Since starting Blueboard in 2014, Kevin and I have always been borderline obsessive about creating a company with a soul - a company that stands for something meaningful; a company that empathetically cares for its employees; a company that authentically engages with and within its various communities.
Today we’re excited to announce that our community is growing in a major way, with partners that will enable us to take Blueboard and the experiences that we deliver to the next level.
We could not be more thrilled to share that Blueboard recently closed a $9.3 million Series A round led by Brent Hill and the team at Origin Ventures. When we first met Brent two years ago, it was immediately clear that we shared a similar worldview about the future of work; to both of us it was clear that there was a gap between the idealistic employee experience that top employers dreamed of providing and the solutions available to make that future come to life. I’m so glad that we stayed in touch and that our many conversations culminated in Origin’s commitment towards supporting our next stage of growth.
In addition to Origin, we are also welcoming a few more key investors to this next stage of the Blueboard journey. Martin Babinec is the founder of HR giant TriNet and a company culture mastermind who will help us ensure that Blueboard remains a great place to work as we scale. Noorjit & Alireza from Plug & Play are committed to helping us level up our global travel experiences. We’re also incredibly thankful for our existing investors Eric & AT (Bullpen Capital) and Mark & Alison (Greycroft) who never once wavered in their support of our team, and helped us navigate the challenging times of 2020 as steadily as possible.
Throughout the difficulties of 2020, the shining light for Blueboard was and continues to be our 90+ Blueboarders, who inspire us every day with the way they diligently support our customers, #GSD, and work together to make the most out of the cards that our society was dealt. For a company that defines itself by its people, this milestone is a clear testament to our team’s relentless focus, adaptability and passion. We’re tremendously proud of and thankful for each and every person on the Blueboard team, who make our work both meaningful and fun.
Since our last fundraise in 2018, we’ve had the good fortune of growing significantly in many ways. In the last year, we’ve sent tens of thousands of top employees #blueboarding in over 70 countries. People have used their Blueboard rewards to learn to scuba dive, to escape to the mountains for a family ski trip and even to coordinate a wedding proposal.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I wake up; Kevin and I are thrilled to be building a company that is creating so many precious moments for hard-working, well-deserving employees at over 200 companies, all over the world. While it’s incredibly humbling to reflect on our progress to date, this investment enables us to look forward towards the next chapter, and to focus on building Blueboard into an iconic, long-standing company.
So what lies ahead for Blueboard?
First and foremost, we’ll be leveling the Blueboard platform up for our customers, many of whom took a shot on us early in our journey. We are so thankful to the many of you who have become true partners over the years; especially those of you who have shared candid feedback and consistently worked with us to improve our technology. Though we’ve come a long way, we know we still have lots of work ahead in order to fulfill Blueboard’s full potential.
We’ll be investing heavily into our product, so that Blueboard is more scalable and more fun for all of the customers that use our product (employees, managers and administrators). We’ll continue expanding our experience marketplace globally, so that we can confidently say that we have the perfect experience for every person, no matter where you are in the world. Lastly, we’ll keep investing in our people, so that Blueboard continues to be a place where you can grow as a leader and build a meaningful career.
When we first started Blueboard, Kevin and I wrote the “Blueboard Manifesto” - a rallying cry for all Blueboarders to embrace as we built this business together. In the manifesto, we share these words that continue to be relevant today as we charge through our 6th year of building the company:
If you crave adventure, wear out these 5 words: “Yes, I’m down for that.”
Always remember – the view will be worth the climb.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading. We honestly feel like we’re just getting started. We’re insanely excited to see what the future brings. With the team we’ve built, we’re confident and ready for whatever challenges that await us.
Cheers to diving headfirst into new adventures,
Taylor & Kevin
