West Tenth is a technology company.
West Tenth has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
West Tenth has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
West Tenth has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
West Tenth's investors include Better Ventures.
West Tenth is a digital marketplace platform that empowers women-led home-based businesses by connecting them with local customers for personalized goods and services.[1][2][3] Primarily serving women entrepreneurs—who run 66% of U.S. small home-based businesses but capture only 4% of consumer spending—it solves the visibility and sales gap for micro-entrepreneurs lacking advertising budgets, offering a mobile app for browsing, messaging, in-app payments via Stripe (with a 9.5% commission), and business education programs.[2][3][6] The platform emphasizes unique, non-replicable products over mass-market items, bans multi-level marketing (MLMs), and supports local focus with global shipping options; top users see 35% annual revenue growth, with rapid expansion from 20 to over 600 businesses since 2019, now adding cities like Phoenix and Boise.[2][3]
Founded in 2019 by sisters Lyn Johnson (CEO) and Sara Sparhawk (COO), West Tenth emerged from the stark disparity where women dominate home-based businesses yet struggle with market access.[1][2][6] The idea stemmed from recognizing home-based work's flexibility for caregivers, particularly women who often pause careers for family; the founders aimed to create an accessible platform for "everyday talents" without needing formal credentials.[2][3] Early traction came via Kansas City TechStars accelerator, growing from 20 businesses in suburban L.A. and Salt Lake City; a $1.5M seed round in 2021, led by Better Ventures and including Stand Together Ventures Lab, fueled product development and user base expansion.[3][6]
West Tenth rides the creator economy and gig platform wave, amplified by post-pandemic shifts toward flexible, home-based work amid economic pressures like inflation and remote lifestyles.[2][3] Timing aligns with 33.2 million U.S. small businesses (46% of private workforce), where women seek alternatives to traditional jobs or MLMs; market forces like rising e-commerce (local delivery boom) and social commerce favor its hyper-local model over giants like Amazon.[2][5] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing entrepreneurship—boosting women's economic participation, closing spending gaps, and fostering community ingenuity—while supported by impact investors like Stand Together, it challenges replicable-product dominance in marketplaces.[1][2][3]
West Tenth is poised for scaled national rollout, potentially exceeding a dozen new cities annually with features like advanced social proof and global shipping to retain growing businesses longer.[2][3] Trends like AI-driven personalization, rising female workforce re-entry, and localism in e-commerce will propel it, evolving from "weigh station" to ecosystem hub as users graduate to larger ventures. Its influence may expand by inspiring similar niche platforms, ultimately amplifying women-owned businesses' share of consumer dollars and redefining micro-entrepreneurship success.[2]
West Tenth has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in March 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2021 | $2.0M Seed | Better Ventures |