A London-based app business looking to become a “Shazam for art” has raised £1.5m in a funding round.

Founded in 2015, Smartify is an app and digital platform that partners with leading arts and cultural institutions worldwide to enhance visitors’ experience with audio and visual guides.

The firm said the investment will accelerate Smartify’s mission to improve how museums and visitor attractions connect with their audiences with digital solutions. It will facilitate new collaborations and ensure that everyone can engage with arts and culture in a meaningful way.

Smartify now partners with over 700 organisations worldwide, including the National Gallery, the Acropolis Museum, the Tower of London and other leading international heritage sites and attractions.

Smartify said usage of its iOS, Android and web apps grew 68% year-on-year over the past year. More than two million active users played more than 14.3 million audio tour tracks and explored 1.7 million objects.

The round was led by Metavallon VC, with participation from Pembroke VCT, and advised by Mountside Ventures.

George Karantonis Partner at Metavallon VC, said: “Smartify already boasts an impressive clientele that includes some of the world’s leading museums.

“We are confident they will continue their international expansion, but in addition to this, our vision is to see Smartify become the app of choice for travellers to search, select, and consume cultural content. We strongly believe the team has both the capability and the plan to achieve this ambitious goal.”

Thanos Kokkiniotis, CEO of Smartify, added: “This funding follows a truly remarkable year for Smartify, and is a significant vote of confidence in our work to make arts and culture more accessible and more enjoyable.”

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