Brosa

About Brosa

Brosa emerged in the Australian market in 2014, founded by Ivan Lim, Richard Li, and David Wei. The founders identified a gap in the furniture market for consumers seeking designer pieces at accessible prices, positioned above IKEA but below high-end luxury brands. Lim, who served as CEO, brought experience from his time as head of marketing at Tweaky (later acquired by GoDaddy), and was named in Forbes Asia's 30 under 30 in 2016.

The company operated a direct-to-consumer, digital-first business model, controlling its supply chain from design to delivery. This vertical integration allowed Brosa to offer unique furniture designs without the markups of traditional retailers. Its product range, initially inspired by Scandinavian design, expanded to include a wide variety of home furnishings. Revenue was generated directly from online sales to a customer base that grew to nearly 500,000 subscribers. To complement its online presence, Brosa opened physical showrooms in Melbourne and Sydney where customers could interact with products before purchasing online.

Brosa's growth was fueled by significant venture capital investment, including a $2 million Series A round in 2015 led by AirTree Ventures and a $5 million Series B in 2017 with participation from Bailador Technology Investments and BMY Group. The business experienced substantial growth, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, post-pandemic shifts in consumer spending, coupled with cash flow pressures, led the company into voluntary administration in December 2022. Shortly after, the brand's intellectual property, goodwill, and stock were acquired by Kogan.com for $1.5 million, which integrated Brosa into its portfolio of online brands. Kogan acquired the assets but not the liabilities of the former company.