Julep
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- Seattle, Washington, USA
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Jane Park Launches Tokki Sustainable Gift-Wrap Startup, Raises Funds via StartEngine Equity Crowdfunding
Veteran entrepreneur Jane Park has chosen equity crowdfunding on StartEngine to raise capital for her sustainable gift-wrap startup Tokki, highlighting its lower barriers and broader investor participation compared to traditional venture capital. Park, who previously raised over $50 million for Julep Beauty from major investors, values crowdfunding for connecting with end users and offering an alternative fundraising method.
Jane Park on SPACs, the immigrant ethos, and brands in the Amazon era
Jane Park, the CEO of newly public Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp., hadn't imagined herself leading a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, before accepting the job. She decided to consider the pitch from venture capitalist Isabelle Freidheim for one reason. “It took some convincing, a little bit. I wasn’t sure if I had the right capabilities. I have always sat on the entrepreneur side. So to be on the acquiring/money side is a new perspective and vantage point for me,” she said. “I don’t think I would have taken the call if it wasn’t the fact that it was an…
Version One Ventures Raises $100M Across Fund IV ($70M) and Opportunities Fund II ($30M), Will Target 25–30 Early-Stage Startups
Version One Ventures raised $100 million across two new funds — $70M for Fund IV (pre-seed and seed) and $30M for Opportunities Fund II — and plans to invest in 25–30 startups across sectors including SaaS, marketplaces, crypto, healthcare, and climate. The nine-year-old firm, led by Boris Wertz and Angela Tran Kingyens, continues to treat Seattle as a key geography while broadening its geographic focus.
Gemma Labs raises $2.75M from PSL Ventures to expand Gemmist personalized shampoo service
Seattle-based Gemma Labs raised $2.75 million from PSL Ventures and other investors to expand its Gemmist custom shampoo service and roll out new products after reaching $1.5M in annualized sales. The company creates personalized shampoos using customer surveys and in-house scientists, with bottles starting at $18 and a $25 scalp balancing bar.
Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and Tokki CEO Jane Park describe pandemic pivots; Tokki shifts to cloth mask production
GeekWire hosted a virtual event called “Pivoting in a Pandemic” featuring Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and Tokki CEO Jane Park, who discussed how they adapted their businesses during COVID-19. Park described how Tokki went from zero sales to producing cloth face masks using their eco-friendly fabric, while Kelman shared long-term lessons from leading Redfin through economic turmoil.
Expedia's lifeline; Bill Gates on life after lockdown; Redfin and Tokki CEOs on pivoting in a pandemic
Here's what we're talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. “Picture restaurants that only seat people at every other table, and airplanes where every middle seat is empty.” That is what the “semi-normal” next phase of the pandemic will look like, Bill Gates says, offering a starkly pragmatic take that contrasts with predictions from President Trump that the economy will come “roaring back.” But Gates also points to the potential for a new wave of innovation the likes of which hasn’t been seen since World War II. “If there’s life, there’s travel,” says Expedia chairman Barry Diller, expressing optimism…
What Fuels You: Life and leadership with Jane Park
We're starting a new tradition on GeekWire, periodically sharing selected episodes of some of our favorite podcasts about startups, leadership, technology, science and more from the Seattle region and beyond. First up: What Fuels You, a new podcast from Shauna Swerland of Fuel Talent, featuring conversations and insights from successful business leaders. Her guest on this episode is Jane Park, the CEO and founder of Seattle-based beauty products company Julep. Park, who founded Julep in 2006, was named CEO of the Year in the 2014 GeekWire Awards. She sold Julep in 2016 to beauty brand Glansaol, which filed for bankruptcy…
