Britain’s leading boat hire and yacht charter marketplace makes firm move into the European market.
Britain’s leading boat hire and yacht charter marketplace, Borrow A Boat, has acquired Barqo, the Netherlands’ leading peer-to-peer boating marketplace.
The acquisition, a firm move into the European market, follows launches in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in 2021, as well as the acquisition of specialist charter brokerage Helm, and brings an additional 5,000+ boats to the marketplace, as well as a 100,000+ strong customer base.
Founded in 2014 by Thijs Janssen, Dennis van Kappen and Floris van Hoogenhuyze, Barqo is a Dutch peer-to-peer platform connecting water sports enthusiasts with both boat owners as well as traditional yacht charter companies across the globe, with the goal of making boating more accessible for all.
Borrow A Boat has access to over 35,000 boats in 65+ countries. Founded in 2016, the company has grown rapidly since formation, and has raised over £4.8 million in capital from a mixture of crowdfunding, private investors, and venture capital investors. Borrow A Boat is now planning a potential IPO in 2022, which will be a world first for a boat charter marketplace.
Matt Ovenden, CEO and Founder at Borrow A Boat, says: “After a successful 2021, including securing over £1,000,000 in investment via crowdfunding, we’re thrilled to have kicked off the year with such a firm move into the European market.
“Barqo was founded with the same mission as Borrow A Boat – a team of boating enthusiasts keen to share the joy of boating by making it more accessible, affordable, flexible and inclusive for all, and so we’re looking forward to opening up boating to even more people worldwide.
“This acquisition further reinforces our position as one of the world’s leading yacht charter marketplaces and we’re looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2022 brings.”
For more information on Borrow A Boat, or to book your own charter visit: www.borrowaboat.com
For more information on Barqo, visit barqo.co/en
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Notes to Editors:
- Please ensure all links are to the UK Borrow A Boat website: www.borrowaboat.com
- Borrow A Boat CEO, Matt Ovenden, is available for interview or comment upon request.
For further press information, please contact:
Rosie Crass | Olivia Hazelden-Kingdon | Elsa Findlay
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0) 20 3440 8930
E: [email protected]
About Borrow A Boat:
Launched by boating enthusiasts in 2017, Borrow A Boat is on a mission to make boating more accessible, affordable, flexible, and inclusive for all through both traditional yacht charter companies and peer-to-peer yacht charter. Peer-to-peer charter enabling boat owners to offset the high costs of boat ownership by reducing maintenance costs and marina fees, whilst offering consumers more affordable and flexible boating experiences.
With over 35,000 boat rentals and yacht charters available in 65+ countries including the UK, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, North America, and South East Asia, Borrow A Boat is the leading yacht charter platform.
Borrow A Boat facilitates boat rental from just £40 per day, sailing yachts from £1,000 per week and luxury motorboats and superyachts, under Borrow A Boat Plus, from approximately £10,000 per week.
Boats of all types are available for rental, including sailboats, motorboats, riverboats, RIBs, catamarans, gulets, superyachts and luxury yacht charters. Customers can choose a boat with or without a skipper, depending on their sailing experience.
All boats meet the stringent safety and insurance codes, standards, and regulations for yacht chartering in their respective locations.
For more information, or to make a booking, visit the website www.borrowaboat.com.
