The Sports Edit Raises £550,000 To Fund Online Growth

LONDON, United Kingdom  Digital activewear retailer The Sports Edit, has successfully completed a £550,000 investment round to fund the next stage of its online growth.

Made up of a number of angel investors, as well as existing shareholders, the first external funding round for the British business, comes at a time when the £27bn global activewear market itself is growing at an explosive rate.

Following completion of the round, Nick Paulson-Ellis, founder of The Sports Edit, announced the addition of two new non-executive directors, Ben Sharpe, formerly CEO of adidas TaylorMade, and Tim Frankcom, Executive Vice President of digital advertising company Criteo’s, Global Mid-Market business.

“In the 12 months since we launched we’ve seen a strong response from customers to our offering of a highly edited selection of the most stylish, innovative sportswear sourced from all over the world, with a range unlike any other UK retailer,” commented Paulson-Ellis.

“This new investment, together with bringing in Ben and Tim’s expertise will further accelerate our development,” he added.

Launched in 2015, with a physical store located in Chelsea, London, The Sports Edit offers a carefully curated selection of the best fashion-forward premium activewear and accessories from around the world.

Stocking a range of labels, featuring a number of emerging US brands such as Alo Yoga and Michi, as well as global brands including Adidas, Kate Spade and Under Armour, the multi-channel retailer presents a unique brand and product assortment, unlike any other European sportswear retailer. This puts The Sports Edit in a strong position, argues Non-Executive Director Ben Sharpe.

“The sportswear market is changing rapidly, with exciting new brands emerging, yet it isn’t clear to me that existing UK multi-brand retail is adapting to these trends,” Sharpe, told Welltodo.

“The Sports Edit has a great opportunity to build on its already distinctive offering, and I look forward to helping it on the next stage of growth,” he added.

And, with The Sports Edit already selling into over 20 countries within its first year of operation, Non-Executive Director Tim Frank agrees with Sharpe’s sentiment.

“The unique offering clearly resonates with customers,” said Sharpe, who shared his excitement in being brought in to assist Paulson-Ellis and his team in leveraging their intelligent digital marketing.

E-commerce retailers with compelling product propositions that effectively utilize technology and personalisation, have the potential to deliver rapid and efficient growth, explained Sharpe. And, with its new financial backing, The Sports Edit is perfectly placed to do so.

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