Soong explained.

The startup claimed to have secured over 2,000 photographers in more than 100 countries, with “tens of thousands” of clients around the world.

Image Credit: rawpixel on Unsplash

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