Italic is a technology company.
Italic has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round.
Italic has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Italic has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Italic's investors include 2xN, Color Capital, CrunchFund, Ali Tamaseb, ENIAC Ventures, Founders Fund, Greenoaks Capital, Heartcore Capital, Index Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Paradigm, Raine Ventures.
Italic is an online marketplace that connects consumers directly with premium manufacturers, offering high-quality luxury goods like apparel, shoes, bags, accessories, home essentials, fitness gear, and kitchenware at significantly reduced prices by eliminating brand and retail markups.[1][2][4] It serves value-conscious shoppers seeking "luxury without labels," providing durable, sustainable products through an annual membership model, with reported revenue around $30M and partnerships with over 100 global manufacturers across the US, Europe, and Asia.[1][2][5] The platform solves the problem of inflated luxury pricing by adopting a Consumer-to-Manufacturer (C2M) model, where manufacturers retain inventory ownership and higher margins, fostering direct access to craftsmanship typically reserved for high-end brands.[1][3]
Italic was founded in 2018 by Jeremy Cai, a serial entrepreneur whose family has deep roots in Chinese manufacturing, giving him firsthand insight into industry challenges like slim margins eroded by brands and retailers.[1][2][3] After interviewing hundreds of manufacturers in China, the US, and Europe, Cai launched the marketplace in November 2018 alongside a $13M funding round backed by investors including Comcast, GFC, Index, Ludlow, and Kindred.[1] Early traction came from its membership-only model emphasizing exclusive, label-free luxury; a pivotal shift occurred in November 2021 with a $37M Series B led by Canaan, joined by angels like Figma CEO Dylan Field, opening the platform to all users and iterating toward a broader "everything store" for value-driven purchases.[1]
Italic rides the C2M wave—pioneering in the West a model that disintermediates brands and retailers, empowering manufacturers amid rising e-commerce and supply chain digitization trends.[1][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic consumer shifts toward value luxury, sustainability, and direct sourcing, fueled by market forces like inflated retail prices and global manufacturing resilience.[1][2] By modernizing supply chains with tech (e.g., forecasting, inventory tech), it influences the ecosystem as a "next everything store," challenging D2C norms, boosting manufacturer viability, and redefining luxury retail for 100+ partners.[1][3][4]
Italic's trajectory points to marketplace expansion, deeper C2M integration, and category growth (e.g., more home, fitness, travel), leveraging proprietary tech for scale and new private-label tools.[1][3] Trends like AI-driven forecasting, global supply chain automation, and membership e-commerce will propel it, potentially evolving influence as a manufacturer empowerment platform amid luxury democratization. As the vanguard bringing C2M West, Italic exemplifies how tech redefines luxury accessibility, turning manufacturer challenges into consumer wins.[1][3]
Italic has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series A in November 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2018 | $15.0M Series A | 2xN, Color Capital, CrunchFund, Ali Tamaseb, ENIAC Ventures, Founders Fund, Greenoaks Capital, Heartcore Capital, Index Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Paradigm, Raine Ventures, Scalar Capital, The Hit Forge, Treble Capital, Wing Venture Capital, Jaime Schmidt, Matt Mazzeo, Mike Vernal, Riccardo Zacconi, Vitalik Buterin |