CPE News (7/15/2020) – Willful has closed a new round of financing led by Tactico with participation from York Angel Investors, and from existing investors including Real Ventures.
Liam Cheung, Tactico Managing Partner will join Willful’s board of directors. Tactico will be instrumental in leading Willful’s Quebec launch.
Willful will use the funding to launch new products and expand its partner program.
Founded by Erin Bury and Kevin Oulds, Willful is on a mission to change the way Canadians prepare for and deal with death. Their first product is an online platform that makes it affordable, convenient, and easy for Canadians to create a legal will online. Willful is currently available to residents of Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Manitoba.
photo credit: Wilful
News Release
Willful closes funding to build the future of estate planning in Canada
Funding round led by Montreal VC Tactico positions company for growth
TORONTO (PRWEB) July 15, 2020
Willful, Canada’s leading online estate planning platform, today announces that it has closed a new round of funding led by Montreal-based venture capital firm Tactico. The oversubscribed round also included participation from York Angels, and from existing investors including Real Ventures. Tactico specializes in post-seed and Series A investments, and has a track record of investing in and scaling Canadian companies, including Mylo.
“We launched Willful to empower Canadians to create their estate and emergency planning documents online, and COVID-19 has highlighted just how important it is to plan for the unexpected,” said Erin Bury, co-founder and CEO at Willful. “We’re thrilled to partner with Tactico to continue to expand on our mission to ensure every Canadian has a solid estate plan in place.”
The funding will be used to launch new products that make it easier for Canadians to prepare for their own legacy, while also giving their families the tools to wrap up a loved one’s life. The company will also be investing in its partner program, building on its existing partnerships with companies including Wealthsimple, Sonnet, and CAA. As a Montreal-based firm, Tactico will also be instrumental in leading Willful’s Quebec launch. In addition to the funding, Tactico Managing Partner Liam Cheung will be joining Willful’s Board of Directors.
Willful launched in 2017 to give Canadians an easy, affordable, and convenient way to create a will and Power of Attorney documents online. To date, the company has helped customers in seven provinces create over 30,000 documents.
“Tactico has a commitment to investing in innovative Canadian companies who are using technology to make complex processes more accessible, whether that’s investing your money or creating legal documents,” said Liam Cheung, Managing Partner at Tactico. “Our leadership team has seen first-hand how difficult it is to plan for and deal with an estate, so we’re not only investors – we’re customers who believe that Canadians will increasingly need better tools to deal with death in a digital age.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Willful experienced a 500% surge in demand from Canadians interested in online estate planning and provided over 2,500 free plans to frontline healthcare workers. The company also has a core focus on encouraging legacy gifts to charities, and has partnered with charities including YWCA Canada.
To learn more about Willful, visit willful.co
About Willful
Willful is on a mission to change the way Canadians prepare for and deal with death. Their first product is an online platform that makes it affordable, convenient, and easy for Canadians to create a legal will online. The platform provides simplified estate planning services (creation of a Legal Will, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, and Power of Attorney for property), enabling consumers to create a will and/or power of attorney by following a clear step-by-step process. Willful’s platform was developed in collaboration with leading estate lawyers, and has pricing plans starting at $99. Willful is based in Toronto, and it is currently available to residents of Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Manitoba.
About Tactico
Tactico is a hands-on venture capital firm specializing in implementing strategic and tactical solutions for curated, early-stage investments. Along with providing capital, Tactico’s partners get involved in helping business stakeholders establish the future strategic direction of the company. Its leadership team has extensive experience building and operating successful businesses and navigating dynamic corporate climates. Tactico has broken down the barriers so that accredited investors have the opportunity to invest alongside us through targeted special purpose vehicles (SPVs).