Bark.com
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Lead generation Small business marketing Local services |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Andrew Michael Kai Feller |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | Australia Canada Ireland New Zealand Singapore South Africa United Kingdom United States India |
| Services | Market for small business services |
Number of employees | 227 |
| Website | bark |
Bark.com is a web-based services marketplace headquartered in London that was founded in November 2014 by British entrepreneurs Andrew Michael and Kai Feller.
Description
Bark.com matches service buyers to suitable service providers. It allows people to book local service professionals.[1]
History
Bark was founded in 2014 and launched in January 2015. In 2014, while seeking various local services, Feller experienced difficulty finding reliable providers online.[2] In 2015, without any funding, he and serial entrepreneur Andrew Michael built and launched Bark.com.[3][4]
In January 2015, it was announced that Bark had purchased Dublin-based skills marketplace SkillPages for an undisclosed sum.[5]
In March 2015, English television presenter Nick Hewer became Bark's brand ambassador.[6]
As of 2019, the service has 5m users across 5 markets and turned over £20m[7][8]
In March 2020, the company launched in Singapore, New Zealand and Australia.[9]
In April 2022, Bark was acquired by the private equity firm EMK Capital in a deal reported to be valued at £240 million.[10]
In 2023, Bark featured number #6 on The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing companies list.[11]
Key people
Kai Feller
Kai Feller | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1991 (age 34–35) Exeter, England |
| Alma mater | Cardiff University (BEng) |
| Occupation | Businessperson |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Employer | Bark.com (2015–2023) |
| Organization | Bark.com |
Kai Feller (born 1991) is a British businessperson who is the co-founder of Bark.com and served as its chief executive officer (CEO) until 2023.[12] Feller was born in 1991 in Exeter, England. He graduated from Cardiff University with a First-class Honours degree in Engineering. In 2012, during his final year at university, he co-founded Socialite, a booking mobile app for users to find sporting and entertainment events.[3]
During his tenure, Bark grew from zero to £70 million revenue and £15 million profit, expanding its services to several countries, including the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Ireland.[3][2] Following the 2022 acquisition, Feller continued to serve as CEO until 2023 after which he transitioned to an advisor to Bark.com.[13]
Andrew Michael
Andrew Michael (born 10 January 1980) is a British-Cypriot tech entrepreneur and founder of Fasthosts, Livedrive and Bark.com.
References
- ^ Bonsignore, Tony (2019-02-11). "I stole £30,000 from my mum to make millions".
- ^ a b "Kai Feller: Bark.com and the "Amazon for services"". MoneyWeek. January 21, 2020. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ a b c Tobin, Lucy (January 6, 2020). "Entrepreneurs: Tech pioneer Kai Feller set to expand Bark". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "Troubled Local Services Site SkillPages Acquired By Bark". The Next Web. 4 February 2015.
- ^ "Skillpages sold to Bark.com for undisclosed sum". BM Magazine.
- ^ Burn-Callander, Rebecca (2015-10-11). "The Apprentice's Nick Hewer is Sugar-free and going back to the basics of business". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ Tobin, Lucy (2020-01-06). "Kai Feller Barked up the Right Tree with Services Venture".
- ^ Garcia Merida, Nicole (2020-01-21). "Kai Feller Bark.com and the Amazon for Services".
- ^ Heathman, Amelia (2020-03-25). "Gig economy marketplace Bark's new mission is to get small businesses online during coronavirus closures".
- ^ "EMK acquires Bark | News | Client-first Webflow Cloneable". www.emkcapital.com. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "Bark.com". The Sunday Times. June 30, 2023. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ Heathman, Amelia (2020-03-25). "Gig economy platform Bark is helping small businesses get online". The Standard. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
- ^ "Bark.com | Investments | EMK Capital". EMK Capital. Retrieved 2025-10-30.
External links