Paris-based events platform Naboo has opened an office in Singapore as it continues its international expansion.
The move follows the company’s entry into the US market earlier this year after raising $70 million in series B funding.
The event tech start-up launched its Singapore operation during the summer with a team of six staff members serving clients in Singapore and Australia. It plans to use the office as a base for further expansion across Southeast Asia and into China.
The company said its APAC expansion was driven by demand from existing global clients, including Arkema, Veolia and AXA, which “highlighted a need for events support across Asia”.
Naboo’s APAC manager, Maximilien Delcourt, said the company has also begun developing local demand and adapting its model to regional needs.
“Every new market comes with a learning curve. The first adaptations are usually legal and financial, but the most important ones concern the way companies organise and purchase meetings and events locally,” Delcourt explained to BTN Europe.
“One concrete example is the supplier commission model. In these markets, commission levels are generally lower than in Europe, which has pushed many traditional players towards higher service fees and more expensive pricing models.
“We have chosen to keep the same model we use elsewhere: Naboo remains 100 per cent commission-based, without adding service fees for the customer. That means adapting our supplier relationships and operational model rather than passing the additional cost on to clients,” Delcourt said.
While the core Naboo platform remains unchanged, Delcourt said its supplier network and supporting operations are tailored to each market.
In addition to its Singapore and Paris offices, Naboo, which was founded in 2022, has operations in Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Montreal and New York.