Tala raises 5 million pounds to support international expansion

British activewear brand Tala, founded by influencer Grace Beverley, has secured five million pounds in a funding round led by London-based venture capital trust Pembroke VCT, one of the early backers of womenswear brand Me+Em.

Pembroke VCT, founded by Andrew Wolfson, focuses on backing early-stage businesses with innovative founders and previously participated in an investment round in the business in 2021. For this new funding round, the venture capital trust led the round with a 3-million-pound investment alongside existing investors Venrex and Active Partners.

In a statement, Tala said the investment would support the brand’s international expansion, with an initial focus on the US market in response to “significant customer and social media traction,” in the region.

Additionally, the funds will be used to explore opportunities for establishing a physical retail presence on the high street and enhance the company’s infrastructure and team capabilities.

Grace Beverley, founder of Tala, said: “This new funding round led by Pembroke marks an incredibly exciting milestone in Tala’s growth. The love and support from our customers as we’ve expanded into new categories and solidified our offerings have been nothing short of remarkable.

“I am incredibly excited for the next stage of our journey and look forward to continuing to disrupt the industry with well-thought-through wardrobe favourites and problem-solving pieces for women, by women.”

Tala to target the US following funding round led by Pembroke VCT

The London-based activewear brand was founded in 2019 to disrupt the fast fashion and activewear industries and has scaled significantly since its last fundraising three years ago, reporting a tenfold increase in its revenue.

This period of expansion has also seen the brand expand into new categories, such as outerwear and shapewear, enter new markets, and establish new channels – all while staying profitable.

In addition, Tala made its physical debut in the luxury department store Selfridges in May. The athleisurewear brand offers popular collections, such as DayFlex, Sculpt Seamless, Signature Sweats, and 365 Sculpting Lounge in Selfridges locations in London, Manchester and Birmingham.

Morgan Fowles, chief executive of Tala added: “The past 3 years have been a period of incredible growth for Tala and we’re excited about the opportunities this round of investment creates to supercharge that growth. Tala has expanded and evolved in every way, made possible by the support of our investors, customers, and our team.

“There was a lot of investment interest in this fundraise, and in this climate successful businesses are thinking hard about whether they want to raise capital. But strategic partnership remains an unlock to even greater scale and we’re excited to continue to scale Tala with Pembroke VCT, Venrex and Active Partners.”

Commenting on the investment, Andrew Wolfson, chief executive of Pembroke VCT, said: “Pembroke VCT’s investment in Tala reaffirms our confidence in the brand’s innovative approach and strong market appeal. Grace Beverley, Morgan Fowles and the team have a unique ability to tap into their consumer base, leveraging organic channels to expand Tala’s presence and reinforce its core values.

“This investment will enable Tala to accelerate its expansion, enhance its product range, and strengthen its global market position. The global athleisure market is ripe for disruption from bold, young entrepreneurial brands, and Tala is well positioned to lead the way.”