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Flip
YC W15Los Angeles, US · Founded 2014 · 14 known investors
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Flip operates a mobile marketplace where users buy and sell rare and limited-edition sneakers from verified sellers, with transactions completed within 90 minutes.
Also known as PILF Inc · PILF Inc. · FLIP
Founders & leadership· Y Combinator alumni (W15)
Flip was founded in 2014 by Kemar Newell.
Investors · 14
How we know: Base Venture Management, Inc.'s portfolio page · the VCSheet dataset · Y Combinator's founder network · Not right? Tell us
How we know: the Y Combinator directory · open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Y Combinator's founder network · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Y Combinator's founder network · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Y Combinator's founder network · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us
How we know: Y Combinator's founder network · Not right? Tell us
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcementsSource: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Flip operates a mobile-first marketplace for hard-to-find, rare and limited-edition sneakers, positioning itself as a specialty destination where members can both buy and sell. Listings run as fast auctions: buyers receive instant notifications for sneakers they are tracking and set their own price through bidding, with approved items intended to sell within a 90-minute window. Sellers are drawn from a curated list, and the company states that every approved item is guaranteed to sell or Flip buys it.
Payments are handled inside the Flip app, with the seller paid after confirmation of the transaction. The service is available only in the United States and is offered through iOS and Android applications. The company describes its aim as maintaining an open and trusted community environment for members transacting in the resale sneaker category.
Founding story
Flip was founded in 2014 by Kemar Newell, who serves as Founder and CEO, and participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2015 batch.
Business model
Flip runs a two-sided consumer marketplace connecting sneaker buyers with curated sellers, intermediating auctions and handling payment flows within its own app; the seller is paid after the transaction is confirmed.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Flip describes itself as a specialty destination for rare and limited-edition sneakers, differentiating on speed of sale and a curated, verified seller community.
The company emphasises a 90-minute sale window with a sell-through guarantee (Flip buys approved items that do not sell), buyer-set pricing via auctions, curated sellers, and instant notifications for sought-after releases.
Technology
Flip is a mobile-only platform delivered through iOS and Android apps, with auction listings, instant push notifications for tracked sneaker models, in-app bidding and in-app payment processing.
Go-to-market
Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the Apple App Store and Android, with the website prompting visitors to receive a download link by phone number; the service is limited to the United States.
U.S. consumers seeking to buy or sell popular, rare and limited-edition sneakers, alongside sellers who list inventory on the platform.
Geography
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, with the marketplace available only in the U.S.
History
Founded in 2014 in Los Angeles, Flip went through the Y Combinator Winter 2015 accelerator batch. Its marketplace launched as an iPhone-only product and was later extended to Android.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Related companies · 10
Companies working in the same space as Flip.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsFlip was part of Y Combinator's Winter 2015 accelerator batch, listed under the Marketplace category and based in Los Angeles.
Flip, initially a mobile-only platform available on iPhone, indicated Android availability was coming; the company website subsequently offered a Flip download for Android.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities · 2
corporate structure▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- FLIP | Everyone’s Sneaker Connectjustflip.com · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Flip do?
- Flip is a Los Angeles mobile marketplace for buying and selling rare and limited-edition sneakers.
- Who founded Flip?
- Flip was founded by Kemar Newell in 2014.
- Who are Flip's investors?
- Flip's investors include Base Venture Management, Inc., Y Combinator, Agrolimen Ventures, Ansa Capital, Black Jays Ventures, Cavalry Ventures, Four Cities, HV Capital and 6 more.
- Where is Flip headquartered?
- Flip is headquartered in Los Angeles, US.