Female-focused media startup expands into retail

Freeda recently raised €14.4 million to fund new English-language coverage and retail goods.

Spotted: Italian media startup Freeda is poised to break into the English-language market with expanded coverage. The company, already a female-focused media powerhouse in Italy, Spain, and South America, plans to offer retail goods in 2020. 

Freeda says its content engages with 5 million women visitors every day. It targets Gen Z – and Millennial-aged women, publishing female success stories, branded content and campaigns for partner companies. Previous video reports covered Italy’s first female pilot and female genital mutation. 

The startup engages with its audience on popular social media platforms. Freeda claims 80 per cent of the female audience aged 18-34 every month in Italy and Spain. It is the No. 1 global female media brand in engagement and interactions on Instagram, the company says. 

Now Freeda is expanding to English-language markets and planning a push into branded retail sales. The company has already opened an office in London. The new funding will be used to finance the expansion and help develop direct-to-consumer brand goods. 

The €14.4 million in funding was acquired from existing investor Alven is leading the round, with Endeavor Catalyst, UniCredit and others. The company has raised over €27 million since it was founded in 2016.