Opsh founders Sarah, Grace and Jennie McGinn. Photo: Luke Maxwell
Irish fashion e-commerce platform Opsh has beaten out 400 applicants to become one of just 10 participants selected to take part in the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator London programme.
Opsh.com was founded by the McGinn sisters – Jennie, Grace and Sarah – in 2014. Opsh allows customers to shop across high street brands using a single account and a single checkout.
The company expanded into the UK just last September and now, as part of the Microsoft Ventures programme, will be provided with a workspace in the centre of London to further its expansion plans.
The Microsoft Ventures Accelerator is a 16-week programme for later-stage start-ups working in the areas of cloud, internet and mobile. Along with workspace, it also provides participants with free tools, mentorship and training products.
Commenting on the news, Opsh’s CEO and co-founder Jennie McGinn said: “We are feeling incredibly grateful and honoured today. We pitched only Wednesday (9 February) so the rapid response has come as a surprise.
“It’s going to be a wonderful collaborative experience that is certain to elevate Opsh.com to the next level.”
Though just over a year old in its current format, Opsh really started its journey around eight years ago when the sisters started the blog What Will I Wear Today. About fours years ago, they took part in the NDRC’s Launchpad programme where they built out the original incarnation of Opsh, a shoppable online magazine called The Prowlster, which they then sold to Sweatshop Media.
In its first year, Opsh grew from a team of six to 15 and expanded the number of retailers on its site from four to 30 – with it now featuring retailers such as River Island, Reiss and Benefit.
Speaking to Siliconrepublic.com last year, the founders told us that their ambtion is for Opsh to be one of the top five online shopping destinations for women globally in the next five years, so watch this space.
Watch the full interview below.
