Online Art Market Paddle8 Secures Series A Funding of c.$4MM Led by Prominent Technology Investors Founder Collective with Luxury Investors Mousse Partners

Since its inception in May 2011, Paddle8 has formed partnerships with the world's leading museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), over 200 galleries, including Gagosian and David Zwirner, and art fairs such as NADA, in addition to prominent brands affiliated with high net worth communities, including NetJets, Edmiston and Krug. Paddle8's traffic has increased to up to 100,000 views per day, and over 2,000 carefully filtered high-net-worth individuals from over 150 countries now join its private community every month. 

With this support, Paddle8 will bolster its technological tools and experience: For collectors, Paddle8 will launch a new user interface focused on collector-to-collector engagement, dynamic editorial and customized navigation features, allowing collectors to browse an extended offering of works from different eras and mediums. For galleries, museums and art fairs, Paddle8 will roll out new tools and services, including a new point of sale transaction platform, private rooms and a set of mobile applications.

Paddle8's management team is led by co-founders Alexander Gilkes (LVMH and Phillips de Pury) and Aditya Julka (serial entrepreneur and HBS Baker Scholar), Managing Director Osman Khan ( Perella Weinberg and HBS) and Managing Editor Andrea Hill. Says, Julka, "Paddle8 has a great deal to gain from these new partners as we evolve our business to focus more on the tools offered to galleries and luxury experience provided to collectors."

Paddle8 is represented by Robert Scott of Hand Baldachin & Amburgey LLP.

For further information please contact  [email protected].