• ShearShare

  Participated · Seed · Oct 2020

  ShearShare is a B2B mobile marketplace that lets licensed beauty and barbering professionals rent flexible, affordable workspace with no-term leases or commission fees. The platform supports 900 cities and has grown into a nationwide marketplace serving tens of thousands of industry professionals, owners, and operators. ShearShare recently completed a rebrand, launched an improved mobile UX, and expanded educational and business resources for its user community. It offers daily liability insurance through an exclusive partnership with Lloyd’s of London. The company plans to hire a CTO and a Head of Revenue Operations, amplify self-service features, expand its on-demand rental database, and introduce proprietary analytics for small business owners. ShearShare has established headquarters at 43North in Buffalo, NY. ShearShare operates an online marketplace that lets stylists book open chairs or stations at salons and barbershops, matching supply and demand across locations. The founders launched the Dallas-based company in 2017 and have expanded listings to more than 600 cities, with chair prices ranging from about $15 to $569 depending on market. The platform processes payments for stylists via a partnership with First American Payments. ShearShare serves both stylists and salon owners rather than focusing solely on consumer booking or salon management. The company plans to roll out ancillary services for stylists, including pioneering an insurance policy to cover on-the-job lawsuits. With new funding and a Google for Startups grant, the team says it is ready to accelerate expansion and add more services for independent beauty professionals.

• KupiVIP

  Participated · Equity · Mar 2009

  KupiVIP began as a flash-sales site selling limited quantities of discounted fashion items and has since expanded into multiple e-commerce properties. Its portfolio includes KupiLuxe for luxury goods, ShopTime for full-price fashion, and a white-label e-commerce service that has worked with brands like Adidas and Mexx. The company owns and manages its logistics network — warehouses and a delivery fleet — and operates largely on a cash-on-delivery model where drivers collect payment upon delivery and acceptance. Management plans to launch additional websites and scale the white-label business (targeting 23 white-label sites by year-end) while expanding logistics capacity, including a new 20,000 square-meter warehouse. KupiVIP is focused on Russia and adjacent markets such as Turkey and is on track for roughly $300 million in revenue this year and about $200 million in net sales, projecting $1 billion in annual revenue within five years. KupiVIP operates a private-members online shopping club focused on designer fashion and luxury brands. The company secured $55 million in third-round funding, a sum the article describes as a record for the Russian e-commerce sector. KupiVIP plans to expand beyond discount fashion into broader consumer goods while continuing its discount-offer model. Management intends to blend elements of Amazon’s marketplace with Vente‑Privée’s flash-sale approach. The firm will build a white‑label platform to help Western retail brands launch stores in Russia and the former Soviet states. The expansion aims to address the difficulty Western firms have had breaking into the Russian e-commerce market, where 11 of the top 15 internet sites are Russian. KupiVIP.ru is a Russian online private-sales company that operates an e-commerce platform for private sales. The TechCrunch article reports that KupiVIP.ru has raised a $20 million financing round. The article does not provide details on the company's product features, markets served, or customer base. It does not disclose revenue, user counts, or other operating metrics. No future plans or intended use of proceeds are described in the article. Additional corporate details such as founding year and prior funding are also not mentioned. KupiVIP (KupiVIP.ru), operated by Privat Trade Ltd, is a Russian online buyers' club that organises designer brand sales in fashion and accessories. The site offers discounts of up to 70% off boutique prices and had reached 200,000 registered users since launching last October. The model is positioned alongside European private‑sale sites and targets rapid customer uptake through steeply discounted luxury inventory. KupiVIP has raised $8 million in a second round of funding from Mangrove Capital Partners, Arlan, and ABRT Fund. The company previously raised $3 million from the same investors. The fundraising reflects investor interest in buyers clubs as recession‑friendly retail models.

No current team members are available.