Parlon, the fastest-growing salon and wellness tech platform in the Philippines, is set to accelerate user growth and kick off Southeast Asian expansion after raising over $400,000 in a successful pre-seed funding round.
Parlon has the widest network of salon and wellness centers in the Philippines. This unprecedented success of onboarding over 500 salon and wellness brands and reaching over a thousand branches nationwide highlights the company’s ability to cultivate valuable partnerships. More than that, it also shows how they’re able to deliver cutting-edge technology, solidifying its position as a market leader in the field.
Parlon, the first-of-its-kind B2B2C beauty and wellness platform in the Philippines, equips its merchants with a software solution that empowers them to streamline operations, implement a CRM system, automate Viber and SMS reminders, and efficiently manage and accept bookings and payments both online and offline. On the side of consumers, they can conveniently discover, book, and buy salon and wellness services in a fun and rewarding way through Parlon’s website and mobile app.
Parlon’s pre-seed funding round was participated by WIP Global Ventures, A2D Ventures, and a group of esteemed angel investors. It’s also a source of pride for a female-led and She Loves Tech alumni startup like Parlon where more than half of its investors are women.
WIP Global Ventures, founded by seasoned startup operators with a track record of successfully launching and scaling high-growth ventures, specializes in investing in early-stage startups at the forefront of technological innovation. Meanwhile, A2D Ventures has rapidly emerged as Southeast Asia’s premier platform for early-stage startup investments. The platform serves as a vital conduit, linking esteemed angel investors and family offices to startups that are shaping the future of the region’s digital landscape.
Supporting Parlon’s ambitious vision is a cadre of angel investors whose expertise is demonstrated by their past successes. These include scaling high-impact companies like Canva, Taxumo, and Mediclick, as well as establishing a diverse portfolio in the beauty and dining sectors.
Prior to establishing Parlon, founders Kristine Claire Ongcangco and Miko Cornejo had amassed a wealth of experience in developing tech products for businesses and startups. Their first venture, Concept Machine, is a pioneering digital and software solutions agency that has been in the industry for more than a decade. They have served some of the biggest conglomerates and top startups in the Philippines.
Ongcangco shared her personal pain point that inspired the creation of Parlon. “I needed a place where I could browse salon services, view their prices, book appointments, and make purchases with ease—similar to the convenience I experience when shopping on e-commerce platforms. The idea for Parlon emerged while I was pursuing my law degree. I waited for someone to revolutionize this sector for both consumers and merchants. However, it appears that the world was actually waiting for me to break through barriers and muster the courage to finally launch Parlon. The Philippines was the perfect starting point with more than 16 million Filipinas aged 20-39. Our journey doesn’t end in the Philippines; Southeast Asia, and beyond, deserve to experience Parlon.”
This dynamic team of forward-thinking entrepreneurs embraced the spirit of bootstrapping in order to bring their innovative ideas to life. By initially utilizing their own resources and assiduously investing their time and skills, Ongcangco and Cornejo have scaled Parlon to greater heights, and continue to do so.
Cornejo delved into the intricacies of the salon and wellness service sector, stating, “The salon and wellness service industry has long been underserved. This industry is a niche on its own. Often, it has been treated as an additional vertical or category on platforms. This compels the salon and wellness industry to handle tasks manually or adapt to the tools available out there. This beautiful industry deserves its own platform that revolves around how it operates. With Parlon, they take the spotlight, and we design and ship features to help them grow, innovate, and make their operations more efficient.”
Dylan Keota, the Chief Investment Officer at A2D Ventures, eloquently underscores the company’s investment philosophy and faith in Parlon’s founders with the following statement:
“At A2D Ventures, our conviction is that the strength of a startup’s founders is often a pivotal factor in determining its ultimate success. In the case of Parlon, Claire and Miko’s backgrounds stood out as exceptionally relevant, informing a well-thought-out marketplace model for the beauty and wellness industry. Throughout her pitch, Claire displayed an in-depth understanding of the challenges faced by consumers in the Philippines who are frustrated by the difficulties of discovering and purchasing curated beauty and wellness services locally. She also highlighted the struggles merchants face in attracting and retaining a loyal customer base.
Although Parlon is still in its nascent stages, the strategic acumen displayed by its founders in prioritizing key business components—such as Fintech integrations, CRM (SaaS) development, and brand partnerships—gives us great confidence. We are persuaded that Claire and Miko possess the intelligence and execution capability needed to scale Parlon into a significant player in the marketplace.”
Today, Parlon is the first and only beauty platform to have secured an Operator of Payment System license from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. It has forged strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as GCash, Grab, Google, Globe, Sodexo, Shopback, and Sharetreats as part of its promise to make beauty and wellness more accessible to every Filipino and Filipina.
Kei San Pablo-Mercado of WIP Global Ventures remarks, “The beauty and wellness industry has witnessed a considerable transformation in recent times. The influx of novel products and services for consumers, coupled with the surge in user-generated content, has instigated a change in demand dynamics and buying influences. Parlon is perfectly positioned amidst this change, aspiring to intertwine a traditionally oriented industry with technology via its platform, community, and alliances.”
Parlon is also proud to be the first and only Philippine company, so far, to be in partnership with Reserve with Google. This gives users an unparalleled booking experience within Google that is fully integrated with Parlon.
And in an exciting feat, Parlon recently launched Parlon Singapore (www.parlon.sg), marking yet another significant milestone in its journey. This expansion is poised to redefine the salon and wellness landscape in Lion City, fostering a new era of convenience, accessibility, and elevated experiences for both customers and salon professionals.
With Parlon’s pre-seed funding, the company will continue dominating the Philippine market by onboarding more salon and wellness partners, investing in user growth campaigns, and developing an even stronger technology platform with new and exciting features. With the perfect fusion of innovative technology and unwavering dedication to solving the needs of its users, Parlon is on the path to becoming the foremost choice for all beauty needs not just locally but also on the global scene.
