# CharityStars announces plans to expand operations following €2 Million series A round

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/08/16/charitystars-announces-plans-expand-operations-following-e2-million-series-round/
- Published: 2016-08-16T09:46:14+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Online charity auction platform, [CharityStars](http://www.charitystars.com) has
raised a €2 Million series A round to expand its operations in key global markets,
led by venture capitalist firm 360 Capital Partners, A.S. Roma football player Stephan
El Sharaawy, and LastMinute Group CEO Fabio Cannavale.**

Based in Milan and with recently opened offices in London, CharityStars ended the
first quarter of 2016 with a positive growth of 120% in funds raised from charity
auctions compared to the previous year. In 2015 CharityStars conducted €1,800,000
of online sales. Among the most prominent auctions from 2015 were a power-lunch 
with the founder of Candy Crush, Riccardo Zacconi, which sold for €25,000, an artwork
by Andy Warhol which went for €27,000, a Valentino Rossi signed helmet for €15,000
and a Barcelona football shirt with a personalised dedication from Lionel Messi 
that sold for €11,000.

CharityStars now plans to expand into the US and China.With 400 charity partners
so far, CharityStars’ goal is to increase this to 2,000 charity partners by 2018
and double the average sale price, which is currently around €500.

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Francesco Nazzari Fusetti, co-­founder of the project together with partners Manuela
Ravalli and Domenico Gravagno said:

> “After the United Kingdom, we want to launch in the US and China. For the latter
> we already have several thousand users who follow our auctions and have become
> some of our top bidders. We have just launched the Chinese version of the site
> and we want to invest in targeted marketing campaigns. A paid online acquisition
> campaign would be a first for us, given that to date we have just benefited from
> free celebrity promotion through their social media channels.”

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 * **[Herdwick ewe sculptures raise £250,000 for Cumbrian charity](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/10/13/herdwick-ewe-sculptures-raises-250000-cumbrian-charity/)**(
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 * **[Marty McFly boots auction raises $6.75 million for Michael J Fox Foundation](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/10/24/marty-mcfly-boots-auction-raises-6-75m-michael-j-fox-foundation/)**(
   24 October 2016)

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