Hashtag You
Hashtag You is a Berlin-based DTC e-commerce brand builder founded in 2018 that develops and scales lifestyle fragrance brands such as AVA & MAY, FAYNT, and CLUB NOÉ for next-generation consumers via owned online storefronts and influencer-driven marketing across 3 international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Hashtag You does
Hashtag You (legal entity: Hashtag You GmbH, also branded as #You) is a Berlin-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand builder founded in 2018. The company acquires, develops, and scales lifestyle brands targeting next-generation consumers, with a stated portfolio of more than 400 unique products sold across 3 international markets and a cumulative shipping record of 2.4 million orders to 1.5 million customers. Its active sub-brands include AVA & MAY (personal fragrances, self-described as the fastest growing D2C brand in Europe), FAYNT (elegant feel-good fragrances), and CLUB NOÉ. Revenue is generated almost exclusively through first-party e-commerce storefronts — ava-may.de and faynt.de — hosted on Shopify.
The operating model relies on social media-first demand generation: the company has built relationships with thousands of influencers and a dense supplier network to launch and scale brands rapidly. Supporting infrastructure is relatively standard DTC stack — Shopify storefronts, Emarsys eMarketing Systems for email/newsletter, and LinkedIn/XING/Instagram for organic brand and recruitment presence. GDPR compliance is handled with heyData as data protection officer. The company has no disclosed mobile apps, no API/SDK surface, and no documented AI/ML capabilities. AVA & MAY GmbH and FAYNT GmbH operate as wholly-owned subsidiaries within the corporate structure.
Commercially, Hashtag You is a pure-play B2C goods business with no enterprise or platform revenue line. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and operates as one-time product purchases rather than subscription. In July 2025 the company was acquired by Sweden-listed Candles Scandinavia in a combined shares-and-cash transaction expected to add approximately SEK 250 million in group revenue and SEK 40–45 million in EBITDA synergies, implying Hashtag You's contribution sits in the low-tens-of-millions of EUR range at acquisition. Founder Ankur Bansal remains CEO & Managing Director; COO Michela Di Francesco has been with the company since 2018.
Hashtag You firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hashtag You
- Legal name
- Hashtag You GmbH
- Website
- https://hashtag-you.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Hashtag You is a Berlin-based DTC e-commerce brand builder founded in 2018 that develops and scales lifestyle fragrance brands such as AVA & MAY, FAYNT, and CLUB NOÉ for next-generation consumers via owned online storefronts and influencer-driven marketing across 3 international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hashtag You industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Direct-to-Consumer Personal Care
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex) (CRABADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Home Fragrance (Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays) (CRABADAE)
Keywords
Where Hashtag You is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hashtag You business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Product Sales: Revenue generated from selling proprietary lifestyle brands (fragrances, home & living products) directly to consumers through owned e-commerce storefronts. Brand portfolio includes AVA & MAY (personal fragrances) and FAYNT (elegant feel-good fragrances).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Hashtag You product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hashtag You is a direct-to-consumer brand builder that creates and operates people-centric lifestyle brands in fragrances and home & living, sold through its own e-commerce storefronts. The portfolio centers on proprietary sub-brands AVA & MAY (personal fragrances), FAYNT (elegant feel-good fragrances), and CLUB NOÉ, leveraging influencer marketing and brand-based communities to reach next-generation consumers across three international European markets.
