Yaso is a technology company.
Yaso has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Yaso has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
YASO is a London-based technology platform founded in 2022 that provides an end-to-end operating system (OS) for global consumer brands to sell directly online in China, particularly targeting Gen Z consumers via social commerce.[1][2][3] It solves the complexities of the Chinese market—such as payments, logistics, compliance, tax, analytics, and integrations with platforms like Douyin (TikTok's Chinese version), Tmall, and RedNote—enabling brands to launch and scale without prohibitive barriers.[1][5] With a recent €9.4 million (about $11 million) Series A led by Puma Growth Partners, YASO is expanding its team of 20 (blending China experts, technologists, and founders) and enhancing its tech to fuel growth in the world's largest e-commerce market.[1][2]
The platform serves ambitious, emerging category-leader brands in consumer goods, offering market entry and acceleration tools that make China accessible, driving rapid traction through social commerce integrations.[3][4][5]
YASO was founded in 2022 by Jonny Plein, James Campbell, and Adam Knight, who identified the unique challenges of China's e-commerce landscape—where social commerce dominates and differs vastly from Western models.[1] Plein, a co-founder, emphasized building a "billion dollar business" by leveraging their team's expertise in China markets, technology, and startups to help global brands scale.[1] Early backing from seed VCs and angels carried into the Series A, marking pivotal momentum, with the company now boasting a team of 20 and integrations fueling "phenomenal growth," especially via Douyin.[1][5]
YASO rides the explosive growth of China's social commerce, where platforms like Douyin generate massive Gen Z engagement in the world's largest e-commerce market (valued in trillions).[1][5] Timing is ideal amid global brands' push into China post-pandemic, fueled by market forces like rising digital-native consumers and regulatory shifts favoring compliant, localized tech solutions.[1][2] By democratizing access, YASO influences the ecosystem, empowering Western consumer brands to compete directly, accelerating cross-border e-commerce innovation, and bridging East-West commerce gaps.[3][4]
YASO is primed to dominate as the go-to OS for China entry, with Series A funds accelerating team growth, tech upgrades, and brand onboarding amid booming social commerce.[1][2] Trends like AI-driven personalization on Douyin and expanding Gen Z spending will shape its path, potentially evolving it into a full-stack global expansion platform.[5] As China remains e-commerce's epicenter, YASO's trajectory positions it to unlock billions in value for brands, solidifying its role from London startup to indispensable tech bridge.[1]
Yaso has raised $13.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Yaso's investors include Haatch, Passion Capital, Playfair Capital, Will Martin, Albion VC, Outrun Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Mathilde Collin, Mik Attisani, Nicolas Pinto.
Yaso has raised $13.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $11.0M Series A in September 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2025 | $11.0M Series A | Haatch, Passion Capital, Playfair Capital, Will Martin | |
| Jan 1, 2023 | $2.0M Seed | Albion VC, Haatch, Outrun Ventures, Passion Capital, Playfair Capital, Sequoia Capital, Mathilde Collin, Mik Attisani, Nicolas Pinto, Will Martin |