What is Away?
Away is a prominent direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand that revolutionized the luggage industry by integrating high-quality design with a seamless online retail experience. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in New York, the company has effectively disrupted traditional travel retail by focusing on the intersection of technology, aesthetics, and consumer utility. By maintaining a strong digital presence alongside strategic physical retail locations, Away has positioned itself as a category-defining entity in the travel goods market, catering to the modern, mobile-first consumer.
The company's market position is reinforced by its commitment to product innovation and customer-centric service, which has allowed it to maintain a competitive edge despite broader economic fluctuations. As a key player in the travel-tech space, Away continues to leverage its brand equity to diversify its product offerings, ensuring that it remains a central component of the modern traveler's toolkit while maintaining operational excellence.
How much funding has Away raised?
Away has raised a total of $221M across 6 funding rounds:
Angel/Seed
$2.5M
Series A
$8.5M
Series B
$20M
Series C
$50M
Series D
$100M
Debt
$40M
Angel/Seed (2015): $2.5M with participation from Andy Dunn, Andrew Deitchman, Brian Lee, Compound, Forerunner Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Jeff Kearl, and Accel
Series A (2016): $8.5M led by Global Founders Capital, Comcast Ventures, Accel Partners, and Forerunner Ventures
Series B (2017): $20M supported by Forerunner Ventures, Accel Partners, Global Founders Capital, and Comcast Ventues
Series C (2018): $50M featuring Global Founders Capital, Forerunner Ventures, and Comcast Ventures
Series D (2019): $100M backed by Global Founders Capital, Lone Pine Capital, Wellington Management, and Baillie Gifford
Debt (2020): $40M with participation from Baillie Gifford and Wellington Management
Key Investors in Away
Forerunner Ventures
Forerunner Ventures partners with founders to build category-defining companies at the intersection of technology and human behavior, focusing on emerging consumer demands.
Global Founders Capital
Global Founders Capital is a global early-stage investor that empowers gifted entrepreneurs by backing them from pre-seed to IPO with extensive operational support.
Comcast Ventures
Comcast Ventures is the venture capital affiliate of Comcast Corporation, focusing on consumer, enterprise, and frontier technology companies with a long-standing track record.
What's next for Away?
Looking ahead, the strategic deployment of the $40M capital injection is expected to focus on deepening market penetration and optimizing supply chain efficiencies. Given the company's lifecycle stage, the emphasis will likely shift toward sustainable growth, product diversification, and the enhancement of its omnichannel retail strategy. By capitalizing on its established brand loyalty and the expertise of its long-term financial partners, Away is well-positioned to navigate the complexities of the post-pandemic travel landscape.
The firm's ability to secure diverse funding sources, ranging from venture capital to institutional debt, provides the necessary liquidity to explore new market segments and technological integrations. Future initiatives will likely prioritize operational scalability and the refinement of the customer experience, ensuring that the brand remains at the forefront of the travel and lifestyle industry as it matures into its next phase of corporate development.
