Bristlr
 | |
| Developer(s) | M14 Industries Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2014 |
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | iOS, Android, Web |
| Website | bristlr |
Bristlr is a location-based social search mobile app that facilitates communication between bearded men and women who love beards, allowing matched users to chat.[3][4][5][6]
Overview
[edit]Bristlr was founded by John Kershaw in 2014.[7] The app is popular in Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Appearance in Dragon's Den
[edit]John Kershaw, founder of Manchester-based startup M14 Industries, pitched his dating app-building platform on Dragon's Den (season 14 episode 15), seeking £80,000 for 15% equity. Dubbed the “app that connects those with beards to those who want to stroke beards,” Kershaw impressed the Dragons with his confidence and a strong pitch despite having no revenue. All five Dragons made offers, with Peter Jones noting the startup’s deal with UK media giant Global.
After deliberation, Kershaw accepted a joint offer from Nick Jenkins and Peter Jones for £80,000 in exchange for 20% equity, valuing the company at £400,000. However, complications arose when M14 was approached by a major client offering a significantly higher valuation of £1.5 million. This led to renegotiation attempts, which the Dragons declined, resulting in the deal collapsing.
Despite this, Kershaw secured funding of approximately £100,000 from a combination of angel investors and supporters from a previous funding round. Although the unnamed major client chose to remain a customer rather than an investor, the funding round successfully closed in early December. Kershaw also maintained a positive relationship with Jenkins, which later facilitated M14's acquisition of the dating app Double. Both Jenkins and Jones expressed their best wishes for the future success of M14 Industries. [8][9]
See also
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References
[edit]- ^ "Bristlr - Apps on Google Play". play.google.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
- ^ "Bristlr, dating for beard fans on the App Store". apps.apple.com. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
- ^ "I Joined a Beard-Themed Dating Site". 22 December 2014.
- ^ "There's now a dating app for beard lovers, because of course there is". 4 December 2014.
- ^ Morris, Hugh (3 December 2014). "Bristlr: a dating app for bearded men and women who love them" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ Caitlin Dewey. "A social network for dudes with beards is kinda, sorta, accidentally revolutionizing online dating". Washington Post.
- ^ "Bristlr: Online dating for beard lovers, In Short - BBC Radio 5 live". BBC. December 2014.
- ^ "Dragons' Den series 14: Episode 15 – Dragons' Den: the Intellectual Property blog". dragonsden.blog.gov.uk. 2017-02-19. Retrieved 2024-11-25.
- ^ O'Hear, Steve (2017-03-07). "How the M14 Industries Dragons' Den deal collapsed". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-11-25.