Australia-based talent platform Airtasker announced that it has completed the acquisition of Zaarly, a US-based local services marketplace, for AUD 3.4 million (USD 2.6 million).

The acquisition of Zaarly provides Airtasker with more than 597,000 registered users and more than 900 verified service providers to jump start expansion in the US.

Zaarly’s team of marketplace product, engineering and operations executives will be led by CEO Bo Fishback who joins Airtasker to lead US market expansion.

Airtasker has also launched a fully underwritten placement of 20.7 million new ordinary shares in Airtasker issued at AUD 1.00 (USD 0.77) per share to institutional, professional and sophisticated investors with proceeds of the Offer used to fund the Zaarly acquisition, one expansion into key city markets in the US and UK, and the costs of the offer.

The placement is expected to settle on 27 May 2021 and the shares issued under the placement will be issued without a disclosure document on 28 May 2021.