Keepoala raises mid-six-figure amount

The startup has developed a reward system for customers who do not return goods to their suppliers. With the money, the startup wants to improve its software and user experience.

Munich-based startup Keepoala has received a mid-six-figure sum from business angels in the fashion industry in a pre-seed funding round. The exact amount and who invested is not known in detail. Previously, the start-up financed itself from its own resources.

Sebastian Engel-Wolf, Eik Lämmerhirt and former Flixbus manager Tjark Metzner founded Keepoala in Munich in 2021. Last November, the Keepoala app launched with a loyalty program for fashion online stores. Users receive points when they order fashion online and do not return it. If they do return the ordered clothing, they can enter the exact reasons for the return on Keepoala. They also receive points for this - because with the data gained, the online stores can adjust their products and product descriptions to avoid further incorrect orders.

Other environmentally friendly behaviors will also be rewarded. "Thanks to the new app features, Keepoala users will not only collect points for avoiding returns in the future, but also with other CO2-saving actions such as using sustainable reusable to-go solutions or scanning public transport job tickets," says Keepoala co-founder Eik Lämmerhirt.

With the money from the funding round, the startup wants to improve its software and user experience and further expand its team. By the end of this year, Keepoala also plans to quadruple the number of emissions and packaging waste saved. To do so, the startup wants to enter into more collaborations with online stores and increase its user base. So far, the start-up is working with online stores such as Erlich Textil, Wunderwerk and Loveco.