Serial tech entrepreneur Alicia Navarro has raised £1.2m to support her latest venture, Flown.
The new digital platform provides knowledge workers with access to physical space designed specifically to make their work easier. Its members can search a curated list of properties that are fully equipped for distraction-free, comfortable work space.
These locations could be homes, hotels and retreat spaces.
Members also get access to tools and resources designed to support them with creativity and accountability.
Navarro, who previously founded the content monetisation platform Skimlinks, closed her £1.2m pre-seed round in lockdown.
The new funding being used to build out the platform, onboard remote work-enabled properties and launch across the UK and Portugal.
Backing comes from angels and entrepreneurs as part of its investor cohort, including Taavet Hinrikus (Transferwise), Greg Marsh (OneFineStay), James Meekings (Funding Circle) and Pete Cashmore (Mashable).
Working alongside Navarro, Flown’s founding team includes talent from Mr & Mrs Smith, Ometria, Quill, McKinsey’s Generation, and Resi.
Navarro said: “After leaving Skimlinks, I thought I’d have tons of time to write, think and ideate. Unfortunately, it was impossible to find spaces to do this: co-working spaces were too distracting, cafes weren’t ergonomic, and I needed a break from working from home.
“Plus, not being part of a team any longer meant I was often lonely, and struggled to get into the right mental space for thinking creatively or productively.”
Investor Taavet Hinrikus from Transferwise added: “I recognised that Flown has the potential to be a real driving force for the way we work, and for how the hospitality industry can adapt to become more resilient and diversified by accommodating knowledge workers, not just holiday-makers.”