Product overview
Hashtag You is a technology-enabled direct-to-consumer brand builder founded in 2018, focused on building next-generation social media lifestyle brands. The company operates a portfolio of two fragrance sub-brands: AVA & MAY (personal fragrances for everyday moments) and FAYNT (elegant feel-good fragrances for calming atmospheres). Both brands target the home & living meets fashion space, leveraging influencer marketing and strong brand-based communities. The company serves 3 international markets with 400+ unique products and employs 50+ people across Berlin.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AVA & MAY: Personal fragrances brand for every moment - fastest growing D2C brand in Europe
- FAYNT
- CLUB NOÉ
Products and services
- AVA & MAY
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.4 million orders delivered to 1.5 million customers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Hashtag You
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Hashtag You technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Hashtag You partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Candles ScandinaviacoreIn July 2025, Candles Scandinavia acquired German direct-to-consumer home fragrance company HashtagYou GmbH in a combined shares and cash deal. The acquisition is expected to add approximately SEK 250m in group revenue and SEK 40-45m in EBITDA synergies, enabling proprietary brand portfolio expansion and value-chain integration.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hashtag You competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Phlur: Direct-to-consumer fragrance brand with a digitally native, influencer-led marketing approach and a multi-scent portfolio at accessible price points — the closest business-model analog to AVA & MAY and FAYNT.
- Dossier: Digitally native fragrance brand selling 'inspired-by' scents at a discount to luxury houses through owned e-commerce. Competes directly with Hashtag You's price-positioned DTC fragrance brands on price and channel.
- Snif: Subscription-led DTC fragrance brand targeting Gen Z and millennials with discovery-driven sampling — overlapping Hashtag You's next-generation consumer target and digital-first acquisition model.
- D.S. & Durga: Independent niche fragrance house sold primarily DTC with a strong editorial brand identity. Comparable to FAYNT's positioning as an elegant, artisanal fragrance brand targeting design-conscious consumers.
- Commodity: Lifestyle-driven DTC fragrance brand with a unisex positioning and minimalist aesthetic — a like-for-like peer for Hashtag You's lifestyle fragrance brands in channel, customer, and design language.
- Lake & Skye: DTC fragrance and home scent brand with a wellness/calming positioning, directly comparable to FAYNT's 'calming atmosphere' value proposition and to Hashtag You's broader home & living meets fragrance thesis.
Broad incumbents
- Byredo: Global prestige fragrance house with a strong DTC channel and influencer-driven brand building playbook. Sets the upper-bound benchmark on positioning, brand equity, and pricing power for aspirational DTC fragrance peers.
- Diptyque: LVMH-owned luxury fragrance and home scent house with deep retail presence. A broad incumbent in the same fine-fragrance + home-fragrance space that Hashtag You targets across personal and atmospheric scents.
- Le Labo: Estée Lauder-owned niche luxury fragrance brand with cult community-led marketing. Comparable to Hashtag You on the intersection of community-building, DTC, and lifestyle positioning.
Regional players
- Floral Street: UK-based digitally native fragrance brand with a sustainability-led, design-forward positioning. Comparable to Hashtag You on product category and brand-building approach but primarily serves the UK rather than the DACH/European markets Hashtag You operates in.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hashtag You social profiles
Digital presenceHashtag You compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Hashtag You financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hashtag You leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Hashtag You subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Hashtag You funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hashtag You M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hashtag You
What does Hashtag You do?
Hashtag You is a direct-to-consumer brand builder that creates and operates people-centric lifestyle brands in fragrances and home & living, sold through its own e-commerce storefronts. The portfolio centers on proprietary sub-brands AVA & MAY (personal fragrances), FAYNT (elegant feel-good fragrances), and CLUB NOÉ, leveraging influencer marketing and brand-based communities to reach next-generation consumers across three international European markets.
Is Hashtag You a public or private company?
Hashtag You is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Hashtag You founded?
Hashtag You was founded in 2018. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Hashtag You based?
Hashtag You is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Hashtag You make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct-to-Consumer Product Sales.
Who are Hashtag You's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Phlur, Dossier, Snif, D.S. & Durga, Commodity and Lake & Skye. Broad incumbents are Byredo, Diptyque and Le Labo. Floral Street is listed as a regional player.
Does Hashtag You have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hashtag You.
What industry is Hashtag You in?
Hashtag You's product category is Direct-to-Consumer Personal Care. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABADAA, Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex), with a secondary code of CRABADAE, Home Fragrance (Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays). Its NAICS code is 45612 and its SIC code is 2844.