10 Club is a Bengaluru based start-up which is focused on acquisitions of fledgling e-commerce sellers. Upon acquisition, this startup works to scale these sellers. It was founded in 2020 by ‘Bhavna Suresh’ (ex-CEO of Lamudi, a Real-Estate Marketplace based in the Philippines), Joel Ayala (Co-Founder & Managing Partner at Class 5 Global), and Deepika Nair.
10 Club has raised $40 M in a seed funding round which is the highest for any seed funded start-up in India. It is backed by Fireside Ventures, Hayday, Class 5 Global, PDS International, and Secocha Venture.
What is the Thrasio model?
The ‘Thrasio model’ was fashioned after ‘Thrasio’, a US-based unicorn start-up. It’s based on the ‘e-commerce roll up space’ and is about building a house of online brands. The Thrasio model is a raging success and is quickly being emulated in India.
How the Thrasio model paves the way for success and funding?
Companies which follow the Thrasio model are pitching start-up acquisitions by offering to help them scale 10x within a span of 3 years. They propose to accelerate the growth of these firms by integrating supply chains, providing performance marketing expertise and gleaning insights from data analysis.
The secret to the success of Thrasio style start-ups is attributed to their target market, seller quality, purchase valuations, debt availability and the relationship they build with the owners of the acquirers.
Good chemistry, understanding and trust between the Thrasio start-up and the founder/owner of the company being acquired are key to success in this model. Thrasio model start-ups are also betting on sellers that can target pan Asian, and foreign markets like Europe and America to touch their growth targets.
Which Industry Sector does 10 Club belong to?
10 Club belongs to the Venture Capital and early-stage funding league of start-ups and will be investing in the Indian start-up ecosystem. It belongs to a league of new-age funding start-ups that want to build a house of e-commerce brands by identifying promising sellers on Amazon.
Learnings for aspiring Thrasio-style start-ups
Aspiring Thrasio style start-ups need to focus on acquiring up-and coming brands that are selling like hot cakes on Amazon. Also, profitable companies are your potential target. Before venturing into the Thrasio space, you need to research and study the market in-depth. Interact with potential sellers on Amazon, tune into their plans and processes. The next step would be to shortlist the most promising sellers who deserve a buyout.
Your pitching strategy can be unique depending on what works best in your relationship with the seller. There are numerous options to lay out attractive offers on the table. You can offer marketing expertise, strong media coverage, a partnership, etc.
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Companies which follow the Thrasio model are pitching start-up acquisitions by offering to help them scale 10x within a span of 3 years.
What’s in it for me?
The Thrasio style start-ups alongside Venture Capital firms are interested in funding early-stage brands in India that follow an online-first business model. They want to turbocharge these companies since they believe that these start-ups are an upcoming revolution.
E-commerce firms and founders are eligible for being acquired and to receive funding by Thrasio model companies. If selected, your start-up can assume its full potential with help from these investment firms. E-commerce sectors with the highest probability of being acquired by a Thrasio start-up include fashion, apparel, home décor, arts and crafts, bedding, yoga mats, bed sheets, premium food items and kitchenware sellers.
