Participated · Series C · Oct 2019

b8ta pioneered the Retail-as-a-Service category and operates experiential retail spaces and the software that enables brands to access physical retail like digital advertising. Founded in 2015 with offices in San Francisco and New York, the company operates what it calls the largest experiential retail footprint in the world. To date b8ta reports more than 50 million product engagements and has launched over 1,000 brands on its platform. As of the article, b8ta operates 19 branded flagship stores in the U.S., will operate 25 flagship locations by the end of 2019 including its first international location in Dubai, and has seen more than three million visitors across its flagships after more than doubling store traffic in 2019. In coordination with its Series C, b8ta launched Ark and Ark Marketplace, a technology platform to let retailers and landlords run their own Retail-as-a-Service marketplaces. Ark Marketplace already powers b8ta’s 19 flagships, the reimagined Toys"R"Us stores in the U.S., The Market @ Macy’s, Forum, and other branded retail experiences for Google, Nike, Bose and others. b8ta operates physical retail stores where customers can try and discover innovative tech gadgets, with a business model based entirely on subscriptions rather than product sales. The company launched its first store in Palo Alto in December and has reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales at that location, though revenue from sales is not its core monetization. b8ta focuses on providing return-on-investment to makers by giving them tactile retail exposure for products like the Gi Flybike, Thync, Eero, August smart locks and Dash Robotics' DIY robots. The company plans to use new funding to expand reach and open larger stores in Santa Monica and Seattle by the end of the year, allowing it to carry far more inventory. Its Palo Alto flagship can carry about 80 products at a time; management expects to be working with 100 to 200 companies by year-end. CEO Vibhu Norby said foot traffic and interest have steadily increased since January. b8ta operates a technology-driven physical retail store in Palo Alto that lets customers touch, test, and compare Internet of Things products such as the Gi Flybike and Thync. The company pairs its storefront with a software product that gives vendor customers real-time conversion metrics and control over in-store marketing, pricing, inventory, and training. b8ta sells monthly subscriptions to companies for access to its retail space and analytics, and staffs stores with "Testers" who educate customers rather than focus solely on transactions. In-store iPads allow shoppers to learn about products and compare prices at online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. The founders are four former Nest employees: CEO Vibhu Norby (former lead engineer at Nest Labs), Phillip Raub (former head of global channel marketing at Nest), William Mintun (one of Nest’s first operations hires), and Nick Mann (former manager of the Works with Nest division). The company has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from venture investors and is accepting applications from companies to sell products in its store.

Led · Equity · May 2012

VIPStore Co. is a China-based e-commerce company and parent of omei.com, which sells in-season luxury and fashion brands, and jiapin.com, an established flash-sales site. The company serves approximately 2.5 million members and is described in the article as continuing to grow. VIPStore has partnered with Macy's to host a Macy's section on omei.com that is expected to begin selling I.N.C. women's and men's fashions in spring 2013, with other Macy's private brands to roll out in following seasons. Orders placed through omei.com will be filled locally through VIPStore's facilities in China, while orders placed by Chinese customers on macys.com will continue to be fulfilled through the United States. The Macy's relationship is positioned as a way for both parties to learn about Chinese consumer preferences and shopping patterns.