Due to the coronavirus crisis, a mix of home office and office presence has become the new normal for many companies. However, this presents companies with the challenge of managing this hybrid office and helping teams stay connected. Founded in 2020, the startup Seatti has developed a software solution for this. Originally launched as a transaction marketplace to help employees find workspaces in unused spaces (e.g., empty hotel rooms), Seatti pivoted in February 2021 with a new SaaS product.
The startup has now received 500,000 euros in a pre-seed financing round. The money comes from Peak (formerly Peak Capital), the Berlin-based HPI Seed Fund, and angel investor Ralph Müller. With the investment, the Startup for the development of new product features, the expansion of the customer portfolio and the expansion of the sales and development team.
Christopher Bieri, Co-Founder and CEO of Seatti, explains:
"Even before the coronavirus crisis, during my time as a project manager at Tesla, I came across new work concepts like desk sharing and hybrid remote work. I never knew where a space would be available in the office or which colleagues would be on-site – that's when the idea for Seatti came about. Over the past year and a half, the transition to hybrid work models has developed at a pace that was previously unimaginable – 92 percent of companies will switch to hybrid work in the future. Seatti supports them in this transition. We ensure that every employee knows at all times where a flex desk is available, which colleagues are working nearby, and when they can meet in person. At the same time, companies can use the booking data to develop an optimal office model and save on rental costs."
Seatti was able to quickly convince large companies
Johan van Mil, Co-Founder & Managing Partner Peak, says:
"We've been closely observing the Seatti team over the past nine months and have seen how quickly they were able to adapt their product and business model. We were completely convinced when they succeeded in winning over customers like Osram, Sartorius, and BDO – large companies that are often difficult and time-consuming to convince. Office space is not a thing of the past. Colleagues still want to meet and collaborate in person; working from the office will just no longer be the default option. Companies need a tool to manage such a hybrid workforce and obtain information about office capacity. This is the only way they can optimize their office space while offering flexible workspaces to connect their employees. We believe Seatti provides the perfect tool for this."
