ZippsafepartnerswithUnorthodoxVentures
The hands-on investment firm from Austin, Texas (USA) leads Zippsafe’s expansion to America. We are excited about the participation of our newest investor, especially because it brings us one step closer to entering the U.S. market.
As Zippsafe prepares to enter the American market, we are proud to announce an additional financing from Texas investment firm Unorthodox Ventures, started in 2017 by the founder of fan and light maker Big Ass Fans. Focused on hard tech and engineering products, Unorthodox Ventures offers far more than money to its partner companies, as it employs a team of experts who help entrepreneurs by providing support for everything from engineering and marketing to customer service and logistics.
It became obvious upon our first meeting that Unorthodox Ventures shares our appreciation for highly engineered products that solve real problems. The firm has invested in companies developing novel solutions to challenging problems experienced the world over, ranging from treatment of chronic conditions like diabetes and constipation to making hand hygiene convenient with touchless hand sanitizing fixtures. With our Smart Soft Locker Solution, Zippsafe is revolutionizing the locker and storage industry, offering the kind of practical, unique solution to real-world problems that intrigues our newest investor.
Unorthodox Ventures was built and is led by contrarian entrepreneur Carey Smith. Prior to it, he founded Big Ass Fans and served as its “Chief Big Ass” for nearly two decades. As the name suggests, the company started by designing and manufacturing oversized and particularly energy-efficient fans, later expanding to fans of all types. While other companies made and lost their fortunes, Carey’s business practices led to sustained, rapid growth averaging more than 40% annually. Carey has earned global recognition for his common-sense approach to business that includes selling direct, investing in silver-platter customer service and paying employees more than 30% above the U.S. average. By 2017, Carey had grown Big Ass Fans from six employees to more than a thousand and generated nearly $300 million in annual sales. He did so without investors, a rarity in a society that glamorizes venture capital and quick exits. That year, he sold the company for $500 million. Following the sale and with the earned capital, Carey founded Unorthodox Ventures.
Tobias Schneider, Lewis Kilongo, Jonathan Grahm, David Ballagi, Carey Smith, Gery Colombo, Carlo Loderer, Yechiel Lanzkron (from left to right)
The unique team at Unorthodox Ventures includes engineers, sales leaders, marketers, and more with decades of experience entering new markets and building enduring, endearing brands. In 2021, business magazine Fast Company honored Unorthodox Ventures as part of its World Changing Ideas awards for its unique hands-on approach to helping partner companies. As an example of that, long before leading this round of financing, they discussed with us how to build out a strong organization in America that will help sell our exceptional and innovative locker solution.
In fact, Unorthodox Ventures offered us complimentary space in the company’s booth at a major trade show and made invaluable introductions. We’ve planned for more trade show appearances this year and are also working with them to hire a Country Launch Manager in America. By the end of this year, we intend to have four employees at an office on the East Coast, and know we have found the perfect partner in Unorthodox Ventures for our step over the Atlantic.