Collaborative Docs App Craft Secures $8M Funding - TechCrunch

Craft Docs Secures $8 Million in Series A Funding

The Craft Docs application, initially released in November of the previous year, has successfully obtained $8 million in Series A funding. This investment round was spearheaded by Creandum, with additional participation from InReach Ventures and a collective of tech entrepreneurs.

Notably, several former executives and leaders from Skyscanner are among the investors, contributing to what some are calling a “Skyscanner Mafia.”

Platform Availability and Future Development

Currently, Craft is accessible on iOS, iPadOS, and MacOS platforms. The company’s roadmap for 2021 includes the introduction of APIs, expanded integrations, and a browser-based editor.

Craft aims to establish itself as a competitive alternative to Notion, a popular productivity and note-taking application.

Distinguishing Features and Competitive Landscape

Balint Grosz, founder and CEO of Craft, highlighted the key differences between Craft and Notion. He explained that while Notion excels in database management and structured content, Craft provides a superior experience for written content.

Hierarchical content organization is a core strength of Craft, allowing users to create notes within notes, offering a flexible structure for content creation and navigation.

Craft emphasizes several advantages over its competitors:

• User Experience (UX): A focus on intuitive and user-friendly design.
• Data Storage and Privacy: An offline-first approach with real-time synchronization and collaboration.
• Cloud Service Integration: Compatibility with third-party cloud services like iCloud.
• Tool Integrations: Seamless connectivity with other productivity tools.

Skyscanner Alumni and Industry Recognition

Prior to founding Craft, Grosz led mobile strategy at Skyscanner following the acquisition of his previous venture, Distinction.

Fredrik Cassel, general partner at Creandum, praised Craft’s ability to deliver both aesthetic appeal and powerful functionality, anticipating that upcoming features will further differentiate the application.

Roberto Bonanzinga, co-founder at InReach Ventures, expressed early confidence in Craft’s vision to revolutionize how individuals organize and express their thoughts.

The Rise of the “Skyscanner Mafia”

The funding and launch of Craft contribute to a growing trend of ventures founded by former Skyscanner employees, following the company’s acquisition by Trip.com Group in 2016.

Additional investors include Carlos Gonzalez, Filip Filipov, Ross McNairn, Stefan Lesser, and Akos Kapui – all former Skyscanner leaders with extensive experience in the technology sector.

These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to support Craft’s continued growth and innovation.