AlleyWatch chatted with cofounders and co-CEOs Johannes Quodt and Chris Wichert about KOIO, the inspiration for the brand, the luxury footwear market, and the company’s most recent round of funding, which brings the company’s total equity funding raised to $10.3M. Who were your investors and how much did you raise? This is a rolling from our first series A where […]
Luxury
Modern Picnic is the Chic Alternative to Lunch Boxes for Women
No matter how old you are, it seems no one can truly outgrow the lunchbox, and Modern Picnic is the contemporary lunch bag for sophisticated women who care equally about the food inside as they do about the aesthetic and style of the accessory holding it. The company’s line of lunch bags is made with […]
AUrate Raises $13M for its Elegant Direct-to-Consumer Gold Jewelry Brand
It’s a quintessential New York story. Two founders were at brunch discussing their discontent with the jewelry standards – low quality, overpriced “gold” jewelry that had been turning their fingers green. The duo, who met while at graduate school at Princeton, set out to turn the jewelry marketplace upside down by launching AUrate in 2015. Founded […]
JOOR Raises Another $16M to Expand to the Second Largest Luxury Market
Currently being used by over 200,000 retailers and over 8,600 brands, JOOR is the leading wholesale platform that connects brands and retailers. Launched in 2010 by Monica Bijoor, JOOR recently closed a $16M Series C round led by ITOCHU with participation from existing investors Canaan Partners and Battery Ventures. Already in 144 countries, JOOR plans to […]
Rebag Raises Another $25M to Be The Go To Destination for Buying And Selling Luxury Handbags
Keeping up with fashion trends can feel a lot like keeping up with the Smiths, but certain luxury items will stay in fashion forever – especially if they are coveted products like the Hermes Birkin. So, Rebag has taken this mentality and translated it into a thriving “seller-first” destination for buying and selling luxury handbags. […]
The Laundress Just Sold to Unilever for $100M and Never Raised a Single Dollar of VC Money
Not a single dollar. Zero, nada, nil…
This NYC Startup is the Digital Concierge for Fine Jewelry
Gifting jewelry is a difficult task because there are tons of options and forks in the road. Thankfully Best Kept has created the digital concierge service that makes giving jewelry as a gift seamless and easy. Clients are paired with expert jewelry stylists that curate a selection of pieces based on a full-fledged customized analysis, […]
Portion Raises $5.5M to Become the Go-To Auction House for Artwork and Collectibles
This an exciting time for creatives everywhere because new applications for technology applications are creating an unprecedented space for innovation and engagement, and Portion is one of those companies. This digital auction house is built on Ethereum and IPFS and creates direct access between artist and collectors. This method provides artists with a new way […]
Women in NYC Tech: Sophie Kahn of AUrate
Are you a woman in NYC Tech and interested in participating in this series? Make sure to read the whole article… Much has been said and written about the lack of women in the tech sector, be it as investors (or associates), founders, or in management positions at major companies. Is the problem the old […]
Women in NYC Tech: Tina Hedges of LOLI Beauty
Are you a woman in NYC Tech and interested in participating in this series? Make sure to read the whole article… Much has been said and written about the lack of women in the tech sector, be it as investors (or associates), founders, or in management positions at major companies. Is the problem the old […]
This NYC Startup Brings the Diamond District To the Internet
As retail woes continue and brick-and-mortar shops continue to close down, online sales for jewelry continues to gain market share along with a few large retailers. However when it comes to buying jewelry, you may want something unique that isn’t mass-produced. Bright Society bridges the gap between online and independent jewelers through an online marketplace […]