FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Traina Interactive Corporation Announces $12 M Round of Series A Funding for Experiences Marketplace IfOnly.com
Silicon Valley’s Top Tech Leaders Join Forces to Enable Ultimate Charitable Emporium Where World’s Top Talents Offer Unimaginable Experiences
SAN FRANCISCO (October 28, 2013) – San Francisco-based e-commerce start-up Traina Interactive Corporation today announced a $12 M Series A funding for experiences marketplace IfOnly.com, a premium online charitable platform that offers exclusive experiences to people passionate about food, wine and spirits, sports, entertainment, travel, and the A-list luminaries who stand at the forefront of each passion. The round was led by New Enterprise Associates, Inc. (NEA), along with Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, American Express Ventures and the Advance/Newhouse arm of CondeĢ Nast. Angel investors include: Allen & Co.; Yahoo! President and CEO Marissa Mayer; salesforce.com Founder, Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff; Yelp Co- founder/CEO Jeremy Stoppelman; SurveyMonkey CEO David Goldberg; Facebook investor Yuri Milner; and Zynga Co-founder Mark Pincus; as well as other luminaries.
The capital will be used to establish IfOnly as the first-of-its-kind marketplace for experiences. To accomplish its mission, Traina Interactive Corp. developed a unique multi-dimensional platform with five patents pending and assembled a team of experts to curate experiences as well as manage customer expectations to the highest levels.
"My vision is simple, which is to connect customers with the World’s top talents while also giving back,” said Traina. “Our Series A investors represent the finest group possible to help IfOnly realize that vision. They epitomize the highest levels of tech and lifestyle expertise, and we can think of no greater honor than their votes of confidence."
NEA General Partner Tony Florence will join the company’s board. Keith Rabois, investment partner at Khosla Ventures, and Harshul Sanghi, Managing Partner of American Express Ventures, will join as observers. The board also includes Traina Interactive Corp. Founder/CEO Trevor Traina, One Kings Lane Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Alison Pincus, and Clear Channel Entertainment Enterprises President John Sykes.
“IfOnly unites two of the most important trends in ecommerce and digital media -- the rise of 'experience commerce' and the reinvention of the online marketplace -- and brings them to a whole new level," said Florence. "The concept of brokering experiences, of bringing the unattainable into the realm of possibility, is a powerful one. We think IfOnly is a frontrunner in a whole new online market segment. Trevor Traina is a proven entrepreneur with the right combination of vision and talent, and we are delighted to partner with him.”
“IfOnly is the first marketplace that connects each of us to the most accomplished people in the pursuits that we love,” said Rabois. “For the first time, anyone can craft an extraordinary experience with just a few clicks.”
To date, IfOnly has collaborated with Kobe Bryant, Richard Branson, Andre Agassi, Joe Montana, Madonna, Shakira, Greg Norman, Screaming Eagle, Alice Waters, Amitabh Bachchan, and other top luminaries in food, wine, sports, music and entertainment. IfOnly luminary experiences range from chance-of-a-lifetime experiences with the world’s greatest athletes; private dinners prepared by Michelin-starred chefs; Napa Valley helicopter tasting tours led by legendary winemakers; and luminary attendance at an IfOnly member’s corporate or charity event; to signed, personalized memorabilia; exclusive entertainment experiences; and rare travels to remarkable destinations. IfOnly “dream experiences” also can be customized at the member’s request -- making the impossible possible. For every item or experience sold, at least 10 percent of an experience fee will be donated to the luminary’s 501(c)3 charity of choice. In addition to the luminary experiences available to members, IfOnly offers one-of-a-kind gifts for purchase by the general public.
For more information, please visit www.IfOnly.com .
About IfOnly
Founded by noted serial entrepreneur Trevor Traina, Founder/CEO of San Francisco-based e- commerce startup Traina Interactive Corporation, IfOnly is a premium online charitable platform that offers exclusive experiences to members passionate about food, wine and spirits, sports, entertainment, travel – and the A-list luminaries who stand at the forefront of each passion. IfOnly offers dream experiences at every price point, with a trusted charity benefitting from every purchase.
## #
Media Contacts: Danielle Mayer, Colleen Gallagher, Erica Bureau or Natalie Cairo at Glodow Nead, (415) 394-6500