Vinted just launched a VC arm. Here’s why it could change the game for recommerce startups

Vinted Group, Europe’s leading second-hand marketplace, recentlyannounced the launch of its dedicated investment arm, Vinted Ventures. With a €5 billion valuation, the parent company’s new venture capital initiative aims to reshape the future of re-commerce. This report examines five key aspects of Vinted Ventures that entrepreneurs, investors, and industry observers should be aware of.
Vinted Ventures officially launched on April 29, 2025, marking Vinted Group’s strategic expansion beyond its core marketplace operations. This new investment arm demonstrates the company’s commitment to growing European re-commerce beyond its platform. As a new venture fund, Vinted Ventures takes an “investor with an operator mindset” approach, leveraging the parent company’s deep expertise in the second-hand market to nurture promising startups.
This initiative extends beyond pan-European ambitions: Vinted Ventures will target e-commerce and re-commerce startups across Europe, including the UK. With the UK’s re-commerce and resale market now worth over £7 billion, Vinted’s entry creates fresh opportunities for British founders. London has emerged as a hub for circular economy innovation, with startups like Depop andBy Rotationleading the way.
The launch aligns with Vinted’s financial success, having secured €340 million in funding at a valuation of €5 billion. This substantial backing provides Vinted Ventures with significant investment resources. The company’s growth from a €3.5 billion valuation in 2021 to€5 billion in late 2024showcases the momentum driving its investment strategy.
Vinted Ventures targets businesses within the re-commerce value chain, especially startups that drive industry growth and shift consumer behaviour toward second-hand items. The fund seeks diverse solutions, ranging from logistics and payments to consumer-facing technology and digitalisation tools for offline retailers, which is particularly relevant given that 93% of European second-hand stores lack an online presence.
The investment arm’s mission aligns with Vinted Group’s goal “to make second-hand the first choice, worldwide,” as CEOThomas Plantengastates. By focusing on the re-commerce ecosystem, Vinted Ventures leverages the expertise, market knowledge, and operational strengths of its parent company. Plantenga emphasises the vast opportunities in re-commerce, pointing to Vinted as proof that tech companies can scale while delivering both social impact and financial success.
Vinted Ventures focuses on Series A to Series C companies that have proven product-market fit and growth potential, rather than early-stage startups. This approach enables the fund to partner with established ventures that can benefit from Vinted’s expertise in scaling operations, marketplace dynamics, and navigating European regulations.
Investment tickets range from €0.5 million to €10 million, offering flexibility to match companies’ stages and needs. By targeting growth-phase firms, Vinted Ventures supports businesses that have validated their models but need capital and guidance to scale.
Beyond financial capital, Vinted Ventures gives portfolio companies access to expert advisors from the Vinted Group. This approach provides founders with tailored guidance for growth challenges and operational complexities, drawing on Vinted’s experience across 22 countries. The fund brands itself as “designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs,” emphasising its operational expertise.
Milda Jasaitė, Senior Director of Corporate Development at Vinted, emphasises their commitment to supporting “ambitious founders whose products and services are solving real problems and who are ready to define the next frontier of how people buy, sell, and value the things they own.” This reflects Vinted Ventures’ focus on founders with bold visions and data-driven strategies that align with Vinted’s proven methods.
This value-added approach carries special weight given Vinted’s journey from Lithuanian startup to Europe’s leading second-hand marketplace. Since 2008, Vinted has expanded to 22 countries, achieved anet profit of €18 million in 2023, and reached a valuation of €5 billion. This experience provides valuable insights for portfolio companies facing similar challenges.
Vinted Ventures launches from a position of strength, backed by Vinted Group’s impressive financial growth. In 2023, the companyachieved61% revenue growth, reaching €596 million with double-digit EBITDA margins. The company’s gross merchandise value has tripled since its 2021 funding round, showing remarkable transaction growth.
This strong financial foundation shields Vinted Ventures from typical fundraising pressures faced by independent venture firms. The parent company’s recent €340 million secondary share sale, led byTPG, reinforces this position. New investors, includingHedosophia,Baillie Gifford,Invus Opportunities,FJ Labs,Manhattan Venture Partners, and Moore Strategic Ventures, have joined, while existing institutional investors remain committed.
Vinted Ventures plans a selective portfolio approach, selecting companies that align with its vision for the re-commerce sector. This strategy favours fewer, high-conviction investments over broad capital distribution. By concentrating resources on select portfolio companies, Vinted Ventures can provide more meaningful support and maximise its expertise.
Vinted Ventures launches amid surging sustainability-focused consumer behaviour. Vinted’s data shows that 37% of its members say second-hand items make up at least half their wardrobes, indicating a clear shift toward sustainable consumption. This trend creates an ideal environment for the re-commerce startups that Vinted Ventures aims to support.
TPG partnerAndy Doylenotes that “consumers are increasingly viewing second-hand items as a mainstay in their wardrobes, driven by sustainability and flexibility.” This trend highlights growth opportunities for innovative re-commerce businesses adapting to changing consumer preferences. Vinted Ventures is well-positioned to identify and support startups aligned with these market shifts.
Following these trends, Vinted is expanding beyond fashion into electronics and has launched services like designer item verification to address counterfeit risks. These expansions demonstrate Vinted’s commitment to strengthening the second-hand market across various categories, which is likely to influence Vinted Ventures’ investment strategy.
Vinted Ventures marks a significant development in European venture capital, bringing a specialised re-commerce focus backed by one of the continent’s leading marketplace platforms. As a new investment arm with substantial resources and industry expertise, it’s well-positioned to nurture the next generation of second-hand commerce companies.
For re-commerce founders, Vinted Ventures offers both capital and operational insights from a company that has successfully scaled across Europe. For the broader ecosystem, this initiative signals growing confidence in circular economy business models. As consumers increasingly embrace sustainability and second-hand consumption, Vinted Ventures’ selective investment approach could help determine tomorrow’s market leaders in this evolving sector.