Auction site for leisure deals Grivy nabs funding from Indonesia’s big families

Jakarta-based travel and leisure activity auction startup Grivy announced today that it raised an undisclosed amount of pre-series A funding from several Indonesian family offices. While the identities of the investors were not made public, Grivy founder and CEO Jan Oudeman says that more than one of his new investors own large conglomerates in the archipelago. The startup will use the fresh capital to revamp its website and mobile app, as well as acquire more merchants, says Oudeman.

Grivy recently launched apps for Android, iOS, and Blackberry. The Android app was published at the end of last year. Oudeman says his goal for the next version is to focus more on simplicity and an easier-to-understand interface. He also plans to incorporate an Indonesian language option, which is key for any business that wants to target the local market.

Grivy claims to be Southeast Asia’s first site that lets users bid for leisure deals in Indonesia. The site is similar to Groupon and LivingSocial in the sense that it offers special deals. However, Grivy turns deal hunting into a bidding competition much like eBay. It recently closed a deal with Java Jazz Festival, one of Southeast Asia’s largest annual jazz events, a big win, according to Oudeman. In addition to concert tickets, Grivy also offers dining packages, hotel rooms, and beauty deals.

“Since our end users do not have a reference point with regards to other auction sites in the region, part of the new funds will be used to educate the market as well as to scale up operations,” says Oudeman. He adds that a strong professional network is an important aspect of doing business in Indonesia, and that he is pleased with Grivy’s new group of investors.

Grivy started as a one-man show in Jakarta last year and has grown to more than 20 employees. “Hiring and finding talent is a big challenge, but we managed to find bright individuals that are strongly committed,” explains Oudeman. “We are ambitious and are aiming to become the market leader in the region.”