Keychain – a manufacturing platform for the packaged goods industry – recently announced that it has raised $18 million in seed funding in a round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Box Group, Afore Capital, SV Angel, and over 20 CPG industry professionals.
By creating the world’s first comprehensive platform for the CPG supply chain, Keychain is bringing clarity and convenience to the industry for the first time. In the U.S. alone, $500 billion worth of packaged products are produced by more than 20,000 manufacturers every year — a deeply fragmented landscape dominated by trade shows, brokers, and manual, time-intensive vetting. Starting with a network of more than 10,000 manufacturers, Keychain’s proprietary and AI-powered technology helps brands quickly find the perfect manufacturing partners.
Keychain was founded and led by a veteran team of operators, including Handy founders Oisin Hanrahan and Umang Dua – who guided the startup to a nine-figure exit to Angi before becoming, respectively, CEO and CRO of the newly combined company. And they are joined by cofounder Jordan Weitz, who brings experience in the CPG sector from his time in private equity and venture capital.
Moving forward, Keychain helps its partners navigate the entire manufacturing process, all the way from competitive intelligence and manufacturer sourcing, to terms negotiation, onboarding, and compliance. Even though the company plans to open its platform to select retailers and brands in 2024, Keychain is currently available only to invited partners.
KEY QUOTES:
“Brands and retailers want to create great products—healthy food, high-quality cosmetics, ethically-sourced coffee—but finding the right local and international manufacturing partners within the chaos of the current system often gets in the way. Both Umang and I are incredibly excited by what we’re building, because we believe that creating a more transparent supply chain ultimately means that shoppers around the world will find more outstanding products on store shelves.”
– Oisin Hanrahan, Keychain Cofounder and CEO
“We love what the team is building at Keychain. They’re tackling a thorny, real-world problem with smart technology and a deep understanding of how to build a marketplace. Lightspeed is proud to lead Keychain’s seed financing and support them on their mission to create a more efficient, accessible supply chain for packaged goods.”
– Raviraj Jain, Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
