FASHION shopping app Mallzee has quadrupled user numbers this year as the company capitalises on the trend for people to use mobile phones to hunt for things like the clothes they want to wear.

The company’s founder Cally Russell, who will tell a flagshop digital conference that Scottish start-ups must think big, said the business is on course for a bumper year with revenues also growing at speed.

The young entrepreneur said following a surge in registrations in the last couple of months Edinburgh-based Mallzee has achieved a 300 per cent increase in user numbers in the year to date.

He did not disclose details but noted user numbers were in six figures at the start of the year.

Revenues have increased even faster than user numbers.

“We are scaling up quite aggressively, well ahead of 300 per cent (revenue growth),” noted Mr Russell, without disclosing numbers.

Mallzee charges a commission on sales made through the app and earns income from advertising and the market research insights it provides.

Mr Russell is increasingly excited about the prospects for the firm, whose app allows people to view and order clothes from more than UK 120 retailers on line and to share information with contacts.

Mallzee has increased employee numbers to 18 from 13 in recent weeks to help implement its growth plans.

The business won a notable vote of confidence last month when investors backed a £2.5m funding round.

This was led by Royal Mail, which stands to benefit from growth in the number of products people buy on line and have delivered to their homes.

Mr Russell said having Royal Mail as an investor had already brought lots of benefits.

“It’s fantastic having Royal Mail as a partner as it really opens up a lot of opportunities. Royal Mail work with every major retailer in the UK,” said Mr Russell.

“The level of interactions and conversations we are having is fantastic.”

In February Mr Russell spurned a £75,000 funding offer from television's Dragons Den, which he thought undervalued Mallzee.

Founded in 2013, Mallzee is developing what Mr Russell described as really interesting partnerships with retailers and trialling new offerings that he thinks have great potential.

It launched in the USA last year.

Besides helping firms win business, Mallzee gathers lots of information about shoppers’ preferences.

As Mallzee has quickly won a big following, Mr Russell is confident the firm has the potential to match the success achieved by stars of the digital business scene in Scotland.

He cites Fanduel and Skyscanner, which respectively run fantasy sports and travel search businesses in Edinburgh, as inspirations.

The Dundee University graduate is looking forward to sharing some of the lessons he has learned with digital business hopefuls at the 360D summit in the SECC, Glasgow, on Thursday 3 September.

Organised by Scottish Enterprise-funded Interactive Scotland, the summit will include sessions highlighting recent developments in digital markets and what may disrupt the sector in future.

Intended to encourage members of the digital community to think globally, the summit will feature a presentation by Mr Russell on Mallzee’s growth ambitions. Nigel Eccles, chief executive of Fanduel, will speak at the event.

Mr Russell said Scotland is a great place to start a digital business, noting that people like Mr Eccles provided great role models.

Mallzee has learned to feel comfortable about setting ambitious targets given what firms like Fanduel have achieved.

“If anyone says, ‘is that possible,’ we say well those guys have done it,” said Mr Russell.

He advised people who wanted to develop global businesses: “Half the battle is having that mindset, really feeling you are able to achieve that.

“You have to really focus on how you push yourself… you really have to go out there.”

Mr Russell, whose father Michael Russell is the SNP politician, studied politics and history at Dundee University before working in public relations for Weber Shandwick.