CPE News (3/25/2021) – Callia Inc. (Callia Flowers) has raised $1.1 million in seed funding led by Conexus Venture Capital Inc., with participation from Lex Capital Corp. and Broad Street Bulls.
Founded by Catherine Metrycki in 2016, Winnipeg, Manitobas based Callia Flowers transforms the experience sending flowers in Canada and sets out to add more special moments in everyday lives.
Over the past year, Callia has expanded from Western Canada into a national brand, going from nine cities to 55. This latest round of funding will allow Callia to further expand in its key markets and grow their team.
photo credit: Callia Flowers
News Release
Callia Flowers announces the closing of a $1.1 million seed round
(Thursday, March 25, 2021) – Today, Callia Flowers (Callia), a tech-enabled startup that disrupts the flower delivery experience, announced the closing of a CAD$1.1 million seed round, led by Conexus Venture Capital Inc., with participation from Lex Capital Corp. and Broad Street Bulls.
The prairie-based, female-founded company was started by Catherine Metrycki in September 2016. The idea came about after Catherine’s best friend got a promotion and Catherine wanted to send her flowers to celebrate but didn’t have time to call a florist or go to a local store to pick up a bouquet. The whole situation frustrated her, and she ended up texting her best friend ‘Congrats!” That was the lightbulb moment for Catherine, and in just a few months, Callia was born to help solve those little moments.
Callia does flowers differently, creating incredible experiences in cities across Canada for both the sender and the recipient. It prides itself on delivering fresh, hand-tied seasonal bouquets which customers order online in only five clicks, guaranteeing a luxury delivery experience in their signature blue box.
“We’ve seen ecommerce explode in various markets across North America over the last decade, but the floral market is a bit trickier. Callia understands the market and knows that greater scale and affordable prices cannot be traded for inconsistency or a lack of quality,” said Sean O’Connor, Managing Director, Conexus Venture Capital Inc. “Callia maintains a top quality product compared to anything we’ve seen and are doing this while growing rapidly across Canada. One of the most consistent pieces of feedback we heard from customers was how long their flowers lasted, and what a special “unboxing” experience they all received. We’re thrilled to be working with such a strong leader in Catherine.”
Over the past year, Callia has expanded from Western Canada into a national brand, going from nine cities to 55. This latest round of funding will allow Callia to further expand in its key markets and grow their team.
“We’re really excited about what the next 12 months holds for Callia,” said Catherine Metrycki, Founder, Callia. “We’ve seen substantial growth over the last two years, and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. This year we plan to triple in size and this funding will help us do that.”
To learn more about Callia Flowers, visit Callia.com.
To learn more about Conexus Venture Capital Inc., visit Conexus.ca.
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Catherine Metrycki
Callia Flowers
Phone: 204-583-2966 | Email: catherine.metrycki@calliaflowers.com
Laura McKnight
Community Engagement Specialist, Conexus Credit Union
Phone: 306-751-8201 | Email: publicrelations@conexus.ca
ABOUT CALLIA FLOWERS
Callia Flowers transforms the experience sending flowers in Canada and sets out to add more special moments in everyday lives. Flowers have the ability to share love, kindness and hope – Callia makes sending great quality bouquets simple and fast, so you can focus on making those moments happen. Female-founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2016, Callia currently delivers in six provinces and 55 cities across Canada. To learn more, visit Callia.com.
ABOUT CONEXUS VENTURE CAPITAL INC.
Founded in 2019 by Saskatchewan-based Conexus Credit Union, Conexus Venture Capital Inc. (CVC) invests time, knowledge and capital in Saskatchewan and Canadian high-growth startups, helping to fuel growth in the local innovation economy. CVC currently manages one fund, CVC Fund #1, and is building a second fund, Emmertech, slated to launch in 2021. To learn more, visit Conexus.ca.