Fluffy, a pet care app helping owners to raise healthy and happy pets through training, vet care and insurance, has secured $450k in its pre-seed funding round.

The round was led by QVentures and Techstars, and included participation from several further high-profile Angel investors. This funding will be used by Fluffy to build its team, including hiring key personnel in product development, marketing, and customer service.

Founded to provide a more affordable and less stressful approach to petcare, Fluffy’s membership plans offer dog training from world-leading experts, 24/7 chats with vets and comprehensive insurance coverage for a wide range of medical expenses, including unexpected illnesses and injuries, as well as routine care. The company currently has a community of over 20,000-strong pet parents that continues to grow. 

"We're thrilled to be able to bring our vision of more accessible and comprehensive pet care to life," said Pavel Gertsberg (pictured right), CEO of Fluffy. "Our goal is to give pet owners peace of mind by taking the financial burden off their shoulders in case of any medical emergency their beloved pets may have, while also supporting them with their day-to-day pet parent responsibilities. We believe this funding round will help us achieve that goal, and we’re excited to continue growing our product."

Fluffy took part in Techstars London’s accelerator programme where it was guided with one-to-one mentorship from multiple former startup founders, assigned dedicated growth coaches and had access to capital to grow and scale. 

Harveer Bharaj, Principal at QVentures, said: “Fluffy is aiming to redefine how pet care works, ensuring that not only do the customers save money but that they also become better pet parents in the process. Since meeting Pavel and German, we've been impressed by the rate at which they've progressed Fluffy, and having now led their pre-seed round are even more excited to see what the future holds!”

Saalim Chowdhury, MD at Techstars London, said: “Watching our alumni achieve great things post-programme is always a proud feeling. The funding that Fluffy has secured will allow them to access the next step, and bring pet care to the attention of many pet owners around the UK. Under the guidance of Pavel and German, and as a valued member of Techstars’ 2022 cohort, I am incredibly excited to see the progress of Fluffy in the future, especially with the launch of their fair pet insurance launch in February.”

The pre-seed funding comes ahead of Fluffy’s fair pet insurance launch in February, which will be backed by one of the world’s largest insurers. However, pet parents can already join the app and get help with training and vet advice by downloading the app from Apple and Google Play Stores.