Brainstorm Force, the company behind the popular Astra theme, has made a strategic investment in LatePoint, a commercial booking and appointment scheduling plugin for WordPress. LatePoint is currently being used on 21,000 websites, catering to small businesses such as salons, therapists, doctors, spas, and fitness studios. The plugin also offers a range of add-ons for further customization.
The CEO of Brainstorm Force, Sujay Pawar, stated that this investment was primarily made to integrate LatePoint into their products and offer it to their customers. With thousands of businesses building their websites using the Astra theme and Starter Templates every day, Pawar believes that many of these businesses could benefit from having a booking and appointment solution integrated into their websites.
Brainstorm Force’s recently launched AI WordPress website builder product, ZipWP, will be utilizing LatePoint to generate websites with appointment booking and scheduling features. Additionally, the company plans to integrate LatePoint into its Spectra page builder, which is based on Gutenberg and has over 600,000 active installs. Spectra will be updated to include blocks for bookings and appointment scheduling.
LatePoint will be integrated across Brainstorm Force’s entire product suite, including their e-commerce plugin SureCart, which will enable small businesses to accept subscription payments. The company will also include LatePoint with its automation platform SureTriggers, allowing it to connect with other WordPress apps, plugins, and services.
Pawar explained that Brainstorm Force recognized that the service commerce space within WordPress was underserved compared to platforms like Squarespace and Wix, which offer Acuity Scheduling and Wix Bookings respectively. While there are a few options within the WordPress ecosystem, such as WooCommerce Bookings and Amelia, Pawar stated that LatePoint stood out due to its exceptional code quality, modern design flexibility, and robustness.
The exact amount of the investment has not been disclosed due to a confidentiality clause, but Pawar confirmed that it is in the six-figures. He also revealed that the investment is aimed at initiating a partnership with LatePoint and potentially acquiring the plugin in the future.
Brainstorm Force currently offers over 70 products that power more than 7 million websites. This new investment is focused on capturing small business customers by providing them with fully integrated payment and booking solutions that work seamlessly with the company’s starter templates and other products.
In conclusion, Brainstorm Force’s investment in LatePoint is a strategic move to offer their customers a comprehensive booking and appointment solution. By integrating LatePoint into their products, such as the Astra theme, ZipWP, Spectra, SureCart, and SureTriggers, Brainstorm Force aims to cater to the needs of small businesses within the WordPress ecosystem. With their extensive product suite and millions of websites powered by their solutions, Brainstorm Force is well-positioned to provide a seamless and efficient booking experience for businesses in various industries.
