Unicorn, a Chicago, IL-based provider of a tech-enabled platform for spirits and wine collectors globally, raised $5.8M in Seed funding.
Backers included Protagonist, Blue Equity, 640 Oxford, Middleton Partners, and angels Jason Pritzker, Edward Lando, Andrew Macdonald, Ken Fredrickson (Master Sommelier), the Wirtz and Merinoff Families, and co-founders of VII(N)-The Seventh Estate: Asani Swann and NBA All-Star and entrepreneur, Carmelo Anthony.
The company intends to use the funds to invest in further developing the platform, expanding marketing efforts to broaden its customer base, launching new business lines, and growing its team locally at its Chicago headquarters.
Founded by Phil Mikhaylov and Kenny Tsai, along with Chicago hospitality veterans, Cody Modeer and AJ Heindel, Unicorn is a platform for spirits and wine offering consumers a full-service experience to buy, sell, store, and digitally track their collections through an online and app-based platform.
Since its inception, the platform has experienced growth, facilitating 3.2+ million total bids, nearing $100M in lifetime platform sales, and vaulting hundreds of thousands of bottles from around the globe.
In 2024, Unicorn will leverage its peer-to-peer spirits and wine marketplace to offer customers, brands, and distributors key industry analytics, market insights, valuations, and transparency. Through investments in blockchain and RFID technology, the company will give users proof of ownershipâallowing institutions and individuals to digitally transact around the globe.
Commenting on the news, Phil Mikhaylov said: âUnicorn is on a mission to be the globally trusted marketplace for discovering, buying, selling, and vaulting, spirits and wine. With cutting-edge technology, operations, and data at our core, we’re dedicated to transforming the customer experience for the benefit of all, and becoming a trusted data partner for producers and distributors.â
FinSMEs
01/05/2024