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Gelato

PlatformOslo, NorwayFounded 2007· One of 203 Platform companies tracked by AMPulse

Operates an API-driven software platform connecting ecommerce sellers to a global network of 100+ production partners for on-demand, localized manufacturing.

CEO / Founder
Henrik Müller-Hansen
Team Size
201-500
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$269M
Latest Round
Venture Round
Key Investors
Insight Partners; SoftBank Vision Fund 2; Goldman Sachs Asset Management; Dawn Capital; John Hepburn; SEB Pension Fund; Tellef Thorleifsson

Technology & Products

Key Products

Gelato offers an API-driven software platform for print-on-demand services, enabling creators to design and sell custom products like apparel, accessories, home decor, and photo books through a global network of production partners.

Technological Advantage

Reduces lead times to 72 hours; eliminates inventory risk and fixed asset costs; 100+ production partners globally.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Enables global creators to produce and deliver customized goods within 72 hours without inventory or fixed assets by leveraging idle production capacity in 33 countries.

How They Differentiate

Gelato differentiates itself through its global network in 32-33 countries, enabling local production and faster delivery (72-hour delivery), and a software-first approach.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Ecommerce sellers, creators, entrepreneurs, and global brands.

Industry Verticals

Creator economy; Ecommerce; Customized products

Competitors

Printful, Printify, Gooten

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

120% annual revenue growth Q2 2021; API business 320% YoY growth; Network covers 33 countries, 5B+ people; Revenue ~$42M

Major Milestones

2007: Optimalprint launched; 2012: Gelato platform launched; 2019: API opened to ecommerce; 2021: $240M funding round and expansion into 3D printing

Notable Customers

Independent creators and global enterprise brands (approx. 70% solopreneurs and SMEs).

Why this company matters

Gelato operates an API-driven software platform that links ecommerce sellers to a distributed network of over 100 production partners across 33 countries. The company enables creators, entrepreneurs, and global brands to design, produce, and deliver customized goods such as apparel, accessories, home decor, and photo books without holding inventory or investing in fixed assets. By routing orders to the nearest production facility, Gelato reduces lead times to 72 hours and reaches a potential customer base of over 5 billion people.

The platform's core technological advantage lies in its software-first approach: an API that integrates with ecommerce stores to automate order routing, production, and logistics across a hyper-local manufacturing network. This model eliminates inventory risk for sellers while allowing Gelato to leverage idle production capacity at partner facilities. The company reports that its API business grew 320% year-over-year, and overall revenue reached approximately $42 million with 120% annual growth as of Q2 2021.

Gelato serves a broad customer base, with roughly 70% of users being solopreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises, alongside larger enterprise brands. The company competes with print-on-demand platforms such as Printful, Printify, and Gooten, but differentiates through its geographic reach and localized production model. Key investors include Insight Partners, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, with total funding of $269 million.

Founded in 2007 as Optimalprint, the company launched the Gelato platform in 2012 and opened its API to ecommerce sellers in 2019. A $240 million funding round in 2021 supported expansion into 3D printing, though the company's primary focus remains polymer-based additive manufacturing for customized consumer goods. The platform's ability to scale on-demand production across borders positions it as a logistics and manufacturing intermediary for the creator economy, though it faces ongoing competition from other aggregators of distributed production capacity.