Drop (company) explained

Drop
Former Name:Massdrop
Type:Subsidiary
Industry:Consumer electronics
Founded: in
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Location City:Milpitas, California
Location Country:United States
Area Served:Worldwide
Parent:Corsair (2023–present)
Num Employees:100+

Drop (formerly Massdrop) is an American e-commerce company based in San Francisco, California. In July 2023, Corsair purchased Drop, while retaining its original brand and staff.[1]

Drop uses data and insights from community to develop and find products that feed their interests in audio products and mechanical keyboards. The Drop community can also learn, share, shop with others, and participate in product development through polls, discussions, and interest checks. It also helps people understand the aims of its policy.[2]

History

Drop founders Steve El-Hage and Nelson Wu met in Toronto, Canada, where El-Hage was studying economics at the University of Toronto.[3] The two had grown up using online forums as a way of exploring their hobbies, but believed these forums had many shortcomings, including disorganized meetups and unreliable group buys.[4] They thought that by combining their forum experiences with their interest in bulk buying, they could create a site that would better support their enthusiast in communities.[5] The pair moved to Silicon Valley, where they met Will Bright and started Massdrop in 2012.

Drop changed its name from Massdrop in April 2019.

On July 17, 2023, Corsair announced it had acquired Drop.

Business model

Initially, Drop sold products exclusively from existing manufacturers. Intending to provide a collaborative environment, users were able to purchase as a group and influence the types of products sold, through participation in polls, community discussions, and posts.[6] [7] [8]

The company has since introduced exclusive enthusiast targeted private label products under the Drop name.

Past Drop products

Past products include the Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX headphones,[7] Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 58X headphones,[9] Massdrop CTRL Mechanical Keyboard,[10] Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X gaming headset,[11] Massdrop x Koss ESP/95X,[12] among others.

Funding

In September 2014, Drop raised $6.5 million in a Series A round led by Mayfield Fund with additional investment from previous backers Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, First Round Capital, and Cowboy Ventures.[13] In August 2015, the company secured $40 million in Series B funding led by August Capital with additional investment from Mayfield Fund, First Round Capital, and Cowboy Ventures.[14] [15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Step forward in our evolution. Drop. en. 2023-07-17.
  2. Web site: About Drop (formerly Massdrop). Drop. en. 2019-04-30.
  3. Web site: Massdrop raises $6.5M to enable enthusiast communities to use their massive buying power. Takahashi. Dean. September 24, 2014. Venture Beat. August 23, 2017.
  4. Web site: This startup is reinventing the flash sale for discerning men — and it just raised $40 million. Green. Dennis. August 17, 2015. Business Insider UK. August 23, 2017.
  5. Web site: Massdrop's Zany Plan To Rally Internet Mobs For Discounts Is Working--For Now. Konrad. Alex. June 11, 2014. Forbes. December 8, 2014.
  6. Web site: The best Samsung TV is at its lowest price—for now. USA TODAY. en. 2019-04-30.
  7. Web site: The CEO Turning Passionate Gadget Fans Into Product Designers. www.bloomberg.com. 2020-03-01. 2018-07-16. Matthew. Kronsberg. subscription.
  8. Web site: Sennheiser's HD 6XX headphones offer audiophile audio for $200 (updated). Engadget. 8 November 2016 . en. 2019-04-30.
  9. Web site: Sennheiser released an affordable version of one of its best headphones — but there are only 5,000 pairs. Picks. Amir Ismael, Insider. Business Insider. 2019-04-30.
  10. Web site: The best mechanical keyboards you can buy. Roach. Jacob. Business Insider. 2019-04-30.
  11. Web site: Massdrop x Sennheiser PC37X Review: An Elusive Gem. 2017-01-27. Tom's Guide. en. 2019-04-30.
  12. Web site: Gobsmacked by the sound of the latest Massdrop Koss headphone. Guttenberg. Steve. CNET. en. 2019-04-30.
  13. Web site: Massdrop Raises $6.5M To Turn Group Buying Into A Broader Community Platform. Ha. Anthony. September 24, 2014. TechCrunch. August 23, 2017.
  14. Web site: After Nabbing Former Amazon Executive, Massdrop Rakes In $40 Million. Mac. Ryan. August 13, 2015. Forbes. August 23, 2017.
  15. Web site: Group Commerce Startup Massdrop Raises $40M. Ha. Anthony. August 13, 2015. TechCrunch. August 23, 2017.