Uber Alums and Chicago Hospitality Veterans Launch Unicorn and Announce $5.8M in Seed Funding to Transform Industry With Tech-Driven Marketplace and Vaulting Experience
Unicorn, a fully integrated, tech-enabled platform for spirits and wine collectors globally, announced today a seed funding round totaling $5.8 million. Founded by early Uber alumni, Phil Mikhaylov (CEO) and Kenny Tsai (COO) in collaboration with Chicago hospitality veterans Cody Modeer (Chief Business Officer) and AJ Heindel (Chief Product Officer), Unicorn offers consumers a comprehensive solution to discover, buy, sell, vault, and digitally track their favorite spirits and wines. The company was backed by a combination of leading institutional investors including Protagonist, Blue Equity, 640 Oxford, Middleton Partners, and noteworthy angels including: Jason Pritzker, Edward Lando, Andrew Macdonald, Ken Fredrickson(Master Sommelier), the Wirtz and Merinoff Families, and co-founders of VII(N)-The Seventh Estate: Asani Swann and NBA All-Star and entrepreneur, Carmelo Anthony, further validating Unicorn’s entrance into the world of spirits and wine.
Unicorn offers users a modern platform for spirits and wine collecting, allowing consumers around the world to buy, sell, store, and digitally manage collections through an intuitive online and app-based platform. Since its inception, Unicorn has experienced significant growth, facilitating 3.2+ million total bids, nearing $100M in lifetime platform sales, and vaulting hundreds of thousands of bottles from around the globe.
We founded Unicorn to modernize the spirits and wine industry while improving every step of the customer experience. Growth has been explosive; I’m pleasantly surprised to see how many people have heard of us and how quickly we found product-market fit. Unicorn is on a mission to be the globally trusted marketplace for discovering, buying, selling, and vaulting, spirits and wine. With cutting-edge technology, operations, and data at our core, we’re dedicated to transforming the customer experience for the benefit of all, and becoming a trusted data partner for producers and distributors.
Phil Mikhaylov, co-founder and CEO
Each year, billions of spirits and wine bottles are produced, yet this massive industry is extremely fragmented. Previously, collectors were limited to building their collections through high-end auction services or unsecured options like trading through unverified online forums, and storing bottles in facilities lacking security, proper infrastructure, and digital capabilities. Unicorn solves this by bringing the industry a trusted marketplace that enables anyone to discover, buy, and sell everyday bottles and ultra-rare collectibles through its proprietary platform. In addition, the Unicorn Vault offers state-of-the-art storage solutions, global logistics, and unparalleled security, while enabling digital collection management.
It’s rare to find companies that have achieved almost $100m in platform sales while continuing to maintain a low profile. Given their limited resources and ambitious vision, we were impressed by how lean and disciplined the Unicorn team was. It’s only a matter of time before they set the new standard for the industry as they expand internationally, add new categories, and continue to innovate.
George Bousis, Co-Founder of Protagonist
In 2024, Unicorn will leverage its peer-to-peer spirits and wine marketplace to offer customers, brands, and distributors key industry analytics, market insights, valuations, and transparency. Through investments in blockchain and RFID technology, Unicorn will give users proof of ownership—allowing institutions and individuals to digitally transact around the globe. The company plans to invest in further developing the platform, expanding marketing efforts to broaden its customer base, launching new business lines, and growing its team locally at its Chicago headquarters.
About Unicorn:
Unicorn is the modern platform for spirits and wine, offering consumers a full-service experience to buy, sell, store, and digitally track their collections through an intuitive online and app-based platform. Founded by early Uber alumni, Phil Mikhaylov and Kenny Tsai, along with Chicago hospitality veterans, Cody Modeer and AJ Heindel, Unicorn is revolutionizing the spirits and wine industry with cutting-edge technology and unparalleled customer service.
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