Walker & Company Brands, a startup with a subscription shaving kit designed for people with coarse and curly hair, raised $24 million in a funding round led by Institutional Venture Partners and joined by celebrities such as retired basketball Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson and musician John Legend.
A hodgepodge of others in the sports world also invested in the 2-year-old Palo Alto-based company, including Golden State Warriors basketball players Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes and New York Knick Carmelo Anthony’s venture firm Melo7 Tech Partners. San Francisco 49ers Chief Executive Officer Jed York also participated in the funding round, the company said Monday in a statement.
Walker & Company Brands is among the Silicon Valley-backed companies trying to build branded subscription e-commerce businesses, including Ipsy Inc. and Dollar Shave Club.
