CPE Media News (2/27/2019) – DOZR Inc. has closed a $14 million Series A round of financing led by BaseCamp Equity Partners with participation from FairVentures Inc., the subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (TSX: FFH) that led DOZR’s $2.5 million seed round in 2016.
Juan Carlos Mas, who partnered with Basecamp Equity on the investment, has joined DOZR’s board. Mas is chairman of Synergy Equipment and formerly CEO and chairman at Neff Rental (acquired by United Rentals for $1.3 billion).
Founded in Guelph, Ontario by Kevin Forestell, Erin Stephenson, and Tim Forestell, Kitchener based DOZR is a provider of intelligent comprehensive search platform for heavy equipment.
photo credit: DOZR
News Release
DOZR ANNOUNCES $14 MILLION INVESTMENT, PUSHES THE ENVELOPE FOR MARKETPLACES OF THE FUTURE
Canadian Startup Introduces Intelligent Equipment Rentals, Adds Industry Giant to Board of Directors
KITCHENER, Ontario – February 27, 2019 – DOZR, the world’s first intelligent comprehensive search for heavy equipment, today announced it has closed on its $14 million (CAD) equity financing. After years of continued growth and winning second place at Connecticut’s Global Venture Challenge in 2018, the Canadian startup has closed its Series A round. BaseCamp Equity Partners led the round with participation from FairVentures Inc., the subsidiary of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited that led DOZR’s $2.5 million (CAD) seed round in 2016.
Moving into its fourth year, DOZR is leading the next generation of marketplaces to provide an unmatched user experience. This vision is shared by Florida-based construction mogul Juan Carlos Mas, who partnered with Basecamp Equity on the investment and has joined DOZR’s board. Mas was formerly CEO and chairman at Neff Rental (acquired by United Rentals for $1.3 billion), CEO and chairman of Synergy Equipment, and former executive at MasTec, one of the nation’s leading contractors for the construction and engineering of natural gas power plants, wind farms and solar energy facilities. Through his various affiliated entities Mas is one of the largest purchasers of construction equipment in North America.
“We’ve been working hard to deliver an unmatched user experience that benefits every part of the construction industry,” said Kevin Forestell, CEO and co-founder of DOZR. “As marketplaces evolve beyond peer-to-peer and user expectations grow, this investment and the insight we’ll gain from having JC’s participation will enable us to push the boundaries of what a marketplace in the sharing economy can be.”
Today’s marketplace users expect more and DOZR is ready to deliver. Powered by AI and machine learning, DOZR gives its users unparalleled access to price and availability data from a wide range of equipment owners across the industry. DOZR is the only equipment rental platform to offer this level of transparency to its users. DOZR is also creating opportunities for micro-entrepreneurs and other parties to invest in equipment and create new business from it.
DOZR knows marketplaces of the future will open up new opportunities to various parties beyond the peer-to-peer networks we see today. As one of DOZR’s new board members, Mas agrees.
“I believe the future of equipment rentals is online and like how DOZR is opening up the industry and making it more efficient,” said Mas. “Unlike other sharing economy platforms DOZR is going beyond P2P to connect the entire industry – contractors, rental houses, and OEMs – ushering in the next generation of marketplace to give contractors the best possible experience.”
Further Information:
Rebecca Grieb
rgrieb@dozr.com
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About DOZR
DOZR is the world’s first intelligent comprehensive search for heavy equipment. The company’s mission is to bring heavy equipment within reach for anyone, anywhere, anytime. DOZR leverages technology to empower contractors across North America to run their businesses more efficiently. DOZR’s search engine algorithm is powered by over 3 million signals to provide the most comprehensive and accurate pricing and availability data in the market.
www.DOZR.com