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Firstleaf
Founded 2015 · 43 employees on LinkedIn · 5 known investors
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Firstleaf sources and delivers curated wines to consumers based on their taste preferences, using technology to match bottles to individual palates. The company operates a direct-to-consumer wine subscription and retail service.
Founders & leadership
Firstleaf was founded in 2015 by Philip James and Erik Steigler.
PJ
Philip JamesFounder & CEOPhilip James holds a Master's degree in Computational Chemistry from Oxford and an MBA from Columbia University. He founded Lot18 and Snooth before establishing Firstleaf, a direct-to-consumer wine subscription service.
ES
Erik SteiglerCofounder & Chief ArchitectHe has over a decade of experience in software development and systems architecture, including work at high-traffic websites.
CM
Carolin MeierChief Wine OfficerCarolin Meier studied fine arts at the University of Fine Arts and holds certificates from British Columbia Institute of Technology in web technologies and digital design. She began her career in retail and publishing education, later moved into hospitality developing beverage training programs, built wine and cocktail lists for Tavistock Restaurants, and served as a buyer and négociant for premium Napa wineries before joining Firstleaf as Chief Wine Officer.
GK
Greg KryderPresident and Chief Financial OfficerGreg Kryder previously led finance and operations for businesses ranging from $300 million to $5.5 billion in revenue across publicly traded and private equity-sponsored companies. He holds advanced degrees in business and engineering from a top-tier university and has worked internationally in Europe, Australia, and South America.
KJ
Kevin JessenSr. Vice President, Technology & ProductKevin Jessen leads technology and product at Firstleaf, a direct-to-consumer wine subscription service, where he has overseen platform migrations, launched an AI-powered mobile app for wine discovery, and led a 25-person engineering team. Previously, he held engineering leadership roles at Uline (managing software teams for a $3B e-commerce operation), ClickFox (delivering SaaS data analytics platforms), and Whole Foods Market (overseeing store operations software).
Investors · 5
BAM Ventureslisted by BAM VenturesLos Angeles · $100K – $1M
How we know: BAM Ventures's portfolio page · the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us
Greycroftlisted by GreycroftNew York · $100K – $5M
How we know: Greycroft's portfolio page · funding news · Not right? Tell us
Primary Venture Partnerslisted by Primary Venture PartnersNew York · $1M – $3M
How we know: Primary Venture Partners's portfolio page · the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us
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Companies working in the same space as Firstleaf.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Firstleaf do?
- Firstleaf sources and delivers curated wines to consumers based on their taste preferences, using technology to match bottles to individual palates. The company operates a direct-to-consumer wine subscription and retail service.
- Who founded Firstleaf?
- Firstleaf was founded by Philip James, Erik Steigler in 2015.
- Who are Firstleaf's investors?
- Firstleaf's investors include BAM Ventures, Greycroft, LifeX Ventures, Primary Venture Partners, Tribeca Venture Partners.