Ultrahuman raised a $70M round from Qualcomm to build the world's first biological computer with Labcorp. SARELLY landed at 600+ Target stores with 30+ products. And Partake Foods announced a Girl Scouts partnership Denise Woodard has been dreaming about since 2019.
Here's what brand leaders shared on LinkedIn this week.
Brand Voice tracks what 8 and 9 figure Shopify brand leaders are sharing on LinkedIn each week. We started this because our feed was full of SaaS and agencies. we wanted to see more from the brands themselves.
This week: 1,002 posts from 979 people across 52,800 profiles tracked.
Full data set linked at the bottom. If this was forwarded to you, subscribe at dtcmvp.beehiiv.com
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We also want to give a quick shoutout to our friends at the Hot Takes Big Stakes podcast, give it a watch!
Funding
Ultrahuman raised a $70M round backed by Qualcomm. Founder Mohit Kumar framed it as the start of a partnership with Qualcomm and Labcorp to build the world's first biological computer, where the body becomes part of the computing platform. → post
M&A
INGA officially joined Groupe ALTAÏR (Starwax, Briochin, K.pro), almost five years after co founders Christophe Terrin and Benjamin Bir met over a LinkedIn DM. → post
Heyra became part of Solita, expanding its data and AI work with customers. Nordic Wave CEO Luis Grau shared a one week retrospective. → post
Distribution
SARELLY landed at 600+ Target stores with 30+ products. CEO Remi Martini walked into a store and saw the brand on the shelf for the first time. → post
Partake Foods and Girl Scouts announced a partnership under the Girl Scout Sparkables banner. Founder Denise Woodard first spoke it aloud in her kitchen in 2019. → post
Freja's ready to eat soup pouches (Pea, Leek & Lemon; Tomato & Red Pepper; Classic Chicken & Vegetable) are now on shelves at Sainsbury's. Founder Jessica Leather called it a pinch yourself moment. → post
Wilde Brands dropped Buttermilk Ranch Protein Chips at Costco Wholesale in Texas and the Northwest regions. → post
RYSE Supplements picked up a Target fall end cap. Founder Nicholas Stella caught it on a NeeDoh run for his wife. → post
Redwood Outdoors opened its third showroom in Salt Lake City in the Granary Building next to the Evo Hotel. → post
Seafolly Australia reopened its Castle Towers store with a refreshed design. → post
Strategic Moves
Fender marked 75 years of the Telecaster with a tribute to the artists who defined the guitar. CEO Edward Cole shared the arc from Leo Fender's original working musician design to today. → post
Rorra publicly launched the Rorra Filtered Pitcher. Co founder Charlie Carlisle credited years of customer feedback in shaping the final product. → post
Little Chonk threw a Chonk Shoppe pop up in Soho. Co founder Bryan Reisberg framed the whole thing as a physical expression of the brand he and his wife started because of their corgi Maxine. → post
Elie Saab × H&M collab dropped. → post
Manors Golf unveiled its AW26 campaign. Marketing Director Alex Ames flagged the intentional lack of product feature. → post
Pas Normal Studios launched AW26. → post
Andy & Evan owner Evan Hakalir marked his first day at A&E Brands (still the same company, just renamed as the portfolio expanded). Seventeen years in. → post
Revenue & Milestones
Manucurist turned 10 years old with 1.5 million users, 100 colors, 1 million followers, and 40+ beauty awards. Founder Gaelle Personnaz shared the recap. → post
Chefman crossed one million Chef iQ users. CEO Ralph Newhouse called it base camp. → post
Recognition
Les Deux received the Copenhagen Business School and HBH Fondens marketing award. Co founder Andreas Heide noted the award had previously gone to Bang & Olufsen, Netcompany, and Matas. → post
TrueStart Coffee got a full feature in The Times. Co founder Helena Hills shared the piece. → post
Walker Edison CMO Christine Bruton was recognized as part of Furniture Today's Home Furnishings Top 500. → post
JLab brought award winning products (favorite: JBuds Mini ANC) to IFA Berlin. → post
Soundboks is having its founding story turned into a feature film. CEO Jesper Thomsen described what it felt like reading biographies as a teenager and now getting one. → post
People Moves
Bones Coffee Company hired Mark Jurik as EVP of Sales (from Black Rifle Coffee). → post
PUMA Group brought on Madison Cloke as Senior Marketing Manager, Run/Train (from 2XU). → post
Papinelle hired Ali Fleming as Chief Digital & Marketing Officer (from Deus Ex Machina USA). → post
Pixellot hired Mascha Sachs as VP of Marketing (from BlazePod). → post
Chewy hired Michelle Simon as Senior Executive Assistant supporting the CFO and Head of Investor Relations (from Car Toys). → post
Hermès brought on Alina Mishina to the Event Production team (from AMI PARIS). → post
Securitas Group hired Guillaume Wacker as VP of Finance, Group Business Controlling (from J.Lindeberg). → post
Notable Exits
IPSY Chief Merchandising & E-Commerce Executive Kristy Westrup wrapped after almost seven years. → post
Patrick Ta Beauty COO/CFO Paul Parikh exited after nearly four years. → post
Casablanca Paris Head of Finance Suhail Girach wrapped after two plus years, having helped open the brand's first European flagship in Paris and Beverly Hills. → post
want to see the rest? here’s the link
