Perth-based app developer Filter Squad gets $1.1 million investment

Filter Squad, the Perth-based developer behind the popular Discovr app, has secured a $1.1 million investment from a Western Australia venture capital fund, less than a year after launching.

Yuuwa Capital led the funding round into the business, which is also based in Perth. The money will be used to build Filter Squad’s engineering team and hire staff in the US.

As StartupSmart reported in June, Filter Squad’s Discovr Apps claimed the number one spot in the iTunes entertainment download section a week after launching.

Priced at 99 US cents, the app allows users search for an app they like, or choose a featured app, and then browse the interactive map to find recommendations for other apps to download.

Discovr Apps pulls in descriptions, screenshots and ratings, lets users buy them from Apple’s App Store, and includes social features to share apps and maps on Twitter, Facebook and email.

The release of Discovr Apps caused the renaming of an existing music app, which is now called Discovr Music.

The original app achieved 150,000 downloads in just three weeks, providing a stunning debut for the Filter Squad business.

Filter Squad, formerly known as Jammbox, was founded by Dave McKinney and Stuart Hall in January.

“We’ve had more than a million downloads so far on iOS” says McKinney, who is CEO of Filter Squad.

“With the release of Discovr Music for Mac App Store we’re extending our reach into an entirely new market.”

“It’s challenging and inspiring to build great user experiences for Mac desktop users, and it’s been really satisfying for us to create this app.”

“Our goal was to create an app that enhanced the way that people use their desktop machines every day, and we think that Discovr Music for Mac App Store is our best app yet.”

This article first appeared on StartupSmart.