This post was originally published on this site.
From a new-designer marketplace to an NFT-equipped wine seller, these startups are finding new ecommerce niches as we move into the holiday season.
The holiday season is upon us and while most of us are used to shopping online for our gifts, the big names – Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Vinted – continue to dominate spending.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t newer, fresher options out there. Here are a selection of startups carving out their own niche in the ecommerce world. Who knows, maybe you’ll be buying gifts for your own loved ones on one of these platforms sooner rather than later.
Cult Mia
London, UK
Founded: 2019
Funding to date: $5m
While plenty of startups have pursued the luxury branch of the fashion market, London’s Cult Mia seeks to differentiate itself by curating its pieces from a wide range of independent designers from across the world.
The company offers over 500 brands spanning more than 40 countries and says some 40% of them are exclusive to its platform. It claims that under 10% of the brands that apply actually make it on to the platform. It also vets each of them according to sustainability, minority empowerment, social consciousness and the protection of local heritage crafts.
The company closed a $5m seed round in October 2024, when it added $3m from investors including fashion retailer H&M’s corporate venture capital arm, H&M Group Ventures, to a $2m first tranche raised a year earlier.
DSTNC
San Francisco, USA
Founded: 2021
Funding to date: $2.6m
If Cult Mia is targeting the luxury fashion market, DSTNC is shooting for another specific part of the clothing industry: athletic and endurance sports apparel.
DSTNC runs what it calls a global marketplace for the modern athlete, offering high-quality athletic gear such as training tops, shoes, hats accessories and eyewear from a variety of upscale brands. Although its performance clothing can be used for multiple sports as well as running, it is particularly known for its cycling gear.
The company raised approximately $2.6m in March last year, according to a regulatory filing. It has not disclosed details of its investors.
Laced
London, UK
Founded: 2018
Funding to date: $13m
Laced seeks to cater for the sneakerhead in your life, with a Europe-focused online marketplace for new and collectible shoes and streetwear, competing with the likes of US-based StockX and Japan’s SoftBank-backed Soda.
In addition to offering a vast array of sneakers from a wide range of brands, Laced offers an in-house authentication service, essential in an industry that has become notorious for counterfeiting.
Venture firm Talis Capital was among the investors in a $1m pre-seed round for the company in 2020, before returning three years later to lead a $12m series A also featuring H&M Group Ventures.
Crurated
London, UK
Founded: 2021
Funding to date: $10.5m
Although it remains best known for cryptocurrency, one of the more interesting quirks of Web3 is its position in the collectible alcoholic beverages market, with several startups springing up to use it for verification purposes.
One of the most notable is Crurated, which brings wines from some of the world’s most celebrated producers to a member network of connoisseurs, using blockchain technology to trace every bottle it sells, guaranteeing the provenance of its wines.
Crurated secured $7.2m from undisclosed private investors – many of them among its existing clients – in 2023 as it prepared to expand its producer base outside of Italy and France. It had previously collected approximately $3.3m from wine collector angel investors the previous year.
The Jewellery Room
Copenhagen, Denmark
Founded: 2020
Funding to date: Undisclosed
The Jewellery Room aims to be the Farfetch of jewellery, curating a blend of handcrafted earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets for an online user base.
The company seeks to combine up-and-coming small designers with new trends and classic pieces. While it has a global reach, it specialises in Scandinavian designers. It also has consultants on hand to help customers find and choose the perfect gift.
Danish VC firm CVX Ventures led The Jewellery Room’s 2021 seed round, participating alongside undisclosed existing investors. The startup has not revealed how much capital it has raised altogether.
Glamzy
Mysore, India
Founded: 2021
Funding to date: $5.55m
India’s Glamzy began life as BuyEazzy, a retail app for beauty products which targeted customers in small and medium-sized cities. But it has since pivoted to a hybrid online and offline model.
The company offers both large international brands and domestic up-and-comers. It operates experience stores across 11 Indian cities where it provides makeovers and nail art, in addition to an established online presence. And online orders can be delivered in as little as 15 minutes.
Online classifieds operator Info Edge led the startup’s last round, a $4.25m series A in January last year. That round also featured Incubate Fund Asia and Singapore-based VC M Venture Partners, both of which backed its $1.3m seed round in 2022.
Joopiter
New York City, USA
Founded: 2022
Funding to date: $6m
While ecommerce companies such as eBay have taken the auction buying model as their inspiration, Joopiter seeks to replicate that of traditional auction houses – auctioning off luxury goods and art with a digital twist.
That means combining themed auctions of pop culture and fashion-focused artifacts with a marketplace for rare streetwear. It also hosts private sales of specialist one-off items.
Founded by pop star and music producer Pharrel Williams, the startup’s only disclosed funding came from a $6m seed round led by venture firm Lightspeed Venture Partners in 2022.
Astrid
New York City, USA
Founded: 2022
Funding to date: $10.3m
But what about if you don’t have the time (or inclination) to browse online? Can’t AI just do it? Well, Astrid is way ahead of you, having built an AI shopping agent it claims behaves just like a personal stylist.
The app gauges your personal style and then searches online for clothes that fit your look, giving you the links and prices so you can buy them quickly. It even allows you to search by vibe – or by uploading the image of an event invitation, so it can find a suitable look.
Originally founded as Yaysay, an app that used AI to curate a daily inventory of items, Astrid emerged from stealth in 2023 with a total of $10.3m in funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners and a range of angel investors. It is yet to reveal any subsequent financing.