01. July

Revenue: $21 million
Growth: 640%
Founders: Athan Didaskalou, 37; Richard Li, 34
Head Office: Collingwood, Victoria
Employees: 23
Industry: Travel
Website: https://july.com/
Year Founded: 2018

How it started

Athan Didaskalou and Richard Li were passionate about quality travel goods and wanted to create beautiful, accessible luggage when they founded July, named after the world’s most popular travel month, in 2018.

They spent 50% of their initial capital on a wheel design after identifying wheels as a pain point for consumers — an investment which paid off with the international success of their Carry-On travel case.

Growth

Following rapid growth in 2019, July was blindsided by the COVID-19 pandemic. The founders focused on developing products for a post-COVID world, with a roadmap to recovery pegging the US as the smarter market to target first.

Now July has 25 products and 168 variants, with 16 new products set to launch before the end of 2022. Revenue has increased 640% in the last 12 months, including 93% in the last 90 days. The company’s top three sales days occurred in the last six months alone.

Where to next?

The team is aiming to shatter its $21 million 12-month revenue result and reach $200 million by 2025.

A UK launch is planned for July 2023, while the founders increase the company’s retail presence in the US and Australia.

As for their exit plans? “Everything is for sale at the right price.”