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Blitsy has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Key people at Blitsy.
Blitsy has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Blitsy is a Chicago, Illinois-based online retailer specializing in arts and crafts supplies for the do-it-yourself and creative consumer markets. The e-commerce platform operates through direct online sales, offering a comprehensive inventory of materials specifically curated for paper crafting, needlecrafts, fine arts, and home decor projects. Operating with a corporate workforce of 30 employees, the company serves a global customer base of individual crafters, artists, and hobbyists seeking specialized project components and materials. To optimize its digital marketing strategy, improve return on ad spend, and lower customer acquisition costs, the retailer has partnered with digital agency Perfect Search Media to execute targeted search, shopping, display, and remarketing advertising campaigns across multiple digital and online channels. Blitsy was officially founded in 2011 by the founding entrepreneurial team of Ross Petersen, Katy Petersen Weade, and Ryan Petersen.
Blitsy has raised $5.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Series A in May 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2015 | $4M Series A | Ellie Wheeler | AAF Management Ltd., AME Cloud Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, Brand Foundry Ventures, Founders Fund, Gradient Ventures, Hardware Club, RED Swan Ventures, Techstars, Christopher Zemina, Konstantin VON Unger, Nicolas Berggruen, Scott Banister | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2013 | $1M Seed | Chicago Ventures | AAF Management Ltd., AME Cloud Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, Brand Foundry Ventures, Founders Fund, Gradient Ventures, Hardware Club, RED Swan Ventures, Techstars, Christopher Zemina, Konstantin VON Unger, Nicolas Berggruen, Scott Banister, Binh Tran, Brian Spaly, LON Chow, Firestarter Fund, Buzz Ruttenberg | Announced |
Blitsy has raised $5.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Blitsy's investors include Ellie Wheeler, AAF Management Ltd., AME Cloud Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, Brand Foundry Ventures, Founders Fund, Gradient Ventures, Hardware Club, Red Swan Ventures, Techstars, Christopher Zemina.
Key people at Blitsy.
Blitsy was an e-commerce retailer specializing in arts and crafts products, based in Chicago, Illinois, with reported revenue of $21.6 million and a small team of 3 employees.[3] It served creative consumers worldwide by offering online access to a wide range of crafting supplies, solving the problem of convenient digital shopping for hobbyists and professionals who needed fast, reliable e-commerce options beyond traditional retail.[1][2] The company demonstrated strong growth momentum, securing a $3.6M Series A led by Greycroft and a $6.2M Series B led by Burda Principal Investments, before its acquisition by Nicole Crafts LLC (parent of A.C. Moore) in November 2017, where it operated as an independent subsidiary to enhance omnichannel experiences.[1][4][5]
Blitsy was co-founded by Ross Petersen, who served as CEO, though specific founding year details are not available in records.[1][2] The idea emerged from recognizing the potential to build a scalable e-commerce ecosystem for arts and crafts, attracting early investor interest from firms like Greycroft, which praised its web-leveraging leadership.[4] Pivotal moments included the Series A and Series B funding rounds, culminating in the 2017 acquisition by A.C. Moore's parent company, announced as a strategic move to combine Blitsy's online expertise with physical retail infrastructure.[1][2][5]
Blitsy rode the early 2010s wave of e-commerce disruption in niche retail, particularly arts and crafts, where digital platforms bridged gaps in physical store availability and global reach.[1][2] Timing was ideal amid rising online shopping adoption and investor enthusiasm for scalable web models, as evidenced by Greycroft's focus on digital leaders.[4] Market forces like consumer demand for omnichannel experiences favored Blitsy, influencing the ecosystem by accelerating A.C. Moore's digital pivot—relaunched acmoore.com in 2018—and fostering integrations with marketplaces like Zibbet for independent creators.[1][2]
Post-2017 acquisition, Blitsy integrated into A.C. Moore's operations, likely evolving within broader crafts retail amid industry consolidation, though no recent independent activity is noted beyond its subsidiary role.[1][3] Emerging trends like AI-driven personalization and sustainable crafting could shape any ongoing influence, potentially expanding its legacy in digital creative commerce. As an early e-commerce pioneer in crafts, Blitsy's path from startup funding to strategic exit underscores its lasting impact on blending online scale with retail innovation.[1][4][5]
