Minted

Minted began its journey in 2007, the brainchild of founder Mariam Naficy. Growing up in five countries across the Middle East and Africa, the daughter of a development economist, Mariam was exposed to a rich tapestry of art and design. This, coupled with the artistic talents within her own family, sparked an idea: what if there was a way to unearth hidden creative talent from around the globe and make their work accessible to consumers? The internet, she believed, held the key. Her foundational question was whether a crowd-sourcing design model could build an e-commerce company that would perpetually stay in sync with its audience.

The company launched its first "design challenge" in 2008 – a competition for save-the-date card designs that garnered 66 entries. The early days weren't without their struggles. Initially, Minted balanced its crowdsourcing efforts by also carrying established stationery brands. This approach nearly led to failure, and the company faced criticism from the media. However, Mariam's vision was resilient. She secured $11 million in funding, which sustained the company through seven years of operation. With a lean and dedicated team, Minted reached cash-flow break-even by 2012. This pivotal moment allowed for a significant funding round in 2013, propelling the company forward. Since then, tens of thousands of design and art entries have poured in, enabling Minted to expand its offerings beyond stationery into the art and home décor markets. Today, Minted's products, sourced from a vibrant global community of independent artists and designers, have found their way into over 75 million homes, a testament to the power of democratizing design and connecting creativity with consumers worldwide.