What Elevate Brands does

Elevate Brands is a private, venture-backed consumer brand operator founded in 2017 and headquartered in Austin, Texas (with operational headquarters in Berlin, Germany). The company acquires established third-party businesses — primarily Amazon FBA sellers — and scales them into omni-channel consumer brands across categories including outdoor and adventure gear (Rhino USA, Tough Outfitters), home and kitchen (Navaris), tech accessories (KW Mobile), beauty and skincare (Botanic Tree), food and beverage (Encha), beach products (Sun Ninja), vinyl records (Big Fudge), toys (Ninabella), pet products (The Cat Ladies), gardening kits (Garden Republic), electronics accessories (Wirefy), and fitness (Fortstrong). The portfolio comprises 20+ brands and 25k+ products sold in 10+ countries, with 15M+ customer orders processed annually.

The business model centers on capital-led acquisition and operational scaling rather than technology development. Acquired brands originate on Amazon and are subsequently expanded into physical retail channels including Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and Target. The company monetizes through product sales across these channels and leverages licensing partnerships (Strawberry Shortcake, Peanuts) and brand activations (sports sponsorships, on-the-ground events) to extend reach. Revenue mechanics are those of a branded consumer products roll-up: wholesale and direct-to-consumer sales, gross margin capture, and portfolio-level synergies from shared sourcing, logistics, and retail relationships.

Elevate Brands raised approximately $372.5M across four funding rounds in 2021 ($55M in February, $12.5M in April, $250M in July, and $55M in November), led by investors including FJ Labs, Soroban Capital Partners, Oaktree Capital Management, Upper90, Mons Investment, and Novel TMT Ventures. The company employs 600+ people globally across six offices (Berlin, Austin, London, Hong Kong, Manila, and Dongguan), with leadership including founder and CEO Ryan Gnesin, co-founder and COO James Lucien Stein, CFO Andrea Lambert, CTO Arkady Gurevich, and Chief M&A Officer Jeremy Bell.

Name

Elevate Brands

Website

https://elevatebrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Elevate Brands is a venture-backed brand operator that acquires established Amazon third-party sellers and scales them into omni-channel consumer brands across 20+ categories, distributed through Amazon, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and Target in 10+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

E-commerce Brand Portfolio Management

NAICS

General Merchandise Retailers (455)

SIC

Retail-Variety Stores (5331)

akta.pro primary industry

Beauty & Personal Care Online Retailers (CRAFADAC)

Keywords

• Amazon brand acquisition
• Consumer brand portfolio
• Omni-channel distribution
• Ecommerce brand aggregation
• Brand portfolio scaling

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Brand Portfolio Revenue: Revenue generated through operating and scaling acquired Amazon third-party brands across multiple product categories and sales channels including e-commerce and physical retail.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Elevate Brands is a House of Brands operator that acquires established third-party Amazon FBA businesses and scales them into multi-channel consumer brands. The company buys profitable Amazon-native brands, provides centralized capital, operational expertise, supply chain management, and brand marketing, then expands the acquired brands into omni-channel distribution including major retailers like Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, and Target. The portfolio spans 20+ consumer brands across outdoor, home, kitchen, tech accessories, beauty, beach, pet, and gardening categories.

Product overview

Elevate Brands (operating as SellerX) is a House of Brands company that acquires and operates third-party businesses, primarily on Amazon, and is expanding to omni-channel retail. The portfolio consists of 20+ acquired brands across diverse categories including outdoor gear (Rhino USA, Tough Outfitters), home and kitchen (Navaris), tech accessories (KW Mobile), health and wellness (Botanic Tree), vinyl records (Big Fudge), beach products (Sun Ninja), pet products (The Cat Ladies), gardening kits (Garden Republic), and lifestyle/fidget products (Ninabella, Encha). The company provides centralized brand management, operational scaling, retail expansion, and brand activation services to grow these acquired brands from digital-first sellers into multi-channel consumer brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rhino USA Outdoor and adventure gear brand offering retractable ratchet straps and related products, expanded from digital-only to nationwide retail distribution across Walmart, Costco, and Sam's Club.
• Navaris Home and kitchen accessories brand including bamboo knife blocks and other kitchen organization products.
• KW Mobile Technology accessories brand offering phone cases, smartwatch bands, and related mobile device accessories.
• Encha Matcha products brand featuring latte art, bamboo whisks, matcha lattes, and lemonades served in reusable branded cups.
• Sun Ninja Beach products brand offering beach tents and beach gear, pursuing the #1 beach brand position through on-the-ground activations such as branded Jeep tours.
• Botanic Tree Skincare products brand featuring glycolic acid formulations and related skincare merchandise.
• Big Fudge Vinyl record care brand offering cleaning brushes and accessories for vinyl record collectors, with campaigns such as the Beatles record giveaway that unlocked 9k new subscribers.
• Ninabella Spiral fidget toys and stress relief products brand targeting the fidget toy and stress relief consumer market.
• The Cat Ladies Pet products brand offering cat-themed consumer merchandise.
• Garden Republic Gardening and planting kits brand with licensing partnerships featuring Strawberry Shortcake and Peanuts franchises, achieving national placement at Target through co-branded products.
• Wirefy Cables and wires brand offering electronic connectivity products.
• Fortstrong Fitness products brand offering workout and fitness-related merchandise.
• Tough Outfitters Outdoor gear and apparel brand targeting the adventure and outdoor enthusiast consumer market.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15M+ customer orders annually processed across portfolio
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Austin GamblersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRhino USA partnership with professional bull riding team. Sponsorship puts Rhino USA brand in front of passionate PBR fans, aligning adventurous brand spirit with thrill and grit of bull riding arena.
• Strawberry ShortcakecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGarden Republic licensing partnership with beloved Strawberry Shortcake character franchise. Transforms planting kits into joyful, nostalgic experiences securing national Target placement.
• PeanutscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGarden Republic licensing partnership with Peanuts franchise characters. Creates co-branded planting kits expanding brand reach through iconic character associations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heroes: European Amazon brand aggregator acquiring and operating consumer product brands across multiple categories; comparable in business model and target portfolio profile.
• Perch: Amazon FBA brand acquirer focused on acquiring consumer brands and providing operational support; directly comparable in acquisition-driven brand operating model.
• Branded Group: Amazon brand aggregator acquiring and scaling third-party FBA brands globally; similar portfolio approach and omni-channel expansion strategy as Elevate.
• Factory14: European aggregator acquiring Amazon-native consumer brands; comparable in scale, capital structure, and cross-border operational footprint.
• Acquired.com: Amazon FBA brand aggregator acquiring consumer product brands across home, kitchen, and lifestyle categories; comparable target profile to Elevate's portfolio.
• Thrasio: The largest and most well-known Amazon FBA brand aggregator; acquires and scales third-party Amazon brands into omni-channel consumer brands. Closest direct comparable to Elevate's House of Brands model.
• Razor Group: Berlin-headquartered Amazon brand aggregator with global operations; directly comparable to Elevate's acquisition-and-scale model across consumer categories.

Broad incumbents

• Newell Brands: Public multi-brand consumer products holding company with diverse portfolio across home, outdoor, and lifestyle categories; relevant comparable for the House of Brands operating model at scale.
• Helen of Troy: Public consumer products company that acquires and scales multiple brands across health, beauty, and home; relevant comparable for brand aggregation economics and exit multiples.

Others

• Crayola (Hallmark Cards portfolio): Established multi-brand consumer products operator using IP/licensing for differentiated retail placement; comparable for Elevate's licensing-led brand activation strategy (e.g., Garden Republic).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Elevate-Brands-102166325148898

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Elevate Brands