China-based on-demand manicure service Helijia has secured RMB 30m ($5m) in a series A round led by technology research and media company International Data Group (IDG), Technode has reported.
The funding will enable the company to expand its 200-strong crew of manicurists, and to expand from the cities of Beijing and Shanghai to Shenzhen.
Founded in April 2013, Helijia operates an app for iOS and Android that offers book-on-the-go manicures, for which users can pay through e-commerce Alibaba’s payment service, Alipay.
Helijia has however reportedly generated losses of almost 170,000 per month, as the company has never charged manicurists commission.