Online retail is booming and not just because of Covid-19. Amazon and other large platforms are competing with successful web shops, and increasingly also with social media channels, for consumer attention. This not only makes the market bigger, but also more complex.
“The Stryze Group” continuously seeks out the latest customer-centric product developments and innovative solutions to both enhance and professionalise the business. The Berlin-based team develops new products every month and acquires authentic brands and products from external business owners. The group’s focus is firmly on people and the passion that drives them. The Human-to-Human (H2H) business model is set to propel the already rapidly growing e-commerce business, founded in 2012 by Sebastian Funke and Sascha Krause, to new heights.
H2H means that Stryze consists of analytical, creative and entrepreneurial humans who develop and optimize products for other humans with fun and passion. Successful brand-builders who share that philosophy are now able to partner with Stryze. They can contribute their business to the Stryze family and thus benefit from the capital, expertise and growth momentum of the Stryzers.
Sebastian Funke, co-founder and CEO of The Stryze Group: “Our business philosophy is that commerce in the 21st century should be data-driven, platform-specific, and human-centered at the same time. That is what H2H is all about.”
The concept put-forth by the Stryzers also convinced three investors. Upper90, a fast-growing American investment fund focused on equity and debt investments in the technology sector. Alstin Capital, the Munich-based venture capital fund led by Carsten Maschmeyer and his partners, brings significant equity investment, operational resources and extensive experience to the table. Another German institutional investor rounds out the group of investors. Collectively, the three parties have invested around 100 million USD – and that is just the beginning! The group’s vision is to become one of the worlds’ leading e-commerce players within the next five years.
Noel Zeh, partner at Alstin Capital and responsible for the investment said: “The well-balanced and experienced team behind The Stryze Group convinced us. The business model requires deep experience in the e-commerce value chain and a strong drive for perfection in order to accelerate growth inorganically through acquisitions. And these are exactly the skills we see in Taro, Sascha, Mark and Sebastian.”
About The Stryze Group
The Stryze Group is a Human-to-Human (H2H) E-Commerce Holding founded in December 2020 by Sebastian Funke, Sascha Krause and Dr. Taro Niggemann in Berlin. Sebastian Funke is a serial entrepreneur and, together with Sascha Krause, founder of a Berlin e-commerce company selling various high-quality private label products across Europe and the USA. Dr. Taro Niggemann is a former investment banker and angel investor. Mark Hartmann, investor and former venture partner at Project A Ventures, supports the group as a strategic advisor.
Consumer goods products and brands face greater competition today than ever before. This makes data-driven analysis, creativity, and sustainability across processes and products ever more important. In addition to internal development, The Stryze Group offers successful brands from other companies a new home. Through a variety of partnership models, they can benefit from the Stryze teams’ breadth of capital resources, reach, competences and experience.
About Upper90
Upper90 is a hybrid fund that provides founder-friendly credit and equity to top disruptors in e-commerce, enterprise and fintech. The firm has over $450 million in AUM and $1 billion in total originations since launching in 2018. It was started to fill the white space between venture capital and institutional credit by utilizing data to offer founders minimally-dilutive growth capital. It was borne from the vision of Billy Libby, CEO (Head of Quant Execution Sales, Goldman Sachs and active Fintech investor), entrepreneur Jason Finger, Chairman (Co-Founder/CEO, Seamless (NYSE: GRUB), Board Director, LiveAuctioneers, Freshly, GoSite), and Alex Urdea, CIO (Managing Director, Solus Alternative Asset Management, Credit Derivatives, Deutsche Bank). Upper90’s portfolio includes Clearbanc, Octane Lending, Filmrise, Crusoe Energy and Braavo Capital.
About Alstin Capital
Alstin Capital is an independent venture capital fund based in Munich. Alstin Capital invests in rapidly growing technology companies that have the potential to leverage the significant market potential of the future and become market leaders. Alstin Capital does not only invest in convincing technology, but above all in the entrepreneurs behind the technology.
Alstin Capital supports their entrepreneurs with capital and know-how so that they can grow faster and more successfully. Their investments are based on the conviction that entrepreneurial know-how, extensive transactional experience, international networks & sales excellence are key success factors for sustainable growth.
More information on http://www.stryze.com
