Appétit doesn’t have a demand problem.
The Buffalo-based startup – which has built a software-based delivery service for restaurants – regularly hears from groups and businesses in other markets.
And in Western New York, eateries are quick to drop percentage-based solutions for Appétit’s flat monthly fee, he said.
The issue is bandwidth, as CEO Steve Ambrose tries to both run the business and grow it at the same time.
He’s had some promising conversations with local investors, but Ambrose is keen to capitalize quickly on an opportunity that he believes can quickly grow to a regional, then national, solution.
That’s why Appétit is turning to Wefunder, a crowdfunding platform where startups can raise money from investors that aren’t accredited. Just about anyone can log on and make an equity investment, just like an angel investor or venture capitalist would.
“This is a community-based business, and it’s going to be pretty cool to see whether there are people in Buffalo who like what we’re doing and want to have a stake in something cool,” Ambrose said.
For all things Buffalo innovation and startups, sign up now for The Beat, Buffalo Inno's once-a-week newsletter.
The campaign, which officially went live Oct. 6, seeks to raise $250,000.
Ambrose said the cash will allow him to hire support staff and marketing personnel to support in-market growth and expansion to other markets.
Appétit recently licensed its app to a group in Rochester, netting a $50,000 fee, which is allowing it to finish development on a mobile app. Ambrose said the company has done more than $600,000 in sales since it launched in late 2020 with a clunky web-based app. The new mobile app, scheduled for release in December, will allow the company to communicate directly with customers about deals, new restaurants and more.
“The app will give us a very clear marketing plan, lower our cost of customer acquisition and make it much easier to keep our customers engaged,” Ambrose said. “Right now we have 9,500 registered users but no effective way to engage with them. But soon we’ll be able to showcase push notifications and promos.”
Appétit is the brainchild of Ambrose and longtime restaurant/liquor license consultant Bob Heil. Sam Marrazzo is serving as its technical advisor while Brooke Murgia is doing design and marketing work.
