Investors throw Bark & Co $60 million bone to be top dog in puppy products

by Taylor Majewski
May 18, 2016

We're moving! Our NYC BARK office is moving south to 120 Broadway, also known as the Equitable Building! Check out more here: https://commercialobserver.com/2021/11/barkbox-relocating-to-52k-sf-at-silversteins-equitable-building/
, the NYC-based startup turned canine empire, announced today it raised a $60 million Series C.

The funding was led by Silicon Valley investor August Capital, with participating investments from New York-based RRE and Resolute Ventures. The latest round brings the company's total amount of funds raised to $77 million.

Bark & Co is the company behind the largely popular monthly subscription service , which delivers a curated box of dog treats and toys to owners’ doors each month.

"Bark & Co achieved impressive growth, scaling BarkBox and diversifying itself in just a few years and on such little funding to date," said Tripp Jones, partner at August Capital, in a statement. "We're thrilled to support the company as it grows and launches new products for dogs and their people."

The company was founded back in 2012 by Matt Meeker, Henrik Werdelin and Carly Strife. Prior to this funding round, the company had only raised $17 million in venture capital, but had already surpassed a $100 million revenue run rate. Since its launch, the company has shipped 25 million products within its BarkBox vertical.

Building upon the success of BarkBox, Bark & Co launched three additional businesses to build out its dog-centric brand. BarkShop launched in 2014 as an e-commerce marketplace for dog goodies. BarkPost operates as the media arm of the brand, and primarily consists of adorable dog photos. BarkLive is a platform for dog events for those looking to socialize their pups. These three businesses now collectively represent more than 25 percent of the company’s total revenue.

"Bark & Co is obsessed with making dogs and the people who love them happy," said Matt Meeker, CEO and co-founder of Bark & Co in a statement. "Our goal is to do for dogs what Walt Disney has done for children. We're excited to launch new products and experiences based on years of feedback from dog parents and we'll approach every new venture with the same dedication to design and fun that brought you BarkBox, BarkShop, BarkPost and BarkLive."

The company is planning on using the round to create its own Bark & Co products, from toys and treats to content and experiences. First up in the experiences category is BarkShop Live, a new 'pup-up store' that will run from June 6th to 12th in SoHo. The store will feature the first test of new retail technology that allows 'dogs to shop.'

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