Skip the Dealerships: Canadian startup Curbie raises $7 million and expands across the prairies, promising a better way to buy a car.
Like the tech titans before them, Curbie removes the middleman and delivers your car right to your door – no haggling, no dealerships.
SASKATOON / May 11, 2021
Curbie, Canada’s first fully-licensed online vehicle retailer recently raised $7 million in seed funding – the largest seed round in Tech in Saskatchewan history. The startup is now expanding across the prairies servicing Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba on a mission to show Canadians there is a “better way to buy a car”.
After a terrible experience visiting dealerships, researching and negotiating to help his mother purchase a used vehicle in 2017, Curbie CEO Alex Cruder knew there had to be a better way. Hearing of a U.S. company called Carvana finding success with a click-to-buy model, he knew there would be Canadians looking for a similar solution.
“The experience felt archaic,” says Alex. “We’ve seen so many industries disrupted for the better by removing the sales person and empowering the customer to shop in their own way, on their own time. It makes sense vehicles are the next frontier.”
Alex pitched the concept to friend Brent Gudelot and they co-founded Curbie in the same year, creating a web-based platform that offers carefully selected pre-owned vehicles with the best market price listed upfront thanks to machine-learning technology running behind the scenes. The software considers each car’s unique details along with other prices in the market to provide the fairest price up front, no negotiation required.
Every car listed on Curbie.ca undergoes a thorough 240-point inspection, offers a 3-month/10,000 km warranty and is delivered directly to the buyer’s door. If the vehicle isn’t a fit, a 7-day test-own period allows the buyer to send it back for a full refund, providing a zero risk experience.
“We want our customers to be in control of the car buying experience. With Curbie there is no pressure, haggling, or drain on your energy and time visiting dealerships and negotiating with salespeople. We really believe this is the future of car buying.” - Brent Gudelot
The $7 million seed round is led by Conexus Venture Capital Inc., with participation from SaskWorks Venture Fund Inc. Curbie counts among its angel investors, Dan Simair, Co-Founder of SkipTheDishes, who also acts as an Advisor to the company. Curbie CTO Paul Thomson also hails from SkipTheDishes where he served as Principal Engineer.
“The future of buying a car is quickly changing, and Canadians are demanding a more convenient and transparent process. Curbie has quickly become a market leader across the Canadian prairies, providing people with a car buying experience that’s built for their life. - Sean O’Connor, Managing Director, Conexus Venture Capital Inc.
Curbie has seen significant growth in sales over the past year, and continues to have exceptional customer feedback and reviews. We are thrilled to be working with such strong founders in Alex & Brent, who have the blended expertise in both technology and the auto industry.” - Sean O’Connor, Managing Director, Conexus Venture Capital Inc.
Saskatchewan has only continued to develop as an emerging tech hub and lately it has seemed like each week begins or ends with another major announcement. As the largest seed-round in Saskatchewan tech history, this round represents a new watermark signifying how far Saskatchewan has come as a centre for building and scaling tech companies.
This is a huge moment for us. It wouldn’t have been possible without the success of the broader Saskatoon tech ecosystem. Saskatchewan continues to punch above its weight class in the companies it’s producing. That wouldn’t be possible without the government support available, the guidance from incubators like Co.Labs, and events like Uniting the Prairies that increase investor activity in the province. The rising tide of Saskatchewan tech is raising all boats! - Alex Cruder
About Curbie
Curbie is Canada’s first fully-licensed online vehicle retailer. It was founded in Saskatoon in 2017 by Co-Founders Alex Cruder andBrent Gudelot and currently operates in Alberta,
Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Curbie promises transparent, all-in pricing, a seven-day test-own period with a money-back guarantee, and free delivery to your home or office. Curbie offers only the best pre-owned vehicles and backs that up by providing a free3-month/10,000 km warranty on every vehicle. We’re Curbie, the better way to buy a car.
Website: Curbie.ca
Social Media: @CurbieCars
Media kit with imagery can be foundhere> http://bit.ly/CurbieCarsMediaKit
For Media Inquiries: Janis Galloway | 780.965.1419 | galloway@pressandpost.com
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