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Online eyewear retailer offering prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses from 150+ brands.
GlassesGroupGlobal is a Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-based online eyewear retailer offering prescription glasses, sunglasses, and contact lenses from over 150 brands, operating as GlassesOnline and GetGlasses. Founded in 2013 by Christopher Strauch, former Managing Director of Zalora and CEO of Rocket Internet UK, the company provides approximately 20,000 products. Its primary mission is to expand access to designer eyewear across 14 markets, including Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Germany, and the UK, particularly in regions with limited online options. As of 2015, GlassesGroupGlobal employed 75 individuals and had raised a total of $4.5 million in funding. Its $3 million Series A round in July 2015 was led by Caixa Capital and Nova Founders Capital, with participation from investors including Skype co-founder Toivo Annus and Siegfried Drueker.
GlassesGroupGlobal has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round.
GlassesGroupGlobal has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
GlassesGroupGlobal has raised $3.0M in total across 1 funding round.
GlassesGroupGlobal's investors include Caixa Capital, Nova Founders Capital, Indico Capital Partners, Siegfried Drueker, Toivo Annus, Uwe Kolb.
GlassesGroupGlobal is an online eyewear marketplace founded in 2013, specializing in e-commerce sales of prescription glasses, contact lenses, and designer sunglasses from over 150 brands across sites like GlassesOnline, GetGlasses, Glasses, and Glasses&Co.[1][2] Based initially in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with an office in Berlin, Germany, it operates in 14 markets primarily in Asia-Pacific (Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand) and parts of Europe (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, UK).[1][2] The company raised $3M in Series A funding in 2015, led by Caixa Capital and Nova Founders Capital, to fuel expansion, positioning itself as the first regional eyewear player in Asia-Pacific and targeting the $10B global eyewear market by leveraging consolidated supply chains for low-cost scaling.[1][2]
It serves consumers seeking affordable online alternatives to brick-and-mortar stores, solving high pricing and limited access in emerging markets through a vast selection of 20,000+ products and efficient regional networks.[1][3] With 75 employees at the time of funding, GlassesGroupGlobal emphasized English-speaking markets initially to minimize costs while building traction, though it recognized the need for localized strategies long-term.[1][2]
GlassesGroupGlobal was founded in 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by a former Rocket Internet executive, likely Sebastian Strauch, who drew from his experience at Zalora—a regional e-commerce expander—to launch the venture.[1][2] The idea emerged to disrupt eyewear retail in Asia-Pacific, where online options were scarce despite booming e-commerce, by creating a dedicated platform for glasses, lenses, and sunglasses.[1][3]
Early traction came from rapid market penetration into 14 countries, focusing on English-speaking regions to keep costs low and serve broad audiences without immediate localization.[1][2] A pivotal moment was the 2015 $3M Series A round, backed by Caixa Capital, Nova Founders Capital, and angels like Toivos Annus, Uwe Kolb, and Siegfried Drueker, which enabled offices in Berlin and Kuala Lumpur and aggressive pushes into Europe.[1][2] This funding marked its shift toward global ambitions in a vertical ripe for online disruption.
GlassesGroupGlobal rides the wave of e-commerce explosion in Asia-Pacific, where digital retail was nascent in 2013-2015, capitalizing on underserved eyewear verticals amid rising internet penetration and smartphone adoption.[1][2] Timing was ideal post-Rocket Internet's regional successes like Zalora, enabling a clone-like expansion strategy in a $10B global market fragmented by high offline margins.[1]
Market forces like consolidated global supply chains favored it, allowing quick multi-country launches at low marginal costs, while English-speaking consumer bases in SEA and Oceania reduced early barriers.[1][2] It influences the ecosystem by proving vertical e-commerce viability in eyewear, inspiring similar plays in fashion-adjacent categories and highlighting Asia-Europe bridges via Berlin ops.[2][3]
Post-2015 funding, GlassesGroupGlobal eyed "global presence in all core markets," but no public updates confirm scale-up success; as a Series A firm listed "Alive," it likely consolidated in Asia-Pacific leadership while probing Europe.[2][3] Next steps could involve AI-driven personalization, AR virtual try-ons, or deeper localization to counter maturing competitors like ZenniOptical.
Shaping trends include sustainable eyewear sourcing, cross-border logistics via ASEAN trade pacts, and metaverse integrations for fittings. Its influence may evolve from regional disruptor to mid-tier global player if it adapts to post-pandemic e-commerce shifts, tying back to its core strength: bridging supply efficiency with consumer access in high-growth markets.[1][2]
GlassesGroupGlobal has raised $3.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Series A in July 2015.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2015 | $3.0M Series A | Caixa Capital, Nova Founders Capital | Indico Capital Partners, Siegfried Drueker, Toivo Annus, Uwe Kolb |