London-based gifting platform The Go-To has raised £500,000 in pre-seed funding just a few months after being launched.
The funding was led by angel investors including AA & Sons, Afflelou’s Family Office (Lydia, Universal Standard), Michele Faissola (Printemps Group Board Member), Fergal Mullen (General Partner at Highland Europe).
Launched at the end of March 2022, The Go-To offers a one-stop solution for identifying personal and curated gifts based on recipients’ lifestyles and interests.
It was founded by Paris-born, London-raised entrepreneur Victoire Tardy-Joubert to provide independent brands and customers alike with a consolidated online platform for unique luxury gifts and become the ‘go-to’ destination for gifting.
Research shows that 94% of people look for inspiration when buying a gift, 50% of UK adults dislike at least one gift they receive a year and over 11 hours are spent on average looking for gifts during the holiday season.
Tardy-Joubert said: “The Go-To cuts through this hassle to deliver inspired gifts that speak to every personality. Our items are carefully curated from the finest independent designers and artisans around the world – to redefine gifting as we know it.
“Our goal with The Go-To is to offer a consolidated online platform for truly unique and thoughtful gifts, so that customers stop falling back on impersonal ideas due to lack of time or inspiration.”
The Go-To challenges the traditional model by taking the focus away from key trading days, such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, to create a year-round destination which focuses on the detail and thoughtfulness that go into choosing a meaningful present.