E-commerce aggregator Una Brands raises $30M in pre-Series C funding

Multi-channel e-commerce aggregator Una Brands targets to further develop its platform after raising $30 million in its pre-Series C funding round.

The fundraiser, which was a mix of equity and debt, will provide Una Brands with sufficient funding for its operations and acquisition plans in the next two years. The startup also plans to continue with its acquisition of high-quality e-commerce brands within the Home & Living, Mom & Baby and Beauty & Personal Care categories.

“With the support of our key investors Northstar Group, Alpha JWC, and White Star Capital, we are confident that we have the right backing and guidance to build a global house of brands. Today, we are tech-driven, digital-first, multi-channel and sustainability-focused, values which all consumer companies will eventually strive to adopt,” said Cho Weihao, CFO of Una Brands.

Pre-Series C was led by Northstar Group, a leading Southeast Asia-based private equity and venture capital fund.

The round was held shortly after the company also raised $30 million from Series B round that was held in September 2022. The round was led by White Star Capital and Alpha JWC Ventures and brings to $60 million the total amount of investments that it has so far received.

After it formally closed its Pre-Series C round, Una Brands announced its plans to explore strategic opportunities to bolster its growth and solidify its position as the leading multi-channel e-commerce aggregator in APAC. This was also in line with the consolidation trends happening in developed markets.

Last year, Una Brands was featured on the Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2022 list as a top startup that offers innovative products and services to address real-world challenges.

Una Brands also acquired multiple brands, including a premium DTC brand catering to nursing mothers in Malaysia and one of TikTok’s most popular lip care brand in Indonesia, in the same year.

In addition, Una Brands earned $70M in run-rate revenue and is forecasted to also reach Group EBITDA profitability this year.

To date, Una Brands is the only active multi-channel e-commerce aggregator in the region, with a proven playbook for growing e-commerce brands into new geographies and e-commerce channels, with its flagship programs, ErgoTune and EverDesk, now available in various countries across the APAC region and beyond.

The kind of technological capabilities that Una Brands has developed from its inception allows efficient operation of its e-commerce brands across multiple channels and geographies.

Its tech stack also supports all business functions from brand management, marketing & growth, supply chain and accounting & finance, in order to optimise operational efficiency.

Sreejan Choudhary, Managing Director of Northstar Group, said they are bullish on Southeast Asia’s e-commerce economy because they believe that Una Brands is well-positioned to capitalise on these industry tailwinds.

What sets Una Brans apart is its extensive infrastructure built around its multi-channel e-commerce operations, as well as its superior technological capabilities that helps support this, he added.