Susanne Najafi's Bold Move in the Tech Startup Scene
Disrupting Ticket Rental with Innovative Solutions
On her website, Tickital describes itself as “the app that encourages change.” Users on the company's platform can rent or sublet public transport and sports event tickets, offering a unique way to save or earn money.
Founded by Saliou Sall, who reached the finals in Bling and Breakit's Shiftnåre initiative in 2021, Tickital was pitched during Thursday’s episode of SVT’s Draknästet. Seeking 1.5 million SEK for 4% of the company, the initial valuation was set at 37.5 million SEK.
“In my family, bus passes often lay on the hall table, and sharing it outside the home was not possible. We’ve solved that now,” said Sall.
Najafi's Vision on Market Opportunities
Guest dragon Susanne Najafi – a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist with Backing Minds – was impressed. “It sounds like you’ve found an arbitrage opportunity,” she noted, adding, “Often, arbitrage is there until the system discovers it, then it can disappear. What does it look like in this case?”
Sall countered, emphasizing that sharing tickets allows for cost-sharing, enabling more individuals to purchase tickets.
- “Take monthly passes as an example. If you work from home during the week, it’s not worth having one; many won’t buy it. With our service, it’s a 'no-brainer',” he explained.
- Tickital was founded at the end of 2019, and in its first year reportedly made 25,000 SEK. Today, they boast a revenue of 4.2 million SEK and approximately 50,000 registered users on the app.
The Investment Deal and Future Prospects
So far, 7 regions have joined the platform. “You will solve this, but I’m not sure you need more cooks, so I’ll pass,” commented dragon Evelina Anttila, a lawyer and CEO at Wellstreet.
However, both Susanne Najafi and fellow dragons Jonas Tellander and Shervin Razanin jumped on board. After a discussion about a joint investment and a few bids, they reached an agreement.
“After 40 minutes, we have a deal. Exciting!” exclaimed Storytel's Jonas Tellander, standing up for a hug.
After Sall left the room, Razani revealed that he quickly made up his mind about investing. “For me, it became clear early on that this was investable, as I had seen it in football apps with ticketing and found it to be a smart service,” he said.
This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.