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Powered by People (PBP), a B Corp-certified technology platform that provides retailers access to responsibly made products, has raised undisclosed funding in a Series B round of funding led by BESTSELLER Foundation.
Existing investors Altos Ventures, Golden Ventures, and Susa Ventures also joined the latest investment round.
“At BESTSELLER Foundation, we invested in PBP to expand access to markets, income to global suppliers, and ownership within local economies. Through the PBP Dropship Platform and verified product catalog data, they’re helping to ensure that producers can participate in a future where AI plays an increasing role in how products are discovered, trusted, and purchased,” said Tine Henriksen, Bestseller Foundation Managing Director.
Founded in 2021 by Ella Peinovich, Hedvig Alexander and Alison Phillips, Powered by People is a commerce technology company focused on helping independent brands and artisans reach larger markets.
“We started PBP because independent brands and artisans around the world make incredible products, but rarely get a fair shot at the market access that bigger players take for granted,” said Peinovich in a LinkedIn post.
The company connects these businesses with major retailers through its PBP Dropship platform.
At present, PBP works with brands across more than 30 countries, giving them access to over 100 retailers. Its technology also helps brands prepare their product catalogs for the growing use of AI in shopping and commerce.
Makers from countries like Ghana, India, and Guatemala can easily reach more customers by listing their products on the Powered by People site.
Both makers and buyers can track the production process with the PBP Produce tool. With teams in America, Canada, Kenya, India, and Mexico, PBP supports makers with financing, helps manage orders, and identifies trending products for buyers.
BESTSELLER Foundation, which led the funding round, is a private foundation funded by BESTSELLER, a Danish family-owned international fashion company. The foundation invests in initiatives that expand women’s access to employment, income, and ownership.
PBP will use the new funding to enhance online shopping for independent brands and artisans globally. This investment will help PBP improve its technology and support more independent businesses.
“This investment isn’t just fuel for growth. It’s a vote of confidence that commerce can be built on trust, not just transactions and it lets us go deeper in supporting the artisan communities and independent brands who are the reason PBP exists in the first place,” Peinovich said.
The capital will help focus on developing PBP CatalogAgent and PBP Verified, tools that help brands share accurate product information and boost their visibility on AI-driven platforms.
The funding will help PBP support independent brands and artisans, who often find it harder to access the market than larger companies. The goal is to help these businesses connect with more retailers and engage in the growing AI commerce market.
In 2022, Powered by People secured $5 million in seed funding led by Susa Ventures and Golden Ventures. Following that, in 2023, the company raised an additional $8 million in Series A equity funding to scale its operations and technology.
The funding was led by Altos Ventures, with participation from existing investors including Golden Ventures and Susa Ventures. In addition, PBP has received an incremental $5.6 million in grants from various philanthropic organisations, including TRANSFORM.
